Explore the life and work of Arthur Munyer, an experienced body-oriented practitioner and founder of Neural Somatic Integration (NSI) and Green Touch Bodywork.
Learn how decades of study, teaching, and hands-on work shaped his approach to body awareness and self-regulation, and how he brings science and lived experience together.
About Arthur Munyer: Connecting Body and Mind, Science and Practice
Arthur Munyer’s journey of change
Explore Arthur Munyer’s life story, from his search for understanding through years of mindful bodywork and support to the development of his own somatic approaches. Curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to learning have deepened his work and inspired others on their own paths.
Experiencing developmental trauma: How my search began (1969–1973)
My journey began in the late 1960s at the New York Institute of Technology. Studying psychology and business there laid the foundation for a lifelong search for understanding.
My curiosity led me to Nassau Community College and then to Adelphi University. In those formative years from 1969 to 1973, I deepened my understanding of the human mind and the social forces that shape it.
I couldn’t have imagined then how much those studies would later shape my somatic practice. What I began to notice about the relationship between individuals and their surroundings still informs my body-oriented work, with its focus on self-awareness, inner stability, and connection.
The Esalen experience:
Developing a whole-person approach
1974 – early 1990s
In 1974, I found my way to the cliffs of Big Sur, California, and the Esalen Institute. Between the ocean and the redwoods, a formative period of my life began. Through Gestalt therapy with Dick Price, bone work with Dr. Matthew McKinley, and Radix relaxation with Laura Dillon, I immersed myself in a practice that brought together body, mind, and inner experience.
Stan Grof’s spiritual and existential perspectives broadened my understanding. I explored approaches ranging from Rolfing, breathwork, and chakra work to practices focused on emotions. These years shaped my hands-on work and my understanding of body-oriented support for self-awareness, inner stability, and connection.
At Esalen, academic learning and physical experience came together in ways that continued to shape my practice.
The alchemy of touch:
Refining my body-based approach
1980s – early 1990s
Like a smith carefully joining different metals, Arthur began bringing together what he had learned into his own body-oriented approach in the 1980s. He trained his hands to notice subtle cues and work with presence and care.
Through chiropractic ideas, trigger point work, craniosacral approaches, and applied kinesiology, Arthur deepened his understanding of anatomy and somatic processes. Teachers including Lauren Berry, Dub Leigh, Jim Asher, and Dr. Jack Downing broadened his perspective on body awareness, movement, and the way the body organizes itself.
Esalen® massage became central to his learning. He developed a feel for rhythm, pacing, and mindful touch. Work with Edward Maupin and exchanges with Dr. Lenore Jones and Dr. Don Johnson helped him bring anatomy together with somatic experience, including awareness, orientation, and self-regulation.
During those years, he developed a practice grounded in both intuition and training. He learned to approach patterns of tension with care and create space for presence and subtle awareness. His own somatic approach took shape step by step.
He became an experienced practitioner of touch with a deep respect for the complexity of the body and the subtleties of inner awareness.
A path from the heart: Bringing inner practice and method together
1990s – early 2000s
Like a river finding its way through new terrain, Arthur began exploring the inner dimensions of his work more deeply in the 1990s. Emotional and spiritual perspectives broadened his body-oriented practice.
Working with Robert Augustus Masters deepened his understanding of emotional processes and their relationship to body awareness and inner orientation. Encounters with Daya Harris and meditation practice guided by Jack Kornfield widened his perspective on mindfulness, presence, and inner experience.
The value of quiet, attentive presence became clearer to him. Organizations such as the Xanthyros Foundation offered settings in which body-oriented practice and personal growth could come together in new ways.
Partner workshops on intimacy and relationship skills with Debra Chamberland, along with The Human Element by Will and Alish Schutz, deepened Arthur’s understanding of relationships. As a Licensed Human Element Practitioner (LHEP™), he explored how self-awareness, cooperation, and personal growth influence each other.
Neural Somatic Integration® (NSI) began taking shape during this time as a distinct somatic approach, informed by varied experience, ongoing learning, and a focus on orientation, stability, and connection.
These years brought different parts of Arthur’s work together. He developed a way of working that combined mindful bodywork, presence, and reflection.
International teaching and practice
Early 2000s – 2019
A new phase of Arthur’s professional life began in the early 2000s. His varied experience gradually developed into Neural Somatic Integration® (NSI), a somatic approach that combines bodywork, mindfulness, and an understanding of the nervous system. It focuses on self-awareness, inner stability, and connection.
Through his Somatic Experiencing® training with Peter Levine, Arthur deepened his understanding of physical response patterns associated with intense experiences. He learned to notice subtle somatic processes and reflect on them mindfully in educational and supportive settings.
His Sivananda yoga teacher training broadened his perspective. It brought together meditation, movement, and body awareness in ways that continue to shape his work.
