I'm writing this as a second-year student in the 6-month Somatica training led by Celeste and Danielle - a training for people who want to become sex and relationship coaches and/or just want to access powerful info and transformational tools for themselves. I came to Somatica in the throes of the breakup of my loving yet sexually dead marriage. (Actually, I first found Somatica online when searching for help for my spouse and me, but for complex reasons, my spouse was not willing to go.) I wanted a place where I learn how to get my own sexual needs met after a very long and painful drought. I wanted to better understand why I had chosen to partner with a wonderful person with whom I never had great sex -- why we could never break through to the level of sexual joy I'd had with my other partners, and also why I stayed. When I attended the free Intro, I was especially impressed by Celeste and Danielle's combination of leadership and vulnerability. I thought "If I can learn to lead and teach from a more vulnerable place, that alone will make the training worthwhile for me." I got so much more than I even knew I wanted or could get! Leading and teaching from a place of vulnerability is still a growth edge for me, but I have a model now, and validation and encouragement. I also learned sooo much about different sexual scripts and turn-ons, which gave me so much insight about why my spouse and I hadn't connected well, and helped me become less judgmental/fearful, and much more open/playful around turn-ons different from my own. I learned how to be in charge of my own arousal and share it with others, rather than having to wait for them to elicit it in my preferred ways. I learned how easily I could share sexual energy with a wide variety of people, and reveled in the permission to do so. I got triggered and dealt with it. I had some incredibly healing and illuminating practice sessions with class members. I got help. I got challenged. I did some challenging of my own. I got humbled and freaked out at times, but I kept showing up and kept growing. I learned and integrated sooo much about attachment, which helped me finally stop taking the pain of my marriage so personally. Oh, and I learned some incredibly valuable lessons about repair, lessons that I've been able to use to, for instance, transform a tense and angry conversation with my landlord into an exchange of mutual vulnerability and connection! I also learned how to belatedly ask for - and receive - some deep attachment wound healing with my former spouse. I have become much less emotionally reactive in general, much more internally resilient. Of course, this is a path I've been on for a long time, but my experience in Somatica has greatly deepened my learning. All these specifics barely begin to scratch the surface of what I learned and how I changed. There's so much more! I appreciated the experience so much that I signed up to do it again the following year! I'm so appreciative of the curriculum Celeste and Danielle have created, the community they foster, the values they uphold, the wisdom and humility with which they teach. And OK, that said, of course no one is perfect, and no one is a perfect coach or teacher for everyone, and no single 6-month training can truly prepare someone with no prior training to navigate this difficult terrain skillfully. If you are considering working with Celeste, Danielle or anyone else, I suggest you carefully assess whether their personality, values and approach resonate with you, your values and what you seek. I haven't done one-on-one work with either of them, but from my experience in class, I'd say that I believe C&D work with great skill and integrity to try to help you create the sexual and love life you truly want -- yet like everyone, they do have their own biases, and those are bound to influence them (again, this would be true of anyone with whom you might work.) If you are considering working with a Somatica-trained practitioner, check out what other background and training they have; many of the students have enormous amounts of relevant experience, but not all do. If you are considering joining the class, know that this is wonderful, transformational work, and as such, will push you to your growth edges (that's the whole point! but of course, it can sometimes be uncomfortable.) I will say this, though: I'm a tough sell. I've been around the transformational block for a few decades, and for me to emerge from a six-month training and immediately re-up, says a lot :) read more

