The one-day ERT workshop is a single Saturday, in a small group, in which you learn a handful of the foundational Emotional Release Therapy points and work in pairs — giving a session and receiving one. The next date is Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Sebastopol, California, 10am to 5pm. Cost is $375, held with a $200 deposit. No experience is needed.
This is the shortest way in. It is not a lecture about the body — it is a day spent inside it.
How the day runs
- Morning — landing. What ERT is and what actually happens in the body. Breath and movement to get you out of your head and into the room.
- Late morning — the points. A few of the foundational release points, taught directly. You watch one, then you try one. These are the doorways to the younger self.
- Afternoon — working in pairs. You give a session and you receive one, with Pat moving between pairs throughout, adjusting hands and pacing.
- Closing — integration. Making sense of what moved, and building something you can take home, so nobody leaves the room wide open.
All of it is inner child work. That is not one segment of the day — it is what ERT is. The points are simply how you get there: emotion parks itself in tissue, and the younger self who was never allowed to feel it is reached through the body rather than talked about from a chair.
People are often surprised how quickly something surfaces once the body has been opened and the room has gone quiet.
What you leave with
- A direct, felt experience of Emotional Release Therapy — not a description of one
- A few foundational points you can use on someone you love
- Contact with the younger part of you that has been carrying it, and a sense of where it sits
- An honest answer to whether the retreat or the school is your next step
Who comes to the one-day
Three kinds of people, roughly. Those who want their own healing and would rather try a day than commit to four. Bodyworkers, therapists and breathwork teachers who want to feel what this modality does before deciding whether to train in it. And people who read about ERT, could not stop thinking about it, and wanted the cheapest honest way to find out.
No experience is needed and nothing is required of you beyond willingness. Come for your own healing, or come to work out what your next step is. Both are good reasons.
What to expect
- You stay fully clothed. Wear something you can breathe, move and lie down in.
- You will put your hands on another person, and another person will put their hands on you.
- It can get loud. Some people cry, shout or shake, and some people feel very little on the day — both are ordinary.
- You control depth and pace throughout, and you can stop at any point.
- Bring a water bottle and, if you write, a journal. Lunch arrangements are confirmed when you register.
- Try not to schedule anything demanding for that evening.
Before you book
This work brings strong feeling to the surface on purpose. Please read who this work is not for first, and tell Pat about any recent injury or surgery, pregnancy, bone-density condition or blood thinner before the day, so points and pressure can be adjusted.
Next one-day workshop
- Workshop
- A Day of Emotional Release
- Date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Time
- 10:00am – 5:00pm
- Location
- Sebastopol, California
- Format
- One day, in person, hands-on
- Group size
- Kept small on purpose
- Cost
- $375
- To hold a spot
- $200 deposit, non-refundable
Sebastopol is in Sonoma County, about an hour and a quarter north of San Francisco. Santa Rosa (STS) is the nearest airport; SFO and OAK are both straightforward drives. People do come in from out of state for the day — if you are travelling, say so when you register.
Questions about the one-day
Do I need a partner to come with?
No. Pairs are arranged on the day, and most people arrive alone.
Does this count toward the practitioner school?
Yes. The one-day satisfies the direct-experience prerequisite for the ERT practitioner training, and it is the least expensive way to meet it.
Will I be qualified to work on people afterwards?
No, and this matters. You will leave with a few foundational points you can use gently with someone you love. Working with people professionally requires the full training — five modules, twenty-five practicum sessions, and certification.
What if I do not want to be worked on?
Receiving is part of the day, and it is the half that teaches your hands what the work feels like from the inside. If you are unsure, come anyway and say so at the start — you control depth and pace throughout.
Is the $200 deposit refundable?
No. Deposits are non-refundable. If you need to cancel, let us know as early as you can.
How is this different from the retreat?
Depth and time. A day gets you a real, felt introduction and a few points. The four-day retreat gives the nervous system long enough to decide it is safe, which is usually when the bigger movement happens.
Are one-day workshops held anywhere other than Sebastopol?
Occasionally, when a group forms elsewhere. If you have a group and a space, email Pat about hosting one.
Emotional Release Therapy is not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment, and does not diagnose, cure or treat any condition. Results vary from person to person.