Somatica Institute Code of Ethics

Preamble

The Somatica® Institute is committed to compassion, integrity, connection, and professionalism in sex and relationship coaching. We believe the skills needed for fulfilling intimacy and relationships can be learned, and the Somatica Training offers a comprehensive, experiential approach to developing and sharing these skills.

Somatica is a consent-based coaching method that helps people become more comfortable with emotional and erotic intimacy through practical, relational tools —including touch and emotional and erotic sharing — inside a clearly structured “relationship lab.” In this lab, coach and client co-create explicit agreements and then practice intimacy skills within clear ethical and physical boundaries.

The Code of Ethics below describes those boundaries so that students, practitioners, and clients can clearly understand what kinds of touch are appropriate in sessions, how expressions of intimacy are held, and the standards of safety and professionalism that support this intimate work.

All Somatica practitioners are expected to follow this Code of Ethics, maintain a loving and grounded approach, and apply the Somatica method skillfully. This Code provides guidance, accountability, and clear standards of conduct for all who agree to uphold it.

Part One: Definitions

  • Somatica Coaching
    Partnering with clients to support their sex and relationship goals by creating a safe, non-judgmental space and offering authentic connection, experiential learning, and practical tools.
  • Certified Somatica Practitioner
    A graduate who has successfully completed the full certification process, passed the certification exam, and agreed to abide by the Somatica Code of Ethics.
  • Trained Somatica Practitioner
    A graduate who has completed both the Core Curriculum and Advanced Curriculum, and agreed to abide by the Somatica Code of Ethics.
  • Somatica Student
    Anyone currently enrolled in a Somatica training program or attending supervision to learn, deepen, or refine Somatica coaching skills.

Part Two: The Somatica Code of Ethics

Section 1: Professional Conduct at Large

As a Somatica Practitioner, Student, or Coach, I:

  1. Act in accordance with this Code of Ethics in all professional interactions.
  2. Maintain clear personal and professional boundaries with clients and with all members of the Somatica community (students, faculty, leadership, alumni, supervisors, and practitioners).
  3. Practice an ethic of repair which means that I seek to address concerns or discomfort directly with the person involved when appropriate, and when resolution is not possible, bring the issue to a group leader, teacher or the Somatica Institute.
  4. Report any ethical concerns, violations, or possible breaches—whether involving myself or others—to the Somatica Institute as soon as I become aware of them. This is done by sending an email detailing the concerns to [email protected].
  5. Help promote awareness of this Code of Ethics among people and organizations who may be affected by my work, including colleagues, employers, and collaborators.
  6. Strive to make my practice welcoming and accessible to a diverse range of clients, and do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual identity, gender identity, or ability. When I work with specific populations or issues, I offer appropriate referrals to other Somatica practitioners when needed.
  7. Make only true, accurate, and respectful statements about:
    • The services I offer
    • The coaching profession
    • The Somatica method and Institute
  8. Represent my professional background, training, and qualifications honestly, including my Somatica training and certifications.
  9. Acknowledge and honor the contributions of others, and claim ownership only of my own work and original materials.
  10. Maintain fair and equitable practitioner–client relationships, regardless of the form or amount of compensation.

Section 2: Professional Conduct with Clients

As a Somatica Practitioner, Coach, or Trainee, I:

  1. Clearly explain, before or at the first session, that:
    • Somatica is an experiential, clothes-on practice
    • I maintain client confidentiality within the limits of the law
    • My rates, session length, and financial policies
    • Any other relevant terms of our coaching agreement
  2. Establish a clear written coaching agreement with each client, ensure they understand it, and have both parties sign it before beginning the coaching relationship. I then honor this agreement.
  3. Do not initiate or engage in sexual or romantic relationships with current clients.
    • If a romantic or sexual relationship with a former client is ever considered, I wait at least one full year after our final coaching session with no contact and follow the process outlined by Somatica to transition the relationship.
    • I understand that, if a romantic or sexual relationship begins (or ends), that person can no longer be my client in the future.
  4. Do not invite close friends to become my paid coaching clients.
  5. Respect the client’s right to end the coaching relationship at any time, in line with our agreement. I remain attentive to signs that the client’s needs have changed or that the coaching is no longer useful, and I bring this forward if the client does not.
  6. Encourage clients to seek another Somatica practitioner or a different resource when I believe they would be better served elsewhere. When appropriate, I recommend that clients seek other professional services (for example, therapy, medical care, or legal support).