As NSI developed, Arthur began teaching extensively abroad. He led workshops and training in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. These years brought professional exchange, continued learning, and further development of his approach.
In seminars and training, he shared his perspectives on body-oriented practice and supported learning through supervision and self-exploration. Each encounter became an opportunity to learn from one another.
Toward the end of the 2010s, Arthur began looking for a place where his work could develop in a quiet, steady setting. That search eventually led him to the Black Forest.
Growth through a connection with nature:
The Black Forest years
2019 – present
In 2019, Arthur followed the call of nature and settled in the Black Forest. Like a tree putting down roots after years of movement, he began a new chapter. Among the forests he created a quiet place for practice and self-exploration, with an emphasis on presence, orientation, and attentive support.
Here, Arthur offered bodywork and supervision as non-medical support. The natural setting gave people space to pause, reflect on their experiences, and discover new perspectives over a length of time that suited them.
Please note: This is bodywork and supervision or coaching. No medical treatment or psychotherapy is provided.
Body-oriented practice and the natural surroundings offered a setting for people seeking orientation and self-awareness. Alongside individual work, Arthur devoted more time to teaching and exchanging ideas with colleagues.
In workshops and training he shared decades of practical experience and offered perspectives on somatic awareness, presence, and relationship dynamics. His role increasingly involved bringing together different traditions, perspectives, and experiences.
Arthur’s work in the Black Forest invites people to explore orientation, connection, and inner stability. The retreat center offers a place to meet and learn, with nature and ongoing growth at its heart.
Arthur Munyer SEP, TPR, LHEP, CMT
Born January 21, 1950
Profession: Teacher, Somatic Experiencing® and Green Touch Bodywork® Supervision informed by polyvagal theory
(Teaching and practice in Europe, South America, Asia, and the United States)
Private practice:
Hundseckstraße 10
76596 Forbach
Tel: +49 1766 4327156
Bodywork and supervision or coaching. No medical treatment or psychotherapy is provided.
About
Arthur Munyer
Founder of NSI®
Arthur Munyer developed Green Touch Bodywork® and Neural Somatic Integration® (NSI) after more than 50 years of hands-on experience and continued training.
Arthur is an Esalen® Advanced Certified Bodyworker and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP). His work draws on years of practicing and teaching body-oriented methods and providing supervision that helps people draw on their resources when working with intense experiences.
He currently teaches NSI® workshops and training and offers individual bodywork and supervision or coaching in Europe, South America, the United States, and Bali.
No medical treatment or psychotherapy is provided.
Professional experience
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New York Institute of Technology, 1969. Psychology and business.
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Nassau Community College, 1970. Focus: Psychology and business.
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Adelphi University, 1971–1973. Focus: Psychology and business.
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Goddard College, 2007. Focus: Health and the arts.
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Gestalt practice with Dick Price (studies in emotional relaxation), 1974–1980.
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Bone manipulation: Dr. Matthew McKinley, 1974.
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Radix Release: Laura Dillon (studies in emotional relaxation), 1974.
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Emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental relaxation: Dr. Stan Grof, 1974–1980.
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Rolfing (body dynamics): Noel Delevette, 1974, and Beverly Silverman, 1975.
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Breathing and chakras: Bernard Gunther (mind–body integration studies), 1974.
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Encounter work: Dr. Will Schutz (emotional process), 1974–1976.
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Dr. Alvin Drucker: Deep tissue bodywork, acupuncture, iridology, homeopathy, and spiritual guidance, 1974–1977.
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Feldenkrais: Patrick Douce (body dynamics and movement), 1975–1988, and Dee Dosier, 1984.
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Transactional analysis: Louisiana TA Institute, 1975.
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Polarity therapy: Bill Liles, 1976, and Laurie Parizek, 1994–1995.
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Gestalt therapy: Christine Price (studies in emotional relaxation), 1989.
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Philosophy: Buckminster Fuller, 1977.
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Zero Balancing: Fritz Smith (anatomy and body mechanics), 1978–1979.
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Aikido: Robert Nadeau, 1976, Boulder School of Aikido, 1979.
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Chiropractic: Lauren Berry (structural integration, bone manipulation, and trigger points), 1982.
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Trigger point therapy and deep tissue work: Dub Leigh (somatic studies of body and mind), 1982–1985.
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Craniosacral work: Jim Asher, 1984.
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Applied kinesiology and Gestalt: Dr. Jack Downing, 1983.
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Esalen massage certification: 1,500 hours of instruction, 1984.
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Deep tissue work: Edward Maupin, 1984.
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Anatomy and physiology: Dr. Lenore Jones, 1987.
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Somatic studies: Dr. Don Johnson, 1987.
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Trigger point and deep tissue work: Dub Leigh, 1990.
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Xanthyros Foundation, emotional release work: Robert Augustus Masters, 1995.
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Spiritual and emotional work: Daya Harris, 1994–1996.
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Meditation: Jack Kornfield, 1995.
