The Biology of Grief
& Gut Health
6 Weeks - 6 Steps
Release stored grief and restore your capacity to hold space for others.
Starts Monday, March 2nd
Register Now
What Practitioners Say About The Biology of Grief and Gut Health Module
"I can't tell you how much more present I am this year. I'm able to not be bawling all the time and be able to be present enough for other parts to come out and feel okay."
"And to get to the freedom that I was longing for -- it had to be through the grief, not denying it."
"I know that how I show up is that much healthier and more secure."
"I notice myself being able to be much more present and open-hearted and feel comfortable with my patients who are struggling with addictions and acting out. I am now staying present and comfortable in my own body"
"Even though I had been terrified of the pain, it wasn't painful—it was a joyful release. I didn't know joy could be in there."
– Janice Renteria
"It's helping me as I work with so many stressed-out people while trying not to absorb their stress."
– Beth Sturges
"Integrating this work with clients helps both them and me."
– Louise Tjernqvist
"This work is helping me be with my patients more on a physical level; I find myself adoring them more than ever, feeling empathy for their pain without becoming overwhelmed by their stories."
– Anastasia Sky
"Everything I learn from Dr. Aimie I teach to my groups—it helps cement it for me and it's incredibly impactful for them. Many say this is the missing piece."
– Jane Prescot
"The sharing of the personal experience and the going through it yourself was a big takeaway for our group… And that drives what I will expect for clients."
– Tania Doucet
"To reach the freedom I was longing for, it had to be through grief rather than denying it."
– Kristen V
"Sharing the biological piece with them—the gut effects, how the brain processes grief, all of it—has been so helpful… It's giving my clients a much clearer, more holistic picture of the physical impacts of their trauma and grief, which has been a game changer."
– Tamika Rose
This an integrative & holistic training
A blending of several fields and modalities for an effective approach
The 6 Steps
My commitment: I will guide you through 6 essential steps to release stored grief.
You'll learn the somatic, parts, and biological tools that restore your heart, gut, and presence.
Here Is The Step-By-Step Curriculum
This course maps how grief gets stored in your heart and gut, disrupts your vagus nerve, and drives inflammation — and the three-level approach to release it.
WEEK 1: Grief and Heart Shocks: Freeing The Body From Overwhelm
WEEK 4: Gently Coming Out Of Numbing The Grief
WEEK 2: Touching The Grief Stored in The Gut (and Chronic Digestive Issues)
WEEK 5: Repairing The Fear and Inflammation of Grief
WEEK 3: Restoring Vagal Intuition and Supporting Attachment Grief
WEEK 6: Empaths and Sensitive Systems: Resilience for Healthy Grieving
What's All Included in this Training
Below is the weekly schedule of live sessions.
Please note that time are listed as Pacific Standard Time zone.
Guided Somatic & Parts Work Sessions
Mondays at 10:00 am PST
60 minute sessions focused on the guided mind-body exercises working through a structured process to grieve. These guided exercises are each steps in the process, progressive and sequential somatic and parts work to safely release stored grief.
Implementation Meetings
with Q&A
- Friday, March 13th at 8:00 am PST
- Friday, March 27th at 4:30 pm PST
A peer-to-peer discussion on ways to implement these course concepts to your own grief patterns first, and in the work you do with others.
Integration Sessions
Thursdays at 2:00 pm PST
These 60-minute sessions bring everything together for each week. Key concepts for that week are reviewed and we connect the dots with the somatic, parts, and biological work. , and help you see how grief operates across all levels. It's a space to orient, clarify and integrate the material into your life.
Final Oral Presentation
Friday, April 10th
- 8:00 am or 4:30 pm PST
60 minute zoom sessions where you practice explaining the grief and gut health concepts to a patient/client. You will need to attend one of the two session times to complete the course requirements.
A 28-minute session with somatic practitioner Anne Connor on grief and loss. She taught practical, body-based tools—grounding, titration, and pendulation—to help regulate the nervous system while processing grief. Anne explained how loss can layer in the body, shaping adult patterns (often rooted in childhood loss), and how building tolerance for discomfort helps us stay present with grief without shutting down—key for both personal healing and supporting others.
