Train to Help Dysregulated Teens Regulate
Learn the Somatic Matrix: a neurobiologically-grounded, bottom-up behavioral intervention for adolescents who cannot access traditional talk therapy when dysregulated.
What is Somatic Matrix?
A bottom-up somatic regulation protocol for adolescents who are neurologically unable to communicate when dysregulated
"I'm not above you. I'm not below you. I'm beside you — steady, respectful, and present — until your system settles."
High-Intensity Physical Discharge
Structured movement sequences that activate the endocannabinoid system and complete stress cycles
Cognitive Flexibility Training
Exercises that build adaptive thinking and emotional regulation capacity during and after physical engagement
Rhythmic Soothing Movement
Slow, predictable patterns that transition the nervous system from activation to calm, regulated states
Many adolescents are not unwilling to communicate — they are neurologically unable to access communication when their nervous system is overwhelmed.
Traditional "top-down" approaches (talk therapy, reasoning, behavioral correction, consequences) fail in moments of acute dysregulation because the adolescent's nervous system is operating from survival physiology rather than relational engagement.
Somatic Matrix provides a structured, ethical, and replicable method for restoring regulation and readiness for connection.
Who We Train
Common Client Presentations
• Chronic anxiety or hypervigilance
• Emotional shutdown or withdrawal
• Oppositional behavior rooted in threat response
• Aggression or impulsivity
• Trauma-related dysregulation
• Difficulty verbalizing internal experience
• Treatment resistance to cognitive approaches
• Repeated authority conflict
Neuroscience Foundations
- • The Case for Bottom-Up Revolution
- • Endocannabinoid System Deep Dive
- • Polyvagal Theory & Nervous System Mapping
- • Trauma-Informed Principles in Action
- • The Art of Co-Regulation
Practical Protocol
- • The Sanchez Sequence: Striking Techniques
- • Integrating Strikes with Defensive Movements
- • Reaching the "eCB Window" (70-80% max HR)
- • The Tai Chi Bridge: Down-Regulation
- • The Art of Interoception
Clinical Integration
- • Bridging to Talk Therapy
- • Documentation & Billing (CPT Codes)
- • Liability, Consent, and Contraindications
- • Adapting the Matrix for Different Populations
- • Case Study Workshop
Certification Process
- • Hands-On Practicum
- • Live Certification Demonstration
- • Written Certification Exam
- • Certificate of Completion
- • Ongoing Support & Resources
What You Receive:
- • Practitioner Manual (spiral-bound)
- • Evidence-Based Documentation Package
- • Client Education Handouts
- • Certificate of Completion
- • 1 Year Online Portal Access
- • Video Refreshers of Protocols
- • Private Practitioner Community Forum
Pre-Work (4-6 Hours):
- • Introduction to Somatic Matrix
- • The Limits of Talk Therapy
- • The Science of the Body
- • Safety & Self-Care Protocols
• Clinical Introduction Kit for professional outreach
• Listing on Somatic Matrix Institute website
• Monthly Clinical Q&A calls with expert practitioners
• Ongoing support and advanced training resources
• Access to private practitioner community forum
The Science Behind It
Evidence-based neurobiology meets practical application
Understanding the three states of the autonomic nervous system is fundamental to the Somatic Matrix approach. When adolescents are in sympathetic (fight/flight) or dorsal vagal (freeze/shutdown) states, they cannot access the cognitive resources required for traditional talk therapy.
Ventral Vagal
Safe & social: eye contact, curiosity, communication capacity
Sympathetic
Fight/flight: agitation, impulsivity, survival energy seeking completion
Dorsal Vagal
Freeze/shutdown: withdrawal, dissociation, protection through immobilization
High-intensity exercise triggers the release of anandamide, the body's natural "bliss molecule," which binds to CB1 receptors in the brain. This neurochemical process is the biological mechanism behind the anxiety reduction and emotional regulation achieved through the Sanchez Sequence.
Research by Amatriain-Fernández et al. (2021) demonstrates that reaching 70-80% of maximum heart rate—the "eCB window"—optimally activates this system, providing natural regulation without pharmaceutical intervention.
Traditional "top-down" approaches (talk therapy, reasoning, behavioral correction) fail when the nervous system is overwhelmed because the adolescent's brain is operating from survival physiology rather than relational engagement.
Somatic Matrix intervenes through the body first, using structured movement and controlled exertion to help complete stress cycles and return to regulation. Only then can cognitive processing and therapeutic conversation become possible.
Core Principle:
Regulation before cognition. The body must feel safe before the mind can engage.
Somatic Matrix is not psychotherapy and does not replace licensed clinical care. Practitioners:
- • Do not diagnose mental health disorders
- • Do not provide psychotherapy or interpret trauma narratives
- • Do not pressure teens into disclosure or challenge belief systems
- • Provide observational data to support clinical teams
Boundary Statement:
Somatic Matrix regulates the body so clinicians can work with the story.
Podcast Library
Listen to expert insights on trauma-informed behavioral interventions
Stop Reasoning With Your Teen's Brainstem
Understanding why traditional reasoning fails when teens are in survival mode and what to do instead.
Rebooting the Brain With Martial Arts
How structured movement protocols can reset the nervous system and restore regulation.
Rebranding Martial Arts As Somatic Therapy
Transforming traditional martial arts instruction into evidence-based therapeutic intervention.
Martial Arts Chemically Override Teen Fear
The neuroscience of how high-intensity movement activates the endocannabinoid system to reduce anxiety.
Regulation Before Reasoning With Dysregulated Teens
Why body-first interventions must precede cognitive approaches for lasting change.
Resources & Downloads
White papers, implementation guides, and practitioner tools
Comprehensive white paper covering the scientific foundation, clinical applications, and implementation strategies for the Somatic Matrix protocol.
Comprehensive materials for schools, residential programs, and clinical settings
Get in Touch
Ready to learn the Somatic Matrix approach? Contact us about upcoming training dates.
Phil Sanchez
[email protected]Phone
Contact form coming soon
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