Ruby Jo Walker, LCSW, SEP, CHT is an author, experienced (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) trauma therapist, and trainer sought for her expertise in Polyvagal Theory—specializing in the neurobiology of trauma and resilience. She is the founder of SW Trauma Training Services where she developed Post-Traumatic Growth Somatic Therapy, a unique combination of advanced somatic therapy practices rooted in neurobiology, resilience, trauma healing, and attachment theory, using applied Polyvagal Theory. Additionally, she is certified in Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi Mindfulness Therapy.

Ruby Jo's experience in the field of trauma spans over 30 years of training a wide range of professionals from various disciplines in Polyvagal-informed trauma protocols. Her work continues to impact psychotherapists, healthcare providers, trauma support agencies, behavioral health service groups, human service agencies, and attendees at Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence conferences. She has facilitated hundreds of trainings, providing expert guidance to help individuals and organizations better understand and address the impact and treatment of trauma for improved client outcomes and effectiveness in their work.

Ruby Jo has a passion for supporting professionals and clients incorporating an understanding of neurobiology to bring about deep change and transformation. Committed to her community, Ruby Jo served in a leadership role on a statewide task force that developed supportive resources for healthcare workers in Colorado during the 2020 pandemic. She is a contributing author of a Norton Press book, Somatic-Oriented Therapies: Embodiment, Trauma, and Polyvagal Perspectives by Herbert Grassmann (Editor), Maurizio Stupiggia (Editor), Stephen W. Porges PhD (Editor). In collaboration with Norton Press, Ruby Jo will publish her book, Applied Polyvagal Theory for Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth: A Clinician's Guide, this year.

Session 1

Details

Date : Friday, March 20, 2026

Time : 9am-5:30pm (1.5 hour lunch)

Format: In-Person

CEU Hours: 6.5 (pending approval)

Pricing

• Full Rate: $185*

• Early Bird Full Series Price (register by 3/5/26 at 11:59pm): $165* (save $20)

Description

Somatic Applications of Applied Polyvagal Theory In Real Time: Where Theory Comes to Life in the Therapy Room - A Day of Live Clinical Demonstrations

This innovative full-day workshop is designed for clinicians, therapists, and practitioners who want to apply Polyvagal Theory and somatic practices. In this workshop, Polyvagal Theory comes alive in real-time. Participants will learn the necessary skills to work effectively with the nervous system to support downregulation, leading to deeper, lasting change for clients.

Each demonstration will include:

• Real-time mapping to support individualized pathways for nervous system regulation

• Tools for tracking and shifting physiological states

• Post-demo discussions to connect theory with intervention

• Practical strategies to help clinicians use their own nervous systems as a therapeutic resource.

While brief didactic segments will offer key context, the emphasis is on learning through live observation—an approach that deepens integration and supports clinical applications.

Session 2

Details

Date : Saturday, March 21, 2026

Time : 9am-5:30pm (1.5 hour lunch)

Format: In-Person

CEU Hours: 6.5 (pending approval)

Pricing

• Full Rate: $185*

• Early Bird Full Series Price (register by 3/6/26 at 11:59pm): $165* (save $20)

Description

Working with Attachment through the Lens of the Nervous System: Expanding Capacity for Connection and Safety

This workshop is designed for clinicians and therapists who want to deepen their understanding of attachment through the applied lens of Polyvagal Theory. By integrating the science of the nervous system with attachment theory, participants will explore how regulation and safety shape relational patterns and broaden a client’s capacity for connection.

The training will combine didactic learning, guided exercises, live demonstrations, and experiential practice. Through this integrative approach, clinicians will strengthen their ability to recognize nervous system states that underlie attachment dynamics, and will develop practical skills to support clients in cultivating secure, flexible, and resilient connections.

This workshop offers both a theoretical foundation and hands-on tools, making it ideal for practitioners who want to expand their clinical work with attachment-informed, somatically grounded interventions.

Session 3

Details

Date : Friday, March 27, 2026

Time : 9am-5:30pm (1.5 hour lunch)

Format: In-Person

CEU Hours: 6.5 (pending approval)

Pricing

• Full Rate: $185*

• Early Bird Full Series Price (register by 3/12/26 at 11:59pm): $165* (save $20)

Description

Beyond Fight/Flight/Freeze: The Neurobiology of Fawning and Appeasement: Where Adaptive Responses Meet Healing Possibilities

This full-day workshop is designed for clinicians, therapists, and practitioners who want to expand their understanding of trauma responses beyond the familiar fight, flight, and freeze framework. While widely recognized, these three terms often overlook the equally important survival strategies of fawning (or placating) and appeasement.

In this training, participants will learn how these responses are rooted in the body’s biological drive for safety. Through the lens of Polyvagal Theory, the neurobiology of fawning and appeasement will be explored in depth, highlighting both their distinctions and their overlap. These adaptations are not limited to abuse contexts such as domestic violence or sexual assault—they can also emerge from developmental wounding and non-abuse experiences.

Participants will gain practical strategies to recognize these trauma adaptations in clients and to support pathways toward authentic self-expression and restored agency. By integrating this knowledge into clinical work, practitioners will be better equipped to help clients move from survival patterns toward deeper healing and wholeness.

This workshop brings cutting-edge insights into practice, building on presentations that have been shared at National Trauma Training Conferences for victim service providers.

Session 4

Details

Date : Saturday, March 28, 2026

Time : 9am-5:30pm (1.5 hour lunch)

Format: In-Person

CEU Hours: 6.5 (pending approval)

Pricing

• Full Rate: $185*

• Early Bird Full Series Price (register by 3/13/26 at 11:59pm): $165* (save $20)

Description

Healing Core Beliefs Through the Nervous System: Transforming Stuck Patterns into Pathways of Change 

Clients often become stalled in therapy when inaccurate core beliefs—formed in the context of developmental wounding—create barriers to growth and ease. These beliefs are where trauma often becomes embedded, restricting clients’ ability to live in alignment with their authentic selves.

This workshop uses a nervous system lens to illuminate how core beliefs are shaped, reinforced, and maintained. Through didactic teaching, guided practices, and live demonstrations, participants will gain practical skills to help clients loosen the grip of these beliefs and open to new ways of experiencing themselves and the world.

By integrating a Polyvagal-informed approach, clinicians will leave with strategies to work more effectively with entrenched patterns, supporting clients in moving beyond survival-driven beliefs toward greater freedom, resilience, and self-agency.