EMBODY FIRST
Somatic Breathwork • Embodied Group Experiences
About
Elizabeth Ashley
My name is Elizabeth Ashley and I am the Founder of Embody First. I am a Certified Somatic Practitioner & Soma+IQ Breathwork Practitioner, Independent Researcher, & Embodied Experience Designer with degrees in Psychology and Sociology.
My work sits at the intersection of psychology, somatics, embodiment, human flourishing, creativity, sensory experience, and human connection.
I study how people experience themselves, each other, and the world around them, then translate that inquiry into writing, ideas, and immersive group experiences.
As the founder of Embody First, I design embodied and multisensory experiences that engage more than the thinking mind.
Breath. Movement. Sound. Sensory awareness. Visualization. Creativity. Reflection. Relationship.
Each may become part of an intentionally designed experience that engages the body, senses, attention, imagination, expression, relationship, and meaning.
The goal is not simply to deliver information.
It is to create conditions for experience.
Conditions where people can become more present, notice more, connect more deeply, and encounter something that may not be accessible through thought alone.
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My Story
How I Work
Each somatic breathwork experience is designed with intention, structure, pacing, and discernment.
I work with breath, movement, body awareness, sound, sensory experience, visualization, creativity, reflection, and relational connection, not as isolated techniques, but as materials within a larger experience.
The work is immersive, embodied, and multisensory.
Every element is considered: how people arrive, where attention is directed, what the body is doing, what the senses are receiving, how the experience builds, when people turn inward, when they connect with one another, and how the experience is integrated before they leave.
The experience is designed, not assembled. The intention is not to push for intensity or manufacture transformation.
It is to create conditions for greater presence, connection, self-awareness, insight, expression, and meaningful shared experience.
My Orientation to Embodiment
My work is grounded in psychology, somatics, human experience, and a deep respect for the intelligence of the body.
I do not see embodiment as a practice you perform. Embodiment is an ongoing conversation with your own life.
It is the relationship between your body, thoughts, emotions, needs, desires, relationships, environment, meaning, and the circumstances you are actually living inside.
This is why Embody First extends beyond nervous-system regulation or any single somatic practice.
I am interested in the larger ecology of human flourishing, the conditions that allow people to become more present to themselves, more connected to others, and more fully engaged with the life happening around them.
I don’t force outcomes.
I design the conditions.
Training + Background
My work is informed by more than two decades of study, practice, professional training, and lived experience across psychology, somatics, embodiment, human behavior, and well-being.
My background includes:
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Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Auburn University
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Master of Science in Psychology, Auburn University
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Certified Somatic Therapy Practitioner
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Certified Soma+IQ Practitioner
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Certified 9D Breathwork Facilitator
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Trauma-Informed Specialist
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Mindful Parenting Coach Certification
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Transformational Mind–Body Coaching Certification
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Additional training and study in breath, movement, nervous-system regulation, guided awareness, embodied practice, and experiential work
My academic background gives me a strong foundation in psychology and human behavior. My somatic training brought that inquiry into the body and the lived dimensions of human experience. Today, those disciplines come together through Embody First in the design of immersive group experiences for well-being and connection.
I am a professional member of the International Breathwork Foundation and an EMPA-insured practitioner.
While I am not a licensed mental health professional, my work is grounded in trauma-aware, body-based and nervous-system-informed practice and offered within clear ethical and professional boundaries. I am not a licensed mental-health professional, and Embody First experiences are not psychotherapy or medical treatment.
Who I Work With
I design experiences for groups, organizations, communities, retreats, and gatherings that want something more meaningful than a conventional workshop or passive wellness activity.
The work is especially well suited for groups seeking:
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deeper connection
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greater presence
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meaningful shared experience
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embodied self-awareness
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creative or reflective exploration
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space to slow down and reconnect
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experiences that engage more than the thinking mind
Each experience can be shaped around the group, setting, intention, and desired outcome while remaining grounded in the Embody First approach.
Beginning the Work
Group experiences are designed around the people, purpose, and environment involved. If you are interested in bringing Embody First to your organization, retreat, community, or gathering, the first step is a conversation about what you want the experience to make possible. All new clients begin with a complimentary conversation to assess readiness, alignment, and next steps.
Most Recent Certifications + Professional Memberships
 Member EMPA |  Soma+IQ |
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 Member IBF |  9D Breathwork |
Continuing Education & Professional Mentorship
As a dedicated professional in somatic practices and trauma-informed healing, I am committed to continually deepening my expertise & understanding to provide the most effective and transformative experiences for my clients. To uphold this commitment, I actively invest in my own professional and personal growth through ongoing education, mentorship, and advanced master classes with leading experts in my field as well as areas of personal interest. I am currently mentored by and currently hold private memberships and attend ongoing training with the following professional educators, mentors, & membership communities:
Soma+IQ™ Practitioner Membership- I am an active member in the ongoing professional collective dedicated to advancing nervous system care through somatic science, intuitive bodywork, and evidence-based breathwork techniques. This membership supports my continued growth as a trauma-informed practitioner through advanced trainings, collaborative mentorship, and evolving research in body-led healing and integrative breathwork.
The Centre For Healing- Ongoing Somatic and trauma informed education.
The Embody Lab- Ongoing training in somatic therapy modalities such as: Applied Polyvagal Theory, Embodied Movement, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Parts Work, Somatic Psychology, The Science of Wellness, Attachment Theory, Body-Mind Centering, Meditation, Plant Medicine Education.
White Tiger Qigong- Ongoing training in Qigong.
Club Qigong- Ongoing training and personal Qigong practice.
Body-Mind Centering® (BMC®) - is an integrated approach to transformative experience through movement re-education and hands-on repatterning. Developed by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, it is an experiential study based on the embodiment and application of anatomical, physiological, psychophysical, and developmental principles, and utilizes movement, touch, voice, and consciousness. This study leads to an understanding of how the mind is expressed through the body and the body through the mind.
9D Breathwork Global Facilitator Network - Former member of the
professional collective of certified practitioners trained in trauma-informed breathwork, sound therapy, and subconscious reprogramming through the 9D Method. This membership provides ongoing access to advanced facilitator resources, continuing education, and collaborative support to deepen the impact of each journey, ensuring my sessions remain safe, current, and deeply transformational. I no longer practice this modality but I am certified and trained to do so.
A beautiful and practical online community for women where the work centers on emotional awareness, spiritual practice, and living from deeply held, heart-centered values. Participating keeps me in continual personal reflection and alignment so that the work I offer others grows from lived practice, not just professional training. It’s one of the ways I stay grounded, resourced, and attuned in both my life and my work. There is community for both life and business.
David Ghiyam Spiritual Wisdom & Transformation-
Kabbalah explores the deeper patterns of the universe and the inner work of becoming a more conscious, compassionate human being. Its principles invite continual self-reflection, responsibility, and spiritual growth.
This path has been deeply formative for me for many years. These principles shape the way I work as a practitioner. They continually remind me that real healing and growth emerge from within, and my role is to help create the conditions where people can reconnect with their own clarity, resilience, and inner guidance.
Institute for Coaching Mastery-
Centering on conscious transformation and deeply relational coaching,
Alyssa Nobriga's methodology, taught through the Institute for Coaching Mastery, integrates somatic awareness, emotional processing, mindset work, and unconscious pattern recognition to support lasting change in people’s lives.