Live Virtual Training via Zoom

Sharlisa L. Byrd, LMFT, presents a live virtual professional training program on Healing the Healers: Introducing the BYRD Model for Culturally Rooted Trauma Care.

Healing the Healers: Introducing the BYRD Model for Culturally Rooted Trauma Care is a 3-hour training is designed for clinicians, educators, and graduate-level students seeking to deepen their understanding of trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Developed by Sharlisa Byrd, LMFT, this training introduces participants to the BYRD Model—a somatic and justice-driven framework for healing that centers the embodied experience of trauma, particularly among marginalized communities.

Grounded in real-life narratives and supported by somatic psychology, the BYRD Model invites clinicians to integrate four key pillars—Belonging, Yielding, Resilience, and Disruption—into their therapeutic practice. These concepts are explored through storytelling, case studies, and experiential somatic exercises that promote nervous system regulation, cultural attunement, and collective care.

Participants will walk away with a fresh perspective on how to apply body-based healing tools in clinical work, how to identify and challenge systems of harm, and how to sustain their own resilience as helping professionals. Whether you're a new clinician or seasoned practitioner, this course provides immediately applicable tools for fostering deeper healing for both clients and clinicians navigating oppressive systems.

This program is more than a training—it’s a call to reclaim wellness as a radical act of resistance, and to support healing not only for our clients, but for ourselves.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the four core pillars of the BYRD Model and their relevance to trauma-informed care
  • 2 Describe how systemic oppression impacts the nervous system and therapeutic engagement
  • 3 Describe somatic practices that support healing from racialized and professional trauma
  • 4 Describe the BYRD Model to promote culturally responsive, client-centered healing environments

  • Intended Audience

    This program is intended for clinicians and helping professionals who are dedicated to providing trauma-informed, culturally responsive care to marginalized, BIPOC, and underrepresented populations. It is especially relevant for those who integrate somatic tools, cultural humility, and advocacy into their clinical work, and who are committed to addressing the impacts of systemic oppression on both clients and practitioners. The ideal audience is passionate about justice-oriented healing frameworks and seeks to foster collective care and resilience within communities navigating systemic barriers.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Therapist
    • Counselor
    • Social Worker
    • Clinical Supervisor
    • Educator
    • Graduate Student in Mental Health Fields
    • Somatic Practitioner
    • Community Health Worker
    • Case Manager

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at all experience levels who wish to deepen their understanding of trauma-informed, culturally responsive care.
    Beginner: New or pre-licensed clinicians and graduate students seeking foundational knowledge of trauma-informed, somatic, and culturally responsive practices, and an introduction to the BYRD Model.
    Intermediate: Practicing clinicians and educators with some experience in trauma work, looking to expand their skills in integrating somatic and justice-driven frameworks, and applying the BYRD Model in diverse clinical settings.
    Advanced: Experienced practitioners and supervisors interested in deepening their expertise in culturally rooted trauma care, refining their use of somatic interventions, and leading systemic change within organizations using the BYRD Model.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who participate in this program typically work in environments that prioritize accessible, community-centered, and culturally responsive care. These settings often serve individuals and families from marginalized, BIPOC, and underrepresented backgrounds, and emphasize trauma-informed, justice-oriented approaches. Workplaces may range from outpatient mental health clinics to grassroots community organizations, schools, and advocacy centers, where professionals collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and engage directly with communities impacted by systemic barriers.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Community mental health centers serving diverse populations
    • School-based counseling or wellness programs
    • Nonprofit organizations focused on advocacy and social justice
    • Outpatient therapy clinics with a focus on trauma and somatic healing
    • University counseling centers or training clinics
    • Integrated healthcare teams in primary care or public health settings
    • Grassroots organizations supporting collective healing and resilience
    • Crisis intervention programs or shelters
    • Case management services for underserved communities
    • Peer support and community education initiatives

Presented By

Sharlisa L. Byrd, LMFT, LMFT

Sharlisa Byrd, MA, LMFT, TITC-CT, SEP, CCATP Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | Clinical Traumatologist | Somatic Experiencing Practitioner | Educator | Advocate Sharlisa Byrd is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Clinical Traumatologist, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner whose work lives at the sacred intersection of science, soul, and social justice. As the founder and CEO of Byrd’s Eye Professional Counseling Solutions, she provides culturally affirming, somatically grounded care to individuals and groups navigating trauma, identity, and systemic oppression. A recognized voice in trauma healing, Sharlisa is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco and has taught extensively in crisis trauma counseling, cultural humility, Substance and Addiction counseling, and psychotherapeutic theory, to name a few. Sharlisa has shared her clinical insights as a panelist for the Crawford Lecture at the University of San Francisco and Palo Alto University’s ATSS Professional Development Panel. She also presented “The Healing Effects of Trauma Using Somatic Experiencing and Exposure Therapy” For the Northern Somatic Experiencing Practitioners Association, where she explored integrative approaches to trauma recovery and embodied resilience. Her work has been featured in the Somatic Experiencing Institute’s article, “A BIPOC Journey Through Somatic Experiencing.” Her work uplifts collective healing, centers the nervous system in liberation work, and calls clinicians into deeper integrity with anti-oppressive practice. A proud mother, healer, and streetwise scholar, Sharlisa’s presence is equal parts clinical brilliance and ancestral wisdom.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Sharlisa L. Byrd, LMFT

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Welcome & Grounding Practice (15 min)

      • Introduction of the facilitator, shared agreements, and nervous system check-in
      • Group intention setting and community agreements

  • Why the BYRD Model Was Created (30 min)

      • Storytelling from the facilitator’s lived experience
      • Overview of the limitations of traditional trauma models
      • Participant reflections and small group discussion prompt

  • Deep Dive into Belonging & Yielding (45 min)

      • Definitions and somatic significance of these pillars
      • Clinical case example
      • Interactive somatic activity: orienting and grounding
      • Optional poll: “How do your clients ask for rest without words?”

  • Deep Dive into Resilience & Disruption (45 min)

      • Cultural and ancestral lenses on resilience
      • Disruption as advocacy in clinical and institutional settings
      • Breakout groups: real-world scenarios and role reflection

  • Somatic Integration & Application (30 min)

      • Nervous system mapping through Polyvagal-informed lens
      • Clinical strategies and how to apply the BYRD Model in session
      • Group debrief and live Q&A

  • Reflection & Closure (15 min)

      • Guided journaling and sharing
      • Resource handout and follow-up support

Live Event Policy

Registration for our live events is covered for one (1) person per purchase. If you would like to purchase for a group, please contact our group training team.

  • Event Communications

    When registering, use an email that is active and that you check regularly. We are not responsible for communications not being received; if you do not add [email protected] to your email safe sender list, our emails are likely to end up in your spam or junk folders.

  • Cancellation Policy

    This is a live program only and will not be made available on-demand. If you are unable to attend live please contact customer service 48 hours before the live event to request a refund.

  • Event Conduct

    Professional conduct is expected during our live programs. Our goal is to make our events as interactive as possible for all participants. We reserve the right to remove any participants who are disruptive, act unprofessionally, or who we are unable to verify their purchase.

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship/ provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.