This review is for the Somatica training program only. If you are considering doing the Somatica Training think about it long and hard, and try to find some people who have gone through it to talk to. I would not recommend it, (unless you just want to do it and don't care what you get out of it), and yes I have done it. While I mostly enjoyed the process going through the program, looking back in hindsight I can see things more clearly. The cost is very expensive and that is really the founder's main motivation...to make bank, which they clearly do. They have their TV show now, which to me just reinforces the fact that their main motivation is money, and not necessarily helping people first and foremost. The atmosphere is cult like, and they market the program as though it is pretty much guaranteed that you will come out of the training with a new career which is only true for their favorite students. You have to pass a sort of test at the end, (a mock session with one of the founders), to be "certified" as a practitioner, and not passing feels frustrating, and that the whole thing was a waste of time and a lot of money for those who do not pass. People do not come out of the the program with a degree. It is not guaranteed that you will have anything to show as an "accomplishment" after spending a lot of time and money on the program, like you would get with a college degree. To be fair I am sure that it works for some people but I also thought it only fair that I post a review for others who are considering the expensive program to know that it is not a positive and fruitful experience for everyone. Looking back on it, the experience makes me feel like I failed, (and/or did not fit the mold of what ever category you need to fall into to feel a real part of the culture within the program). It just leaves me with kind of an overall sad and beaten down feeling. The program clearly caused more hurt than good for me. This is not how someone should come out feeling after investing time and money in a program that is supposed to be supportive and all the other ways it is marketed. I do not feel as though people who really want to succeed within the program are necessarily helped and guided to do so. If you want to become a sex and relationship therapist, I would recommend going the route of going to a real accredited school and getting the appropriate degrees and licensing that are necessary. I wish I could get all that money I spent back. read more

I had a terrible experience with one of the people they trained. Emailed them to report it -- never heard back. Showed me zero compassion, did not even bother to answer. What is their training worth if they won't even answer or acknowledge someone who emailed them reporting a bad experience with someone who they trained? I will not recommend them or their method to anyone. Especially if you have trauma like me. read more

I had a very negative experience while spending way too much money working with Celeste and wholeheartedly agree with Jennifer R's review.

I first encountered Celeste and Danielle at their Sensualitè party for the launch of their book, Cockfidence. No, that's not a typo! The party featured provocative performances by scantily-clad acrobats, burlesque dancers, and chefs. Yes, even the chefs were bringing the sexy, wearing black aprons and little else! Sensualitè was a great experience and a lot of fun, but behind the frivolity I found a pair of amazing women who are committed to helping people have the best sex possible and overcome issues with intimacy, ED (erectile dysfunction), low desire, and any other obstacles that may be keeping them from enjoying an active sex life. Dr. Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschman, M.A are wonderfully warm and approachable. Whether you're having difficulty enjoying a full sex life or want to take your performance to the next level, they are there for you. They have regular workshops where you can reap the benefit of their vast professional and personal knowledge and grow in a safe, positive, and loving environment. This is practical, hands-on training for practical real world application. San Francisco is such a delightfully sex-positive city, and it'd be a terrible shame to live here while not enjoying yourself fully. With resources like Celeste and Danielle, that need never be the case. Sex is a fundamental part of the human experience, and with their help it can be the very best part as well! read more

I participated in the free intro to Somatica in February in Berkeley and was amazed at how much safety Danielle and Celeste created with a group of people who didn't know each other. And, at the same time, invited us to connect in ways that were completely vulnerable. read more

My husband and I worked with Celeste and Danielle for nearly two years--my husband worked with Celeste individually, I worked with both Danielle and Dimitry individually, and my husband and I worked with Danielle as a couple. My experience with Celeste, Danielle, and Dimitry was deeply harmful to me, my husband, and our marriage. There are some aspects to Somatica that I believe are not clear to their clients and that are important to take into consideration. 1. Celeste and Danielle are not licensed therapists. This means they are not legally accountable to the code of ethics that licensing signifies and that you as a client do not have clear legal recourse if your boundaries are violated. In my experience working with them, they do not hold themselves accountable to some of the most fundamental therapeutic ethics. They continually crossed emotional and physical/sexual boundaries with both my husband and me. They supervise themselves and each other and do not appear to have set up any external structure for their own accountability. 2. Celeste and Danielle are not trained as relationship therapists and therefore do not necessarily have the requisite knowledge or accountability when working in this mode. They are educated in human sexuality, but work in a therapeutic mode especially regarding relationship. This is why they must legally call themselves relationship "coaches." Because sex and sexuality are almost always connected to relationship, that work is a large part of what they do. 3. Their "licensed" practitioners may or may not be licensed or trained therapists. The "license" Somatica gives to their practitioners is made up by Celeste and Danielle and is not accountable to or overseen by any second or third party requirements. 4. They have an unusual approach that is more than twice as expensive than most conventional therapy or licensed sex therapy in California (that I know of). Because of the profound nature of working with one's sexuality, I would caution a potential client to consult with and at the very least work in conjunction with a licensed therapist before and during work with Celeste and Danielle. 5. Because Celeste and Danielle (and Dimitry) work with people with trauma issues, I want to especially warn clients with any kind of trauma to seek other help. 6. When working in a therapeutic modes, it's common and even helpful for attachments and transference to develop between client and therapist. The boundaries between attachment, transference, love, and sexual attraction can be very confusing and it is the therapist's job to assess the needs and safety of the client around these boundaries and to hold them accordingly. The Somatica method can involve explicitly sexual touch between client and therapist. This, combined with the lack of oversight or external regulation and, in our experience, lack of emotional and physical boundaries on the part of Somatica "therapists" can be potentially harmful and even abusive, as it was for us. read more

