October 22-25, 2026 — Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

The Trager® Professional Training: Mentastics

Somatic Foundations of Presence, Touch, and Movement

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Upcoming Workshop Weekend

October 22-25, 2026 — Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Join Roger Tolle in Ann Arbor, Michigan for an immersive workshop on the somatic foundations of touch, presence, and movement. Held in late October, as maples and oaks across southeastern Michigan turn to reds, golds, and rust, the workshop unfolds over several days of focused, experiential inquiry.

Through guided exploration of dynamic imagery, intentional touch, and focused presence, participants explore ease, connection, and biotensegral support in both movement and hands-on work.

Open to bodyworkers, movement practitioners, and anyone curious about embodied connection, this workshop offers a nourishing space to refine touch, heighten sensory awareness, and deepen attunement to the natural intelligence of the living body, whether for personal exploration or professional practice.

The workshop prepares students for further Trager® classes, and serves as the Mentastics portion of the Trager Certification Training Program. It also helps Practitioners and Tutors clarify and find clearer and more contemporary language for guiding clients and students.

This four day workshop delves into the somatic movement foundations of presence, touch, and movement, inviting participants to experience the work’s guiding principles of softness, weight, waves, connection, play, pause, and authenticity. We explore how our felt sense of movement changes the potency of our touch. This workshop is for anyone interested in deepening their relationship with touch and movement, in personal or professional settings.

24 NCBTMB Continuing Education Credits Available

Questions? Please Contact Eileen Dickinson

  • This workshop focuses on the somatic movement foundations of presence, touch, and movement, through integrated practice of the essential principles, including:

    • Fully embodied presence

    • Softness in attention, intention, contact and movement

    • Weight - sensing lightness and groundedness

    • Fluidity in tissue and movement patterning

    • Balancing floating in the sweet center with playing at the edges

    • Artful transitions in speed, size, density, intensity

    • Taking out the slack in the three-dimensional biotensegral web

    • Integrating meaningful movement into both professional and personal life activities

    • Connecting to ourselves, our partners, the earth, and to the life forces of the universe

    The workshop also introduces the benefits of studying the Trager Approach for:

    • Replacing restrictive movement habits with natural, graceful movement patterns.

    • Reframing daily self-care exercises as opportunities for mindful embodiment and self-development.

    • Equipping participants with practices to better navigate stress and cultivate resilience.

    • Integrating somatic practices into spiritual exploration and creative expression.

    • Addressing the somatic dimensions of trauma, depression, and anxiety, offering pathways to healing and transformation.

    • Enriching both professional and personal relationships (platonic and intimate) through embodied presence and attuned connection.

  • 📍 This workshop will be held at the NEW Center (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work), a light-filled space just north of downtown Ann Arbor. Our room overlooks the Huron River, offering a quiet, tree-lined view that supports reflection, ease, and spacious attention.

  • Fri – 10:00-1:00, 2:15-5:30 (6 hours)

    Sat– 10:00-1:00, 2:30-5:30 (6 hours)

    Sun– 10:00-1:00, 2:30-5:30 (6 hours)

    Mon– 10:00-1:00, 2:30-5:30 (6 hours)

    We’ll take an hour and a half for lunch each day.

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