Early in my career, I discovered that talk therapy alone was not enough for many trauma survivors. To support transformative healing, I needed to help clients decode what their bodies were saying. This realization sparked my lifelong exploration of somatic intelligence and its extraordinary power in trauma integration.
I know you are deeply committed to relieving the pain of clients healing from trauma, or perhaps you are working with your own personal trauma. Somatic therapies tap into the body’s natural intelligence, the innate capacity to self-heal, and bring a dynamic, effective dimension to integrative care.
About Manuela
Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT
One of the questions I’m often asked is “How did I create a career that combines trauma, somatics, and mindfulness?”
Education & Clinical Training
My professional path is grounded in over 30 years of clinical practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), specializing in trauma recovery with populations such as torture survivors, first responders, and individuals facing complex PTSD. This direct clinical work has not only shaped my therapeutic expertise but also fueled the development of innovative training programs for practitioners worldwide.
I am certified as a Hakomi Therapist and Trainer, trained as a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, and a graduate of the CIIS Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy program. Building on this foundation, I have led ketamine-assisted therapy groups, advancing the integration of psychedelic-assisted approaches into somatic healing.
My academic journey includes a BA in Psychology from the University of Hamburg, a BA in Dance Therapy from Naropa University, and an MA in Somatic Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. I also pursued advanced training in Infant Mental Health through the Napa Fellowship Program and trauma studies at the Child Trauma Institute of San Francisco.
In addition to clinical training, I am a long-time teacher of Continuum, a practice of fluid movement and embodiment that deepens awareness and supports the body’s innate capacity for healing and transformation. This dimension of my work continues to enrich how I teach somatic psychology and trauma recovery.
Beyond Western frameworks, my work has been profoundly influenced by Amazonian Indigenous knowledge and healing traditions, which expand my understanding of the intersections between body, psyche, spirit, and community. Alongside my immersion in mindfulness and Dharma-based Buddhist practices, these traditions guide my teaching, writing, and leadership.
Today, this integrated foundation, clinical, academic, contemplative, and embodied, anchors my role as a leader in somatic psychology: educating the next generation of clinicians, shaping trauma-informed curricula, and guiding Embodywise as a global hub for embodied healing and learning.
Highlights of My Contributions
Author & Thought Leader: Published four books on somatic and psychedelic-assisted therapy, translated into Spanish, German, and Vietnamese.
Innovator in Education: Designed influential programs such as the Somatic Coaching Training and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Training, shaping the practice of therapists and thought leaders across generations.
Hakomi Leadership: Served as an international Senior Hakomi Trainer and as Leadership Director of Hakomi California.
Founder of Embodywise: Established a nonprofit learning community dedicated to advancing somatic and trauma-informed education.
Global Teacher & Speaker: Shared somatic healing practices in Australia, China, Colombia, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, Tanzania, and beyond.
Humanitarian Impact: Supported torture survivors from Latin America and Southeast Asia in their healing journeys.
Resilience Builder: Provided trauma treatment and resilience training for first responders, reducing PTSD symptoms, including suicidality, through trauma informed mindfulness, somatic therapy, and psychedelic-assisted approaches.
Leadership Consultant: Worked with Silicon Valley CEOs to cultivate more compassionate and effective leadership.
My passion is teaching mental health professionals, through conference speaking, training, and developing curricula—to more effectively treat trauma through somatic therapies. My proprietary training programs include:
Hakomi: Hakomi is a mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy method. As a certified Hakomi therapist and trainer, I co-founded the Hakomi Institute of California and serve as a senior faculty member.
ISITTA: To integrate best practices from multiple somatic therapies, I created ISITTA™ (Innate Somatic Intelligence™ Trauma Therapy), a movement-based therapy designed to treat trauma.
Hakomi Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: I apply Hakomi methodology to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Hakomi-Informed Somatic Coaching: This coaching framework integrates Hakomi methodology, enabling coaches to facilitate transformational change.
Continuum: As an authorized teacher of the movement-based therapy Continuum, I train professionals to apply it to trauma treatment.
I teach internationally and founded Embodywise, a nonprofit learning community. Embodywise serves as a platform for professional training in somatic psychology integrated with evidence-based mindfulness practices.
Training Professionals to Heal Trauma
I founded Embodywise, a nonprofit learning community dedicated to advancing professional training in somatic psychology, mindfulness, trauma healing, and wisdom traditions. Embodywise unites global faculty and students in a supportive environment to:
Train clinicians and coaches in somatic trauma therapies
Connect diverse somatic therapies with wisdom traditions
Integrate emerging fields—such as psychedelic-assisted therapy—into somatic practice
Today, Embodywise serves as a hub for transformative programs that blend decades of psychotherapy, research, movement, and community building—creating a space where the art and science of embodied healing evolve and thrive.