Celeste and Danielle are amazing practitioners and teachers. Their sex and relationship coaching program has completely transformed my life both personally and professionally. While taking the program last year I was able to release so much shame that I didn't even realize was still hanging out in the basement of my being. I became even more in touch with my body, my boundaries and my desires. I am passionate about sharing these tools with the world and have launched my career as a sex and relationship coach and continue to mentor with Danielle. I am so hooked on this transformational process that I have signed up for this years training as an advanced student! read more

Danielle has helped me through so much over the last couple of years in dealing with issues that have bugged me my entire life. Her approach is so much more empathetic and caring than your traditional "talk" therapy. Her work is more than just talking about sex or relationships but digging deeper to the root of anger, fear or trauma that keeps a person's life from being fully enjoyed. Her embodied approach helps you to feel those emotions in a safe environment and begin to let go of them one by one. read more

Celeste and Danielle provide a remarkable service. I took the 1st and 3rd Men's workshops a while ago and I continue to see more value in what they've taught me. The technique portion of the class is the first thing that jumps out at you. It's great to have real time instruction from a woman's perspective. You'd be hard pressed to find this type of instruction anywhere. The icing on this already delicious cake is both Celeste and Danielle know how to speak to men in language that makes sense to us. They give clear no bullshit answers to all questions. This has been huge for me. The 2 classes I've taken with C&D have been a gateway for my continued growth and study in so many areas of my life. Now love how women think as well as how they look and feel. I recommend C&D to all men who care about connecting with women. I also recommend all women send their men to C&D for instruction as a gift to themselves. read more

I just attended the level 1 Men's Workshop (Become An Extraordinary Lover) last weekend. Really interesting experience. The before-lunch part was a little blah. It covered a lot of stuff that I had already gone through in other personal development courses, eg being present, handling emotional outbursts, leading the interaction etc. Plus I was sleepy cos I woke up too early (any time before noon is "too early" for me) which turned the first half of the day into a lethal combination. The after-lunch part was awesome. Hands on practical work. I personally found that to be the real meat of the workshop. We learned how to touch a woman, and got real time feedback on how our touch felt. We also got feedback on HOW she wanted to be touched, which for me helped solidify the relationship between how a woman's body moves and what is on her mind. I would definitely recommend the workshop to someone who wants to learn how to touch women, especially if you don't have much variety of experience in the sack. As for myself, I am seriously contemplating the Level 2 and 3 courses. Onward to (sex) godhood! read more

I just completed my core training with Celeste and Danielle through their Somatica Institute. It's truly a life changing experience and bear witness to the difference in my confidence and ability to handle myself in all my relationships. So grateful for their teaching and look forward to learning so much more from them! read more

After the devastating breakup of an 8 year long-term relationship, I sought answers & clarity for my situation. I felt like a failure & as if something was fundamentally wrong with me because I had failed at making this relationship work. I found Celeste & Danielle & I started working with them in February of 2015. I have since taken 4 of their Somatica trainings. Each of which has come with powerful tools and skills for growth and personal development. Working with Celeste & Danielle has improved my self-esteem, my desire, my acceptance & love for myself, and most importantly, relationships with the people in my life. With their loving guidance, I have grown into the strong sensual woman I always knew that I was. read more

