Naropa University in Boulder will launch a largely online version of its somatic counseling program starting in the summer of 2026.
Somatic counseling focuses on the connection between the mind and body to help people heal from trauma, grief, addiction and related challenges. In addition to discussing their feelings, patients engage in mind-body exercises that could include breathing work, meditation, visualization or dance.
Through the program at Naropa, students earn a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in somatic counseling. The degree program trains students in body-based therapeutic methods alongside clinical mental health counseling. The university already offers the degree program entirely in-person, and starting in the summer of 2026, it will also be offered in a low-residency, or mostly online, format.
In the new low-residency program, students will complete online coursework and attend required in-person retreats in Colorado twice per year. The on-campus and low-residency programs have the same curriculum and rigor, according to a release, but the low-residency option is designed for working professionals, caregivers and people who cannot relocate to Boulder.
The addition of a mostly online option for Naropa's somatic counseling program comes after Naropa has increased the percentage of students who enroll in online classes and degree programs since the pandemic.
"This expansion is about meeting the moment in a time when more people are facing the challenges of trauma, disconnection, and burnout," faculty member Heather Sutton said in the release. "Somatic counseling meets those challenges not just with insight, but with presence and recognition of the wisdom of the body. With this new low-residency format, we're honoring the integrity of our training while making it possible for more students to step into this healing work, no matter where they live."
The global somatic therapy market is projected to grow from $4 billion in 2025 to $12.4 billion by 2032, according to a 2024 report by Coherent Market Insights, a company that provides data analysis and market trend insights. This anticipated increase is because evidence-based somatic practices are becoming more accepted in medical care and people are realizing the therapy's potential to dig deeper to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression in a way traditional counseling may fail to fully resolve, according to the report.
The somatic counseling program, like all degree programs at Naropa, is rooted in contemplative education, which goes beyond traditional education by learning through a lens of self-exploration, self-reflection and mindfulness.
Applications are open now. For more information, visit https://www.naropa.edu/programs/graduate-academics/clinical-mental-health-counseling/somatic-counseling/.