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Partner workshop on intimacy and relationship skills: Debra Chamberland, 1997.
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The Human Element: Licensed Human Element Practitioner (LHEP™), Will and Alish Schutz, 1998.
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Sales training: Tom Barton of White & Barton Associates, 2000.
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Advanced course on intimacy, awareness, and relationship skills, 2000. Certified Tantra teacher.
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Anatomy and laboratory work, MPC, 150 hours, 2002.
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Dorn Method (bone manipulation), Zurich, Switzerland, 50 hours, 2003.
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Ethics of Nonviolent Communication, BTC, 7 hours, 2004.
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Cross-cultural spiritual retreat, Peru, 2004.
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Sivananda yoga teacher training, Nassau, Bahamas. 300-hour certificate, license no. 16222, 2005.
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Sivananda yoga teacher training, Val Morin, Quebec. Yoga Bhaskara certificate no. 3153, 70 hours, 2005.
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Somatic Experiencing®: Three-year training with Dr. Peter Levine (2006–2009). Certified SEP in 2009.
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Optimum Health Institute: Training in holistic approaches to health and development, 2006.
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Castro Valley Ashram MA Center: Meditation, yoga, and darshan retreat, 2007.
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Tomatis Method training and experience with brain frequencies, 120 hours, 2009.
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Multiple Trauma Vortex: Steve Hoskinson, Berlin, Germany, 2009.
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The diaphragm with Dr. Peter A. Levine, Weggis, Switzerland, 24 hours, 2010.
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“Why Focusing Works and What Else We Need,” Eugene Gendlin and Ann Weiser Cornell, January–February 2011.
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“The Polyvagal System and Bodywork,” Dr. Peter A. Levine, July 2011.
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Supervision with Dr. Peter A. Levine, with a focus on bodywork, August 2011.
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“Neurophysiology of Self-Regulation Using the Body’s Social Engagement System,” Prof. Dr. Stephen Porges (USA), September 2011.
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Humintell: Microexpression recognition training certificate, master proficiency level, December 1, 2013.
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Paul Ekman Group, LLC: eMETT 3.0 training certificate, expert level, September 15, 2015.
Education and training
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Munyer Graphics Corporation (graphic design and offset printing), CEO, 1971–1974.
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Esalen® Gazebo (school for infants and young children), manager and teacher, 1976–1979.
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Esalen Institute (cook, grounds, security, lodge attendant, massage team, and housekeeping), 1979–1994.
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Esalen® Bodywork Crew Manager Coordinator 1985-1988.
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Diabetes project: Bodywork with people with diabetes for Dr. Lola Steinbaum, 1985–1987.
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Will Schutz Associates consulting firm, sales and marketing manager, 1999–2000.
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Bodywork & Release Clinic, Carmel, California, 1994–2008.
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Neural Somatic Integration®, Forbach and Freiburg, Germany, 2009–present.
Bodywork teaching and training
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Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California. Approximately 520 courses in trigger point work, Esalen bodywork (beginner,
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intermediate, and advanced), and massage and bodywork certification, 1978–2004.
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Early childhood development instructor and administrator. Taught approximately 30 courses at Esalen, 1984–1986.
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Monterey Institute of Touch, Carmel, California. Taught all levels of trigger point work,
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Esalen bodywork, and body dynamics. Approximately 250 courses, 1995–2003.
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The Center, Zurich, Switzerland. Taught all levels of trigger point work, couples workshops,
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Esalen deep tissue massage, and process work for bodyworkers. Approximately 350 courses, 1995–2005.
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Angela Moraes Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Esalen bodywork training, 1997–1999.
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Gestalt Center, Dortmund, Germany. Esalen® massage training, 1997–1998.
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Bodywork Center, Hamburg, Germany. Esalen® bodywork training, 1996–1998.
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Esalen Massage School (EMBA). Recognized Esalen bodyworker teaching internationally, 1995–present.
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Body Therapy Center & McKinnon Institute, Palo Alto, California, 2003–present. Taught approximately 350 Esalen courses.
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150-hour certificate training. Trigger Point Release 125-hour certification and process work for bodyworkers.
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Two-day courses, five-day advanced Esalen massage course, five-day advanced trigger point course, and couples massage.
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Two-day course, 2004–present.
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Trigger Point Release training at Bildungswerk Aachen, Germany, beginning in 2005. Approximately 150 courses taught.
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Bali massage training, Moving Ventures: The Munyer Method™ Advanced Esalen Release & Esalen Massage, Empathic Trigger Point, 2007.
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Neural Somatic Integration® two-year training, Aachen, Freiburg, Augsburg, and Bielefeld, Germany, 2008–present.
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Somatic Experiencing® and Green Touch Bodywork® Supervision, Freiburg, Augsburg, Bielefeld, and Forbach, Germany, 2010–present.
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Esalen® massage certification training, Bali, Indonesia, 2010–present.