My wife and I have been working with Danielle for a few years. We were almost on the brink of a divorce when we came and were pretty much just sticking together because of our child. I felt rejected and my wife was angry and not interested sexually. Danielle helped us move from taking what was happening as a personal insult and instead learning that we have different sexual styles. Learning the ins and outs of these styles made all the difference. As we started to more deeply understand each other and have fulfilling sexual experiences so much of the anger and frustration dissipated. I had really gotten to a place of hopelessness so I am amazed that we have been able to enjoy each other again. read more

My husband and i found Celeste and Danielle at their intro to Somatica event last year, and we couldn't believe our luck. We have been working with them since then both individually and as a couple. From the moment we met them, we were surprised by the level of acceptance they offered and how they normalized our experiences. They made us feel so connected, relaxed, and much more accepting of each other in spite of the struggles and challenges around our sexual and intimate connection. We are in the ongoing process of learning what turns each of us on and noticing and accepting our differences. I can full heartedly say that Celeste and Danielle saved our marriage. read more

Working with Danielle has saved my marriage and enhanced every aspect of my life! I can't recommend Danielle highly enough for sex and relationship coaching. Danielle has helped me get my groove back in a big way. Due to long-term, below the surface relationship problems, my wife and I had lost our intimate connection and our sex life was non-existent. After years of this, I had lost all confidence as a man. Danielle helped us identify and work through these problems and understand each other to a degree that we never have before. I feel like a new and vastly improved person. I'm confident and happy again both in my relationship with my wife and with myself. The therapy hasn't always been easy. Danielle will challenge you to examine your thoughts and feelings which can be uncomfortable, but she is supportive throughout the process and downright brilliant with her perspective, observations and suggestions for improved intimacy and sex. I also attended the "Cockfidence Workshop" for men that Danielle and Celeste conducted last May which was an amazing and transformative day of sexual learning like nothing I have experienced. My wife and I are fortunate to have found Danielle. We have reestablished and are maintaining an intimate connection that I once feared was lost and we are having BIG FUN in and out of the bedroom! We deserve some of the credit, but we couldn't have done it without Danielle. read more

Its all true, these beauties--really goddess healers though never 'new age', (thankfully) and both with outstanding scholarly degrees--yet connected to the pulse of now--have guided me like nobody I saw before, out of a dark place and into a paradigm shift of delicious pleasure, as I could never imagine. Thank You. read more

My wife and I are longtime clients, and it's no exaggeration to say that working with Danielle has transformed our marriage. After many decades, our sexual relationship is better than ever, we've also become more compatible and mutually empathetic outside the bedroom. Moreover, Danielle provided marvelous support when my wife confronted breast cancer and issues of diminished sexual esteem. Both individually, and as a couple, my wife and I have brought a diverse range of issues to Danielle. In every case her response was supportive, insightful, and efficacious. I cannot imagine that there's a better sex coach anywhere in CA! read more

I met Celeste and Danielle at a short workshop they taught at Good Vibes, then attended a longer workshop for women, and wow - that's when the progress started. Body image, partner connection, keeping motivated in your relationship - they guide you through it all, but not in a guru, over-intellectualized way. They are kind, understanding, and use a body-based approach where you re-connect with yourself instead of thinking about how to "do" things right. As ridiculous as it sounds, i learned to do things for my own pleasure, and feel into what is right for me, not just what I "should" do or what I "have" to do. It's one of those things where you can't explain it, it just works :) read more

I highly recommend the Somatica method. Dimitry and Celeste are a gifted team with uncanny ability to connect.

Celeste and Danielle's work is truly extraordinary, opening awareness and skill in an essential aspect of life that rarely receives the depth of attention and level of skillful guidance that it warrants. I have attended one of their workshops and worked privately with Celeste, and seen my understanding and "practice" of mindful (and playful, juicy...) sex and intimacy deepen profoundly. read more

Celeste & Danielle came into my life about 4 years ago when my husband and I were trying to navigate long-standing issues with discrepancy in desire (his higher, mine lower). We'd been together for over 20 years and were very stuck with him feeling resentment that I didn't want more sex, and me feeling very guilty that I didn't. In our first appointment with Danielle, we felt cared for and understood both individually and as a couple. Ironically, being told we were "normal" and didn't have to change if we didn't want to opened up a pathway for change that I really did not think was possible. To say that Celeste & Danielle and their Somatica coaching method transformed our relationship would be an understatement. Since that first appointment, my husband and I have discovered what we both need emotionally and physically, how to share those needs with each other and how to meet each other's needs to the best of our individual abilities. Our marriage is so much more rich and complex and we now have the tools to continue to grow for decades to come. read more

