Echo is partnering with HaGomel for a training that will explore how the embodied practices of the expressive arts can support trauma survivors in releasing hypervigilance, withdrawal, and fear while increasing their sense of safety, self-regulation, and self-esteem.

The training will cover the following:

• The neurobiology of safety as a response to trauma and fear
• Overview of the expressive arts
• Mindfulness techniques as means of self-regulation
• Creative drawing and writing exercises for self-awareness
• Relational safety and how it affects self-regulation and self-esteem
• SoulCollage® Card creation as a method of self-exploration and healing

Learning objectives:

At the end of the training, participants will be able to:

• Identify signs of dysregulation in themselves and others
• Practice 3 mindfulness tools to regain equilibrium
• Identify bodily sensations of safety and translate those into movement, visual representation, and writing
• Identify the experience of relational safety and practice tools for finding “the right place” in relation to others
• Utilize the practice of SoulCollage® to explore various aspects of themselves and their community along with an inquiry method to go deeper with the process

Details

Dates: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 9am-4:30pm
Cost: $125; $95 early bird (before 10/10/26)
Location: IN-PERSON The California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St, Los Angeles CA 90012
Parking: Free (limited) parking is provided at The California Endowment. Tell the parking attendant that you are attending the training.
Lunch: Lunch is not provided. There are several eateries within walking distance to the training venue.
Continuing Education: 6 CE credits are available for an additional $30. For more information visit our continuing education page.

Additional Information

Cancellation fees may apply; be sure to review our refund policies here.

Continuing Education: This course meets the qualifications for 6 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. These credits are available for an additional $30. For more information visit our continuing education page.

For questions about this training, please contact us at training@echotraining.org or (213) 484-6676

* Echo maintains responsibility for this course and its content*

ELYA BRADEN is the Founder and President of HaGomel Foundation (https://hagomel.org/), whose mission is to provide free expressive arts programs to support emotional and psychological healing for women who have experienced sexual and other trauma. Elya was inspired to launch HaGomel after experiencing the power of the expressive arts in her own healing journey.

After practicing corporate law for 14 years, Elya returned to her passion for the expressive arts, first with singing jazz and cabaret, then acting in plays, musicals, and independent films. For the last 15 years, Elya has focused on creative writing, mixed-media art, dance, and yoga. She is a level one NIA dance instructor, a SoulCollage® Facilitator, and has completed the Certification Program in Social Emotional Arts (SEA) Facilitation with Arts & Healing Initiative.

Elya’s poetry has been widely published and has been nominated for several awards. Her first chapbook, Open The Fist, a poetic exploration of her own experience of childhood abuse and healing, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2020. Her full-length collection, Dragonfly Puzzle Box, was published by Sheila-Na-Gig Editions in September 2026.

ANNETTE TORRES is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and healing practitioner dedicated to creating safe, affirming spaces where women can heal, reconnect with their power, and build community. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations from California State University, Los Angeles.

Annette serves as an educator at the East Los Angeles Women’s Center, where she provides education and training on gender-based violence prevention, advocacy, and community empowerment. She also serves as Program Manager for HaGomel, a nonprofit organization that uses trauma-informed expressive arts programming to support healing among women who have experienced trauma.

Drawing from her background in the arts, education, and holistic healing, Annette integrates movement, breathwork, sound healing, and mindfulness practices to support resilience, self-discovery, and collective well-being. As a certified yoga instructor, sound bowl practitioner, and multi-instrumentalist, she approaches healing as both a personal and communal process rooted in empowerment, connection, and transformation.

Annette’s work has taken her across the United States, where she has performed and facilitated experiences that blend music, movement, and embodied practices. Through her interdisciplinary approach, she uses breath, sound, rhythm, and creative expression as tools for grounding, restoration, and healing.