Foundation for Trauma Therapy Heinke Sofka

The foundation was established in 2020 by Heinke Sofka with the Caritas Community Foundation in the Archdiocese of Berlin (Caritas-Gemeinschaftsstiftung im Erzbistum Berlin) as its sponsor. The main focus of the foundation is to promote Somatic Experiencing – a form of trauma therapy developed by Dr Peter Levine.

The foundation supports children, adolescents and young adults who have experienced trauma and would otherwise have no access to therapy.

Other areas of support and interest include providing trauma therapy interventions for first responders such as police officers, firefighters and nurses, as well as for teachers and other professionals in the educational field. We offer workshops on regulation, resilience and trauma for teachers and pupils. Further information can be found under Projects.

The Foundation is also deeply committed to raising awareness of the causes and effects of trauma to improve public perception of trauma treatment and healing. It also seeks to illustrate the concept of trauma as understood by Peter Levine and his colleagues, as well as from the perspective of polyvagal theory.

Traumatic experiences can be integrated and can therefore be healed.

If you would like to learn more about the Foundation and its fields of support, please do not hesitate to contact me, Heinke Sofka, by e-mail or phone. I appreciate your interest and look forward to answering any questions you may have.

Feedback on the foundation's work

Suse Beyersmann, social pedagogue and integration educator

The cautious and gradual approach within the polyvagal approach was presented very clearly in Matthias Thimm's seminar. I learnt that the window of tolerance must be expanded and stabilised in order to integrate trauma. As an employee at a daycare centre, I am able to apply the knowledge I gained very effectively when working with children who have experienced trauma.

The team at the Entdeckerland daycare centre

The trauma training for our entire nursery team was an extremely enriching and lasting experience for us. The content was conveyed in a professional, practical and empathetic manner. We found the specific action strategies for everyday educational work and the deeper understanding of traumatised children and their behaviour particularly valuable.

A particular highlight of the training was the TRE exercises (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises). These simple but very effective physical exercises showed us how important it is to take our own physical and emotional stress seriously – and to actively do something to regulate ourselves. The exercises can be easily integrated into everyday life and not only promote our own well-being but also strengthen our presence and stability when dealing with stressful situations.

Through the training, we as a team have gained a lot of confidence and feel better prepared to treat children with traumatic experiences with mindfulness, clarity and empathy. The mutual exchange within the team has also been strengthened and has had a lasting positive effect on our cooperation.

We can wholeheartedly recommend this training – especially with the additional focus on TRE!

Anne Bucher, teacher at the Wannsee School of Occupational Therapy

The lecture Trauma & School taught our students about the relevance of trauma-sensitive approaches in occupational therapy. Through vivid personal experiences with stress management and learning blocks, they were able to take away valuable strategies for their future professional practice.