About
Olivia Barber is a somatic educator, facilitator, and lifelong student of the body’s wisdom. Her journey began as a teenager seeking steadiness amidst early life upheaval, and has since unfolded into over two decades of rich exploration in therapeutic yoga, somatic practice, nervous system science, and the regenerative rhythms of the natural world.
With a Master’s in Clinical and Educational Psychology from Columbia University’s Spirituality Mind Body Institute and a BA in Humanities and Peace & Conflict Studies from the University of Colorado, Olivia bridges academic depth with embodied insight. She’s completed over 3,000 hours of training with renowned teachers including Melissa Michaels, The Niroga Institute, Hala Khouri, Janet Stone, Livia Shapiro, TJ Burleigh, Tom Truman, and Off the Mat Into the World. Her postgraduate studies include a year-long immersion in the New Foundational Model of Autonomics with Hearth Science, The Politics of Trauma with Staci Haines, TRACC (Trauma Response and Crisis Care) For Movement Training, and participation in the inaugural Fierce Vulnerability cohort with Kazu Haga.
Olivia is a certified SomaSource Practitioner, sound healing practitioner, Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider and member of ICMTA and ISMETA. She has served as a lead trainer for Breathe for Change and created and taught a pioneering embodied emotional literacy curriculum for teens at The Nueva School. Olivia has also been teaching weekly Somatic Restore classes and nervous system science workshops at Breath+Oneness in Capitola, CA for the past 2 years.
At the core of her work is a joyful devotion to helping people reconnect with their bodies, settle their nervous systems, and rediscover the pleasure and possibility of being alive. Teaching around the world since 2012, Olivia brings both depth and delight to every space she holds. And still, she remains a student at heart—always learning, always listening, always deeply curious to learn more about these bodies and these human experiences. When not teaching, you can find her with her toes in the sand, nose in a book, or following her curiosity to faraway places.