Clinical Work
“Taking the BASE training with Dave Berger is one of the best personal and professional decisions I have made. BASE is an efficient, compassionate, and effective way to resolve trauma on all levels. Bringing in touch in such an attuned, purely intentioned, and informed way gets to the heart of the matter very quickly. Even when it is unwise to use touch with a client, BASE has improved my skill significantly, for example, through tracking of internal anatomy, using intention with awareness of this anatomy, and suggesting client's use of self touch. I cannot imagine now not working with the trauma response of specific organs. Recognizing the pattern of constriction and flow in different organs with their specific characteristics allows for precision in the renegotiation of the freeze response.
I saw significant and immediate progress in my practice as soon as I incorporated the BASE work; reworking trauma got faster. I have also found that BASE interweaves well with other modalities.
The progress I have made in my own healing work through BASE has been both profound and valuable.
I love that it addresses attachment trauma in a beautiful, elegant and natural way. Touch and/or the physical attunement that BASE brings in mobilizes attachment patterns for the reworking on a somatic level. Just the process of obtaining consent for touch work can be transformative for the client.
This is the wave of the future.
And last but not least, the person and clinician that Dave Berger is, is beyond outstanding. He is a true master at what he does. I look forward to building on my learning from him for years to come.”
Psychiatrist
“I have worked in the healing arts profession as a manual physical therapist for the past (gulp!!:) 36 years and I find the SE work some of the most valuable that I have experienced. The precise, focused and gentle way of cellularly accessing tissue intelligence is a beautiful dance of listening deeply, observing intently and facilitating exquisitely. My daughter, 22 at the time, had a session with Dave and she had been hit by a car when she was 16. She had much body work by the best of the best and still there was something locked deeply in the cells that was creating pain, heaviness in the chest, anxiety and depression. After a one-hour session, I heard her laugh–you know that deep, gut authentic laugh, that I hadn’t heard in years. She clearly was accessing a part of self that had been buried and cut off for some time. I am grateful for the lasting effects of this work and the artistic dance with the cells. Thank you so much for the availability of this work.”
“Physical, psychological and spiritual pain and anxiety have been woven and entwined into the fabric of my life. They colored my very existence because I have lived with physical disabilities and pain all my life.
My amazing recovery journey is a testimony to Dave Berger’s knowledge, skill, and compassionate demeanor; both as a physical therapist and psychotherapist. He is a healer who really knows the body/mind connection. I have a neurological condition—cerebral palsy. I have dealt with PTSD, crippling pain from back and neck disc issues, and excruciating nerve pain and spasms on a daily basis as a child and adult.
Presently, I am happy to be relatively stable and pain management is under control. I can now participate in activities of daily living with greater ease and independence; I interact socially with more confidence. I truly know my body, mind, and soul. I credit Dave Berger’s knowledge and expertise; my family and friends have strongly acknowledged this as well. I highly recommend Dave Berger as a physical therapist and psychotherapist.”
Teaching
“Dave Berger’s BASE™ training provided me with an array of new tools to “read bodies” and treat clients with complex trauma. His videos, graphics, one-to-one mentoring, clear demos and sense of humor made new learning easy and fun! BASE™ is a MUST for practitioners wanting to increase their skills in hands-on somatic work.”
“Dave Berger is a very gifted teacher who creates an environment of trust, curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. He has an amazing ability to combine his extensive knowledge about human physiology, psychology, and emotional states in a way that facilitates student intellectual and personal growth. Dave Berger integrates his extensive experience as a physical therapist, mental health therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner into a unique style that is refreshing, down-to-earth, and practical. My own knowledge base and Somatic Experiencing skills were enhanced significantly after assisting Dave and I only wish I had the opportunity to work with and learn from him on a regular basis. Individuals who want to understand and develop body-based therapy skills at beginning through advanced levels will not want to miss an opportunity to learn from Dave Berger.”
“Dave has been generous and supportive in each of the roles he played in my training as a somatic psychotherapist. He supervised one of my LMHC internships, provided SE supervision, and is teaching while I assist in the SE Training. I learn from the content of his teaching, and his ability to move between psychodynamic and somatic theory and practice. I was often surprised by the breadth of his experiences and ability to apply his understanding of theory to complex therapeutic situations. As I learn more and refine my skills, I continue to seek him out to help with the most challenging therapeutic issues in my work. It is also clear to me from observing his teaching and working closely with him for a year at the Integrative Medicine Center that Dave is committed to providing the most supportive and effective teaching strategies, while creating safety, holding clear boundaries, and he is a natural teacher.”