Section 3: The Boundaries of the Somatica Method

The Somatica Method uses specific boundaries to support clients in exploring attachment, desire, seduction skills, and sexual technique in a safe and contained way.

Somatica is a consent-based coaching method that helps people become more comfortable with emotional and erotic intimacy through practical, relational tools—including touch and emotional and erotic sharing—inside a clearly structured “relationship lab.” In this lab:

  • Coach and client meet only in scheduled coaching sessions, not socially or romantically outside of them.
  • Both remain fully clothed at all times. Coaches wear pants/leggings and at least a tank top; clients stay dressed.
  • Somatica is grounded in mentorship, secure-attachment dynamics, and a deeply deshaming approach: attraction, vulnerability, and desire are welcomed as material for learning inside the coaching container, not acted out as a private romantic or sexual relationship outside of the coaching container. 

All forms of touch and erotic practice in Somatica are guided by ongoing, enthusiastic consent, with the client free to adjust or withdraw consent at any moment. Exercises are oriented toward the client’s stated goals, learning, and growth. 

Coach and client co-create explicit agreements within the Somatica boundaries and then practice intimacy skills that may include:

  • Two-way touch on agreed-upon areas of the body aside from those that are expressly excluded (see below)
  • Affectionate holding and embracing
  • Limited kissing that does not involve the mouth or genitals (for example, on the cheek, neck, or hand)
  • In regards to touch, both client and coach may have their own personal boundaries around touch. The boundaries of Somatica allow for full-body touch over clothing that excludes the genitals and any areas that have been named off-limits by the client or coach
  • Sharing fantasies, desires, and feelings is welcome within the coaching relationship
  • When appropriate, simulating sexual situations (such as trying out positions or practicing thrusting or grinding) can be used to build comfort, skills, and embodied confidence

These are the outer limits of Somatica’s professional boundaries. Within them, each coach is also committed to honoring their own personal boundaries and comfort level. Coaches are never required to use every possible exercise or to work at the outer edge of these boundaries. They may choose to offer a narrower range of touch and practices, as long as their work remains within Somatica’s overall boundaries. Coaches are expected to communicate their own boundaries clearly and to model self-consent alongside client consent.

As a Somatica practitioner, I agree to:

  1. Meet clients only during scheduled, paid sessions and not socialize, date, or pursue romantic or sexual relationships with them.
  2. Maintain all “clothes-on” boundaries in every session and communicate these clearly to clients.
  3. Use touch solely to further the client’s coaching goals, and only within the forms of contact described above and agreed upon in advance.
  4. Clearly describe each exercise before beginning, request explicit verbal consent, and continually track and respect the client’s boundaries and changes in consent.
  5. Hold all expressions of attraction, vulnerability, and desire as part of the learning process and never as an invitation to shift into a personal romantic or sexual relationship.

Section 4: Confidentiality/Privacy

As a coach, I:

  1. Maintain the highest possible level of confidentiality with all client information, except when disclosure is required by law.
  2. Establish clear agreements with clients about how we will communicate and exchange information (for example, email, phone, text, online platforms), including any privacy limitations inherent to those methods.

Part Three: The Somatica Pledge of Ethics

As a Somatica Practitioner, Trainee, or Student, I acknowledge my ethical and legal responsibilities to my clients, colleagues, and the broader community. I commit to:

  • Uphold the Somatica Code of Ethics
  • Embody these standards with everyone I coach, teach, mentor, or supervise
  • Continue to grow in integrity, self-awareness, and professional skill

If I breach this Pledge or any part of the Somatica Code of Ethics, I agree that Somatica may, at its sole discretion, hold me accountable. I understand that consequences may include sanctions such as the loss of my Somatica Certification and/or Somatica credentials.

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