Sacred Wounds

Peter A. Levine, Ph.D., is the renowned developer of Somatic Experiencing. He holds a doctorate in Medical and Biological Physics from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in Psychology from International University. The recipient of four lifetime achievement awards, he is the author of several books, including Waking the Tiger, which has now been printed in 33 countries and has sold over a million copies.

Euphrasia (Efu) Nyaki was born and raised on the slopes of mountain Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, where she gained the essence and vital healing energy from her ancestors. The strength of her ancestors lead her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree, train as a science teacher, and later to train as a healer using holistic methods. Efu enjoys helping others and for this reason joined an International Catholic Missionary community called Maryknoll sisters of Saint Dominick. Having arrived in Brazil as a missionary in 1993, Efu worked for 5 years with women who suffered from violence using mental health programs in the periphery of the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. In the year 2000 she co- founded two NGOs, and in the past 20 years, Efu has offered bodyworker and herbal medicine trainings for community leaders. For the past 10 years Efu has been teaching Family Constellation (trans-generational trauma healing) and Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) for trauma resolution in Brazil and other parts of the world. Efu was also asked by Dr. Peter A Levine, the developer of SE™, to join his Legacy Faculty to assist him and teach his Master Classes.

Joshua Sylvae, PhD has been involved in the field of somatics since 2003. His study of nervous system regulation has incorporated inquiry into many disparate fields including ecology, philosophy, and neurobiology. He holds an MA in clinical psychology (with an emphasis in somatic psychology), a PhD in Higher Learning and Social Change, and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Joshua’s clinical practice is grounded in Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), and he also integrates psychodynamic perspectives, mindfulness approaches, a systemic orientation, and a good deal of humor in his work. He is a faculty member at the SE Trauma Institute, leading the SE Professional Training in locations around the world, and is also a Legacy Faculty member at Dr. Peter A Levine’s Ergos Institute for Somatic Education.

Joshua’s background includes participation in social change efforts, movements for social equality and ecological sustainability, and he maintains a passion for encouraging and assisting communities working toward the creation of a just and healthful society. In 2019, Joshua launched The (r)evolve Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the general public about human origins, and he currently serves as the organization’s Executive Director. He envisions somatics becoming an integral part of healing and transforming our world, and feels greatly inspired when helping professionals integrate these simple principles for treating and transforming trauma and distress.