250 & 500Hr

Expressive Arts Somatic Certificate Programs

The Expressive Arts Somatic Certificate Programs follow the personal and professional experience and vision of founder Lanie Bergin applied to an industry-credentialed professional expressive arts education program.

We offer an approved training program through The International Somatic Movement, Education and Therapy Association.

After 250 hrs you will receive a certificate from EAIO and can apply for the ISMETA "Associate Somatic Movement Professional" certification.

With an additional 250 hours of training, for a total of 500 hours, you are qualified to apply for the ISMETA "Registered Somatic Educator/Therapist" certificate.

  • Upcoming Cohort Start Dates:

    • Virtual Level 1, 250 Hr Cohort: Early 2027

    • In-Person Level 2, 250 Hr Cohort: (total of 500hrs.) TBA

    Tuition

    • $5,500 USD

    • $7,500 USD

    Both the 250 and 500-hr programs follow schedules of 6 hours per day, running every other weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Experience the Program at Our Intro Workshop

We invite you to attend our upcoming Intro Workshop, where we address all program questions — curriculum, structure, tuition, and the application process. 

Sign Up for the Intro Class

© 2026 Lanie Bergin. All rights reserved.

What to Expect

This training lays the foundation for a professional model of an Embodied Expressive Arts practice. It covers the art, science and psychology of movement as experienced by students using Expressive Arts modalities. 250hr Students will be working with the body as a foundation to explore and experience while using the intermodal arts approach, focusing on movement, art making, creative writing, journaling and reflective dialogue.

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500Hr Program Overview

Course Reflections

Whether for your personal or professional journey, the insights you gain and the skills you learn will enhance your current work and possibly be the first step of embarking on an entirely new path, with the the internationally recognized credential you can gain through us as a training program with the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association.

  • The 250 Hr Program covers Foundational Somatic Expressive Arts theory, tools and methods, as well as Arts-based research tools and Personal Case Study.

    • 250hrs (Level 1) of the training program is truly an embodied experience, with you as the subject matter. You will learn about the development of your selfhood and your relationship to the art. What you learn in this phase is directly applied to your professional development. 

    • You will experience the practice of somatic-based expressive arts process work from the lens of the participant. The skills that you develop in is this phase are critical to how you will teach somatic-based expressive arts to others. You will have lots of practice applying what you learn during “teachable moments” when reflecting, guiding, witnessing and communicating with your cohort members.

    • How you support your cohort members is reflected in how you support yourself and the people you will work with professionally. The narrative that you live by can be challenged on many levels, thus giving you the time and safe space to re-define who you really want to be in the world and why you choose to work with the arts and human development. 

    • The 500hr program: allows you to bring what you learned from the first 250hrs about the development of your selfhood and your relationship to working professionally with others. You will deepen your connection to what’s important to you and to the work you will do with others.

    • This phase will help you integrate the theory of you with the somatic-based expressive arts work both theoretically and phenomenologically. Sustainability, authenticity and an original voice is at the heart of this phase.

    • Teaching and learning are blending into a comprehensive practice in professional facilitation with fieldwork.

    • Student Development and Deliverables: Teaching Art Project, Competent Teaching Practices, Field Work Project, Supervision and Mentoring, Peer-led Labs, Architecture of Session, Creating somatic-based art activities, Artist/Facilitator Statement and Community Presentation. Completing Fieldwork and a Professional case Study with EAIO in addition to fulfilling ISMETA’s requirements, qualifies you to apply to ISMETA for Registered Somatic Movement Educator (RSME) or (RSMT)credential. 

Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon 250- Hr Certificate Program_ISMETA Associate Somatic Movement Professional

250hr Certificate

After completion of the 250hr program and documented work experience you will earn the ISMETA certificate of Expressive Arts Practitioner.

Register for the Intro Class
Expressive Arts Institute of Oregon_ 500 Hr Certificate Program_ISMETA Registered Somatic Movement Educator/Therapist

500hr Certificate

After completion of the 500hr program and additional documented work experience you will earn the ISMETA certificate of Expressive Arts Educator or Therapist.

Apply Here

Perfected through work with small cohorts since 2014, the program is unique in that it supports a secure and deliberate progress from personal mining to professional application. 

All of the multi-modal aspects of the Expressive Arts are present (movement, drawing, sounding, writing and collaborative reflection), uniquely presented within a construct focused on building confidence in each individual’s story, refreshing historical narratives with the power of symbolic mythology of personal transformation.

Start Your Journey

Schedule Your Intro Class

Experience the Program at our Intro Workshop.

We invite you to attend our upcoming Intro Workshop, where you’ll meet the Founder & Program Director, Lanie Bergin

Before Scheduling your Intro Workshop: Please read our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

*How to prepare for the Intro Workshop: Please bring materials for journaling, writing and drawing, paper, pen, markers, pastels or crayons!