Trager® Introductory Workshop
The Art of Dissolving Tension Patterns
Why The Trager® Approach Still Matters Today
Before “somatics” had a name in the language of modern bodywork, Dr. Milton Trager was already following its essence. He was asking a different kind of question: What happens when the body is invited instead of forced? What happens when touch becomes a conversation with the nervous system? What happens when ease itself becomes the teacher?
From those questions, the Trager® Approach emerged — a gentle, profound way of working with touch, movement, rhythm, presence, and curiosity. Dr. Trager discovered that when the body experiences a new feeling of freedom, the mind and nervous system begin to remember that more is possible. Tension does not have to be battled. Mobility does not have to be demanded. Change can arise through softness, listening, and the felt experience of ease.
For massage therapists today, this is more relevant than ever. So many gifted practitioners are working hard, giving deeply, and wondering how to stay in the work they love without sacrificing their own bodies. The Trager® Approach offers another way: a bodywork practice where your mechanics, your presence, and your own ease become part of the healing environment.
Training with Fawn Christianson gives you access to this lineage in a uniquely direct and embodied way. With over 40 years of experience and 16 years of direct mentorship with Dr. Trager, Fawn carries the purity of the principles as living practice — not just information, not just protocol, but a way of touching, moving, sensing, and listening that can transform how you work. Through her teaching, today’s therapists can receive the roots of somatic bodywork in a practical, graceful, and deeply usable form — one that supports your clients, protects your body, and helps you return to the joy and intelligence of your hands.
About This Class
Most massage approaches succeed well at releasing muscular tension. However, very few massage approaches succeed at dissolving the pattern that produces the tension, which means after a period of relaxation, it lives to see another day.
Trager® stands alone as an approach but also beautifully compliments and deepens other styles of massage as well. Experiencing how the power of this approach begins within the Practitioner first will be a primary focus during the eight hours. Come and learn the language of the neuromuscular system and turn the temporary release of tension into the ongoing dissolution of muscular tension patterns.
This eight-hour Introductory Workshop serves as a prerequisite for the Trager® Level 1 training; Trager Level 1 leads toward certification as a Trager Practitioner.
CE credit:
This course offers 8 hours of online CE which will count toward the maintenance of a Georgia massage license, subject to the following limitation: According to the policies of the NCBTMB and the Georgia Massage Board, no partial credit may be awarded for CE courses. Therefore, students must complete all sessions in order to receive CE credit for this 8-hour course.
LMTs outside of Georgia, please verify with your state massage board whether courses accredited through the NCBTMB are approved as CE in your state (NCBTMB Approved Provider Number = 021518-00)
Trager® Introductory Workshop
Course by Distance Learning (interactive Zoom with Instructor)
CE hours = 8 (Distance Learning; not “hands-on)
Session 1: Tuesday June 23rd. 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Session 2: Tuesday July 21st. 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Session 3: Tuesday August. 25th. 2:00 PM- 4:30 PM
Location:
Note that two “in person” locations are provided for this distance learning training. The teacher will demonstrate the work online and students will perform trades on each other locally.
- Atlanta Esalen Massage
2824 Chester Day, Decatur GA 30030 - Bear Creek Wellness LLC
1044 McEntire Road, Tyron NC 28782
Cost = $120 for all three sessions, or $40 for any one session; for CE credit, students must pay for and attend all three sessions.
Cancellation policy: Students may receive a full refund up to 30 days prior to the course; fewer than 30 days prior to the course no refunds will be given.
REGISTER TODAY
Milton Trager, MD, who became aware of the basic principles at the age of 18, spent over 50 years refining this unique approach to somatic movement therapy and bodywork.
Fawn Christianson
Fawn Christianson is a master Trager® Practitioner and somatic educator whose career spans nearly four decades in the therapeutic bodywork field. As one of the select practitioners who trained directly with Dr. Milton Trager, she carries forward his innovative approach to neuromuscular integration with both technical precision and profound presence.
Throughout her extensive career, Fawn has specialized in helping bodywork professionals overcome the common challenges of practitioner burnout, physical strain, and diminished effectiveness. Her teaching emphasizes sustainable body mechanics that protect therapists' longevity while dramatically enhancing client outcomes through principles of nervous system communication rather than force.
Massage therapists, physical therapists, and somatic practitioners consistently praise Fawn's exceptional ability to demonstrate the subtle nuances of touch that speak directly to the nervous system and tissue memory. Her students describe watching her work as "witnessing a dancer teaching choreography," noting how her clear demonstrations transform complex concepts into embodied understanding.
After successfully operating a private practice in the heart of Silicon Valley for 38 years, Fawn now divides her time between her clinical practice in the Bay Area and teaching advanced professional trainings. Her approach integrates cutting-edge neuroscience with time-tested bodywork principles, creating a comprehensive framework that addresses both client pathologies and practitioner sustainability.
Fawn's teaching methodology emphasizes the practitioner's internal state as the foundation for effective therapeutic outcomes. Through her guidance, bodywork professionals learn to maintain presence and "hookup" even while working with challenging conditions like frozen shoulder, sciatica, and trauma-related holding patterns.
Beyond technique, Fawn is celebrated for creating learning environments where practitioners feel truly seen and supported in their professional development. Her trainings not only elevate clinical skills but also renew practitioners' connection to the profound healing potential of mindful, embodied touch.
