4-year program to become a body oriented therapist
The Netherlands Institute of Core Energetics (NICE) offers an intensive four-year Professional Training in Core Energetics — a body-oriented therapy method that integrates the body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Graduates of this program are certified body-oriented therapists, equipped to guide individuals and groups in personal growth, healing, and self-discovery.
The Professional Training is offered in English and brings together students, teachers, and assistants from many different countries. Our community is diverse—not only in nationality, but also in culture, age, background, and gender—making it a truly enriching experience. For most students, English is not a barrier, partly because our work focuses on body language and emotional awareness, a universal human language.
The program lasts four years. Five times a year, you attend four intensive days of classes at a conference center, where the entire school comes together and stays on-site. Between these modules, you deepen your understanding through literature study. You also engage in your own body-oriented therapy. Personal development is at the heart of our training.
Our average group size is 10 to 20 students per year, each supported by an assistant present at all teaching hours. You will learn from a variety of teachers, each bringing their own expertise, style, and unique approach.
During training days, about half of your time is spent in your own year group. The rest is dedicated to community activities, rituals, and bodywork classes with the larger school community of 80 to 100 people. All years of the Professional Training are present, alongside groups from our Transformation Training and Evolutional Program. Some modules also include Masterclasses and Introductory Workshops.
You can join the Professional Training even if you are not sure about becoming a therapist. The first two years, in particular, focus strongly on personal growth. Many students describe the experience as deeply meaningful and life-changing. Being able to fully be yourself and show up authentically in a group is a profoundly healing experience.
The first year focuses on understanding the personality and developmental history of individuals. Students study the interaction of mind, spirit, energy, emotions, personality, and defenses with the physiological body. This foundational year also helps students explore their own creativity, movement, and life force, uncovering personal blocks that may impact their therapeutic practice.
Topics:
- Group dynamics
- The history of body psychotherapy
- Foundations of Core Energetics
- Trauma: from shock trauma to complex trauma
- Attachment theory
- Polyvagal theory
- Interpersonal neurobiology
- Survival strategies
Personal social and emotional skills:
- Strengthen embodied, grounded presence
- Getting in touch with your feelings and deepening them
- Finding the courage to show yourself, even in your vulnerability
- Opening yourself to deeper connection with others
- Sensitivity: opening up to your gifts, protecting yourself from too much
- Daring to trust and listen to your inner knowing
- Finding the courage to express what is within you
- Finding the courage to let go of control, surrendering to not-knowing, and being open to new experiences
- Being honest and authentic
- Learning to respect your own boundaries
In the second year, students dive deeply into the five character defenses, as originally articulated by Wilhelm Reich and later refined through contemporary understanding. Students explore the five character defenses as fundamental patterns of protection that shape how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world. Students learn to recognize how these structures manifest in the body, emotions, thoughts, and behavior—both in themselves and in others. Through experiential learning and clinical practice, they explore the challenges and strengths of each structure and develop the skills to work with them effectively in body-oriented therapeutic processes.
Topics:
- Embodiment and Grounding
- Safety
- Connection and attunement
- Recognizing and Acknowledging Personal Needs
- Developing Autonomy
- Boundaries
- Expressive movement
- Trust
- Vulnerability and Openness
- Ideal (false) self images and exploring issues of narcissism
- Love
- Sexuality
- Balancing Control and Surrender
- Surrendering to Feeling
- Core Energetic Map of Consciousness and the Character Defenses
- Images
- Breathwork
- Learning to perceive subtle feelings and energy
- Bio energetic principles: Charging, Discharging, Containing
- Transference and Countertransference
Students gain hands-on experience in body-oriented therapy, building confidence in their skills
In the third year, students gradually build their own practice and begin working with clients. Students develop clinical proficiency, applying Core Energetics methods in practice. By year’s end, graduates can guide clients from the mask self through the lower self to the core self.
Topics:
- Techniques and Interventions
- Working with Transference
- The Art of Therapy
- Working with the Energy Field
- Practice building
- Diagnosis, treatment planning, assessment
- Ethics
The fourth year focuses on advanced therapeutic skills and the development of the therapist’s individuality.
Topics:
- Linking the higher self of therapist and client
- Planning client trajectories and therapeutic goals
- Specialized areas: leadership, relationships, sexuality
- Working with groups
- Connection to mainstream psychiatric field
- Demonstration and practice sessions
Students consolidate all four years of training while polishing their Core Energetics expertise.
Also the 4th year focuses on students developing their individuality as core therapists. Throughout the year they are given opportunities to practice and to learn what qualities they bring to the work. They are encoura
Accredited program
Our training program is recognized in the Netherlands by the CRKBO and by several professional organizations (like VIT)and thus by the umbrella organization for complementary care (RBCZ). Graduates can, with an additional course (PSBK), be admitted to a professional organization, allowing them to demonstrate that they meet high quality standards. Being a member of a professional organization offers recognition within the healthcare sector, and most supplementary health insurance plans cover part of the treatment.
We are currently in the process of applying for official accreditation. Our ambition is to become a recognized higher education (bachelor-level) program in the field of complementary care.
Graduates can apply for membership with the European Association for Body Psychotherapy (EABP), subject to certain additional requirements.
Costs
Schoolyear 2026-2027:
- Program tuition: € 4.250 per year. Payment plans are possible.
- Meals and lodging: approx. € 390 – 570 per module, depending on roomtype.
- 25 personal therapy hours per year, or group therapy hours (variable costs)
- Third year groupsupervision: € 1.175 (meals included)
- Fourth year groupsupervision and exam: € 1.425 (meals included)
- Exam day (re-exam or postponed exam): € 295
In some cases it is possible to get a scholarship or loan. The Honouring Eva Foundation is committed to making the Core Energetic training open to people who need financial support to participate in the training. More information: www.honouringeva.com
Application
If you are interested to join the program, we ask you to fill out the enrolment form and send it to us. After that we will invite you for an interview with Evelien Bus and Bert Stek. This interview is also meant for you to learn more about Core Energetics and ask your own questions. We will let you know directly after the interview if you are accepted.
In case you wish to take the training after a previous training like the NICE Transformation Training, Bio-energetics, Body-Mind, Unitive therapy or Brennan healing, it might be possible to enter the training in the second year, depending on where you are in your personal process and your understanding of the basics of Core Energetics and character structures. A prerequisite might be some catch up education on the Core Energetics concepts and techniques. The admittance committee will assess these criteria in the intake interview.
A new group for year 1 will start October 2026.
We are currently updating our student handbook and we will publish it soon on this page.
Get in touch with us!
Would you like to speak with one of our students? Let us know! Most of our students are happy to share their experiences. You can speak with a first-, second-, third-, or fourth-year student, or with a graduate. Let us know which country you are from and we can connect you with a student from your country if you wish.
LANGUAGE
Spoken language is English.
The teachers and assistants are from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the USA.
DATES 2025 – 2026
Training modules
October 10-13, 2025
December 12-15, 2025
February 6-9, 2026
April 10-13, 2026
June 12-15, 2026
Supervision third year
September 19-20, 2025
November 21-22, 2025
March 20-21, 2026
Supervision en exams fourth year
October 3-4, 2025
December 5-6, 2025
March 13-14-15, 2026 (exams)
DATES 2026 – 2027
Training modules
October 16-19, 2026
December 11-14, 2026
February 5-8, 2027
April 9-12, 2027
June 4-7, 2027
Supervision third year
September 25-26, 2026
November 27-28, 2026
March 5-6, 2027
Supervision and exams fourth year
September 4-5, 2026
November 6-7, 2026
March 19-20, 2027 (exams)