Soma Skills
A group work program exploring self-regulation, resilience and connection for young people aged 13-25 years.
This program is delivered in partnership with services.
About Soma Skills
Despite increased connectivity through media and technology, young people today face heightened loneliness, isolation, and risks of mental and physical health challenges.
Co-designed with young people, Soma Skills integrates mindfulness and movement-based practices, psychoeducation and group work to support young people with strategies for self-regulation, stress-relief and social connection.
Soma Skills typically runs as an 8-12 week course with a maximum capacity of 12 participants. Each session is 60 minutes, broken into core segments of connection, movement, mindfulness and rest.
Each week, we cover a different theme:
Week 1 : arriving together
Week 2 : resourcing and safety
Week 3 : curiosity and compassion
Week 4 : stress relief practices
Week 5 : balancing and regulating
Week 6 : boundaries and consent
Week 7 : support for sleep
Week 8 : acknowledging your efforts
We are grateful to young people and partner organisation staff at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Foundation House, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne City Mission, the YWCA, STREAT and many others for informing the design of this program.
What young people say
Soma Skills FAQs
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Research shows that body-based mindfulness practices, like those used in Soma Skills, have the following benefits for young people:
Reduced anxiety, depression, and somatic distress in adolescents, along with improving self-esteem and sleep quality¹
Significant positive effects on executive functioning, attention, depression, anxiety/stress, and negative behaviours²
For young people who have experienced trauma, body-based mindfulness can provide a safer way to reconnect with their bodies and minds, particularly for those resistant to traditional talk therapies and mindfulness interventions³.
Body-based mindfulness practices have also been shown to enhance interoceptive awareness and build skills for regulating physiological arousal, supporting emotional regulation and resilience⁴.
² Dunning et al., 2018
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We have delivered Soma Skills for young women from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds at Mooroolbark College with the Migrant Information Centre, the Centre for Multicultural Youth and the River Nile School.
With Transgender Victoria, we delivered Soma Skills for trans and gender-diverse young people.
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Yes, depending on the site. We can discuss options and tailor the program to meet your needs and timeline.
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Child safety legislation mandates there are multiple adults in the room with young people under the age of 18 years—and so Soma Skills is co-facilitated with partner organisation staff. In the instance that partner organisation staff are not able to be in the room, Soma Skills can be co-facilitated by two Collective Being facilitators.
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Please email our Programs Coordinator Alexia directly at alexia@collectivebeing.org
Interested in this program?
Complete our enquiry form to explore bringing Soma Skills to your community.