A deeply moving session with Melissa Dlugolecki on child loss. She shares her journey after the death of her daughter, Layton, and explores how grief and love can coexist—navigating the unique complexity of an “out of order” loss with self-compassion and support. The session highlights how grief reshapes identity, relationships, and purpose, offering grounded hope for both grievers and those supporting them.
A science-backed session with grief researcher Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor on why grief can feel so overwhelming. She explains the neurobiology of loss—how attachment is encoded in the brain and why absence can disrupt memory, identity, and behavior—and frames grieving as a form of learning. The session offers a clearer “why” behind the pain and practical guidance for meeting the waves with more self-compassion over time.
A polyvagal-informed session with Deb Dana on partner loss and complicated grief. She explains how the nervous system processes loss—why grief can feel intense, unpredictable, and overwhelming—and how cues of safety and danger shape the experience. Deb shares practical tools to track your state, find moments of connection, and move through grief with more agency and self-compassion as you rebuild life after loss.
A session with Dr. Shanina Halbert (veterinary acupuncturist and end-of-life specialist) on the grief of losing a pet. She explains why pet loss can hit so hard—often tied to deep attachment and emotional regulation—and how attachment patterns shape the grieving process. She also shares practical IFS- and somatic-informed tools for moving through grief, including support for anticipatory grief and simple rituals to honor your pet.
Who Is This Training NOT For?
This training is not a good fit for those that:
- Only interested in professional but not personal growth
- Do not enjoy online learning
- Dislike working in a group environment
- Do not have 3 hours weekly to invest in yourself and your practice
- Will need but not willing to pay for one-one support
- Are wanting to receive therapy or medical care
Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH
Physician. Researcher. Patient. Guide.
Aimie Apigian is a double board-certified physician in Preventive Medicine and Addiction Medicine with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health. She is the founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated and author of the USA Today bestselling book, The Biology of Trauma—with a foreword by Dr. Gabor Maté.
Her framework didn't come from textbooks. It came from necessity.
As a surgical resident and functional medicine physician, she saw patients whose stress had made them sick. As a foster-adoptive mother to her son Miguel, she experienced firsthand how trauma creates deep patterns. As someone who lived her own health collapse—chronic fatigue, autoimmunity, anxiety, and unexplained symptoms—she discovered what was missing from every approach she tried.
That missing piece became the Biology of Trauma® framework and an integration of psychology, somatics, and biology in the sequence the body needs to heal.
She is a certified Somatic Experiencing practitioner trained under Dr. Peter Levine, with additional certifications in NeuroAffective Touch, Internal Family Systems, and the Instinctual Trauma Response Model. She has presented at Oxford University's Masters Series on Trauma, the Institute for Functional Medicine, and the Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference.
Her podcast features conversations with leading trauma experts including Dr. Gabor Maté, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Peter Levine, and Dr. Stephen Porges.
She has guided hundreds of thousands through this work.
What is the Biology of Grief and Gut Health Module?
What is the schedule?
Are sessions prerecorded or live?
What if I miss or can't make a session? Will they be recorded?
What are the prerequisites?
I heard it is a part of the Biology of Trauma® Track. Can you explain this more?
What are the different tracks?
Can I change tracks?
Are the recordings available only to participants or are participants allowed to share the course material with outside people?
Can you tell me more about the two installment payments?
Do you provide references for your course materials?
How does this build on the 21-Day Journey?
Do you accept late submissions of homework assignments?
Disclaimer: This is not a course that gives you a license as a provider nor is it a health or trauma recovery coach credentialing program. At the completion of each module, you will receive a Certificate of Completion indicating you have achieved competency on that specific topic of Biology of Trauma®. At the completion of all 6 modules of the Certificate Course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Trauma Healing Accelerated. This is a certificate that you will be adding to your professional work capacities.
You are still held to the restrictions, responsibilities, and privileges of your primary license and board.
Medical Disclosure: The information and programs presented on or through this website are made available to equip you with knowledge and tools. All the materials in this course are intended for educational purposes. This information or any programs that are offered are not (nor are they a substitute for) medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For any physical or mental health issues, I recommend you work with a qualified health provider who will also support your desire to address the effects of trauma.