I graduated from the core training in December of 2017 and took the Couples Course in February 2018. I could say a lot about what Somatica has done for me as a person and practitioner but there's no better story than the thanks of the people whose lives I've touched. The following is a thank you from a current client and friend, one half of a couple who I coach separately: "I appreciate the balance you work hard to strike when it comes to being there for both of us. I value your friendship very much and was honest with you about my feelings even though that it difficult for me at times. I have so many people around me who are so quick to conclude that this relationship doesn't work that I tend to keep any complaints about it to myself. I close myself off because I'm sick of hearing 'your break up is inevitable' or some version of that sentiment. Now that I have had time to reflect, I see that you are not saying that. Thank you for being there for me and pushing me to see my relationship and myself from a different perspective. I sometimes resist that sort of push but I clearly need it." The learning I've accomplished at the Somatica Institute with Celeste and Danielle has impacted me in many ways ~ and the water in the pond keeps rippling. Immesuarable thanks. read more

Way too little training for "coaches' who wade into trauma and grief with clients, and combine that vulnerable work with intimacy and sexual touch that complicate the therapeutic relationship to the point where re-traumatization is a real possibility. Also, the minimal requirements to start a practice mean that coaches will hang out a shingle on a whim, and close their practice rather quickly when a lucrative business doesn't materialize. When you are working in a modality that encourages attachment, the feelings of abandonment when a coach shuts down can obliterate any healing that had the attachment as it's foundation. I know two women other than myself who worked with Somatica coaches, and all three of us were terminated rather suddenly when our coach moved on to his or her next whim. We all felt this to be a damaging experience overall. read more

I have been working with Celeste and Danielle for almost three years in a variety of workshops and personal work. The most critical quality that has been consistent is their integrity in working in the intimate work of sexuality. I have taken all of their men's workshops and have gained new skills, knowledge and personal growth in each of them. Although there are a lot of factors in my life, I attribute some major positive improvements in my relationships and my sexual pleasures to my work with them. I continue to recommend them to my friends and they have all had positive experiences. In fact for one of my very close friends they positive results have been very significant. I mean very significant. I could recommend them more. read more

My husband I and worked with Danielle for over a year. When we came in we were in a really challenging place and probably on the verge of divorce. Not only did she help us to begin to listen and understand each other better, she got right to the heart of the issue when it came to the differences in our desires. She helped us translate between the two completely different sexual languages we were speaking and managed to help each of us learn what the other really needed. Without her, I honestly don't think we'd have made it. read more

My husband and I worked individually and together with Celeste for almost one year, and he's still working with Celeste alone on personal issues. The beauty of our experience with Celeste is that we thought we were going in to see her just to try to improve our sex life, but realized with her help that you can't do that when other aspects of your life together (for example, communication and mutual understanding) aren't working well. Celeste is a talented therapist who helped us both individually and as a couple with personal, communication and sexual issues. I especially appreciated Celeste's sensitivity to going at a pace that felt comfortable to me. She's highly intuitive, intelligent, and empathetic. Our marriage is currently the best now that it's ever been and, although we're middle-aged, we look forward to many years of pleasurable and satisfying sex. read more

I agree with so much of what Jennifer R said and until I saw her review I didn't know how to let others know about my disastrous sessions with Celeste. I just knew that I needed to. My experience with Somatica was deeply damaging, for many of the reasons she said. These "coaches" are not held to any ethical code or regulatory system, which would be okay if they held themselves to a high standard. But the most basic of ethical considerations are ignored (with pride?), and as a result I was very emotionally wounded and subsequently feel very distrustful towards any group that claims to help or "heal". Be very careful when working with these two, they are not what they seem. read more

My work with Danielle has allowed me to experience more pleasure and intimacy in my life in ways I never even imagined existed. Danielle's pragmatic and empathetic approach goes to the root of one's issues and points the way to overcoming them. She does this with a great deal of skill, compassion, and humor all while maintaining a safe environment. Working with her has been a great gift in my life. I wish I had found her years ago. read more