Professional Trainings

Compassion Embodied

TRAUMA INFORMED TRAININGS ROOTED IN SOMATIC AWARENESS & KINSHIP ECOLOGY

For the Seeker and the Practitioner.

Whether you are a clinician looking to deepen your practice, an individual seeking a more embodied relationship with yourself, or a wellness professional wanting an interdisciplinary framework to bring into your work — there is a training for you here.

Ellen offers retreat-style experiential workshops that weave interactive lecture, guided mindfulness, somatic practices, and one-of-a-kind thought-provoking exercises. Licensed therapists receive CE credits for qualifying trainings.

Choose Your Training

RECORDED TRAININGS

IN-PERSON TRAININGS

"Ellen’s training was remarkable and transformative personally and professionally. Ellen truly is a gifted clinician and presenter. I thought "I knew what there was to know" about self-compassion before the training and I was surprised by how much new insight I obtained."

-Blythe, Licensed Therapist, Compassion Retreat Participant

The Compassion Cultivation Cycle brings together many streams of knowledge into an accessible, applicable framework that both the clinician and client can put their hands on. It leaves me wanting to explore this model further.”

- C.M, Clinical Social Worker, 2024 Day-Long Training

A Synthesis, Not a Protocol.

Ellen teaches from her training in Interpersonal Neurobiology, Polyvagal Theory, Attachment Theory, Somatic Awareness, Mindfulness, and Kinship Ecology — unified through the Compassion Cultivation Cycle™, a non-pathologizing framework that understands human behavior as Sophisticated Adaptation and guides participants toward Compassion Embodied.

This is not solely an intellectual experience. Ellen designs her interventions — particularly metaphor and mindfulness exercises — from a whole body perspective, healing from the bottom up. She offers both a rigorous understanding of the material and a path toward embodied knowing, weaving lecture and experiential practice to activate both hemispheres of the brain for deep, sustainable learning. Each training includes a unique workbook that supports the work well beyond your time together.

Meet Your Guide


Ellen Slater, LICSW, YT-200 Founder, Head & Heart PLLC | Creator of the Compassion Cultivation Cycle™

She is walking the path of Compassion Embodied, and you are invited to walk it with her — so that you may walk it with others.

"Ellen Slater is a brilliant therapist and teacher. She gracefully weaves compassionate practice with heady science.”

- 2021 training participant

Words from Students

  • "This training really helps challenge the idea that compassion is weak or letting ourselves or others off the hook. Loved the concept of compassionate willpower and metaphors for defusion."

    - Training Participant

  • "Ellen is a breath of fresh air in our turbulent world. She combines science, compassion, and love into a unique brew that inspires me to be better in every conversation we have."

    - Josh

  • "Ellen has the ability to blend a variety of historic teachings with a modern point of view. Her teachings are extremely accessible. Her lessons have helped me stay present in my life - no matter what is happening around me."

    - Natalie

  • "The cycle is going to be most helpful for informing my approach with clients. It gives a tangible map for me to locate their current state, and shows me what is most relevant to tend in order to grow awareness, create safe relational connections, and plant seeds for compassion embodied."

    - Training Participant

  • This course provides space to genuinely deepen and bridge personal growth and professional skills.

    - S.W, Therapist, 2025 Training