EMDR Therapy Foundational/Basic Training

Part I & Part II

with Michael Kuffel, LCPC

Welcome:

Thank you for joining us! This EMDR Therapy Foundational Training is rooted in a commitment to fostering a comprehensive understanding of EMDR therapy while ensuring self-compassion, cultural inclusivity, and ethical practice. My training philosophy is trauma-informed and prioritizes hands-on learning, interactive engagement, and continual self-reflection. By blending theoretical knowledge with practical application and a dedication to maintaining fidelity to the EMDR standard protocol, we aim to empower trainees to become compassionate, relational, and inclusive EMDR therapists who can make a meaningful difference in the lives of their clients. Through a commitment to ongoing learning, a strong emphasis on the Adaptive Information Processing model, and a deep respect for cultural inclusivity and intersectionality, this training program seeks to prepare therapists who are not only excellent at EMDR therapy but also empathic and attuned, capable of guiding clients toward healing and growth.

Course Information:

• Dates:

  • Part I: April 24-26, 2025

  • Part II: May 29-31, 2025

• Times:

  • 8:00am-4:30pm Pacific Time

  • 9:00am-5:30pm Mountain Time

  • 10:00am-6:30pm Central Time

  • 11:00am-7:30pm Eastern Time

• Format: Live Online via Zoom

• Zoom link will be provided one week before the start of the training.

Course Description:

Join Michael Kuffel, LCPC for this EMDR Therapy Foundational/Basic Training with New Leaf Trauma Institute. This Basic Training is approved by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).

Discovered by Dr. Francine Shapiro, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is one of the most researched and utilized methods in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other forms of human distress connected to trauma and adverse life experiences. Whether your goal is to become an EMDR therapist as a specialty or to integrate EMDR into your existing practice, our mindfulness-infused training program will help you meet your goals.

This EMDR Therapy Basic/Foundational Training has been adapted for delivery in a convenient online format. The curriculum in this course is offered through a special license from the Institute for Creative Mindfulness designed by Dr. Jamie Marich. The ICM curriculum is known for focusing on using the standard EMDR therapy protocol, with proper attention paid to dynamics like dissociation and complex trauma, for optimal implementation in clinical settings. The mindfulness-informed and trauma-focused thread that runs through our instructional offerings makes implementing standard EMDR therapy with more complex cases possible from the beginning of your EMDR training experience. In this online format, you will learn adaptations for telehealth in addition to how to use EMDR therapy for in-office applications. The training components, when combined with the additional ten hours of required consultation and successful completion of a post-test, meet all requirements for completing an EMDRIA-approved training in EMDR therapy. 

This EMDR Therapy Basic/Foundational Training program curriculum and the instructor Michael Kuffel are approved by the EMDR International Association, the standards of which require that trainees engage in:

• 22 hours of lecture

• 20 hours of demonstration/practicum

• 10 hours of consultation

• Required reading and completing an open-book learner assessment

Part I Overview:

Day 1 of the training course covers the foundational material that you will need on trauma, specifically discussed through the adaptive information processing (AIP) mode. By the end of the day, you will also see a live demonstration of EMDR Therapy. Day 2 of the course takes you into a specific study of EMDR Therapy Phases 1-2, generally seen as the phases of foundation and stabilization. By the end of the day, you will be practicing these phases in your practicum sessions under expert supervision. Decision-making about moving into Phases 3-6 is also discussed, and an overview of the remaining Phases of EMDR is presented in the lecture. In Day 3 you will practice Phases 3-8 of EMDR Therapy under supervision in your practicum sessions, which compose the bulk of the day. You will also receive introductory instruction for dealing with abreactions in EMDR Therapy, effectively working with dissociation, and discuss the next steps for your training and consultation development in EMDR. 

Part II Overview:

Day 4 of the training focuses on ethical practice, learning about interweaves, and working with abreaction and dissociation in more complex scenarios. By the end of Day 4, participants will have had a chance to practice supervised implementation of some of these techniques. Day 5 instructs participants on specific protocols/targeting sequences, best practices with special populations and clinical situations, where to access specialty resources and protocols for variously noted populations, and appropriate use of adaptations (in accordance with the EMDRIA definition of EMDR). By the end of Day 5, participants will experience supervised practice of targeting sequence planning and protocols for identified special populations/situations. In Day 6 participants will review the neurobiology of trauma, present a clinical case study through the EMDR Therapy/AIP framework, complete supervised practicum of practice elements, discuss the characteristics of a strong EMDR therapist, and develop a plan for completing the required 10 hours of consultation.

Eligibility:

To register and complete this EMDRIA-approved training program, you must meet one of the following requirements for eligibility:

• A masters or doctoral degree in a clinical mental health-related field (e.g., counseling, marriage & family therapy, social work, psychology, etc.) is required. Although it is not required, it is strongly preferred that you are in active clinical practice and working with clients.

• A masters or doctoral-level student currently in their practicum/internship stage of education is permitted to take the course if New Leaf Trauma Institute receives a letter of recommendation from a faculty member or clinical site supervisor prior to registration. Requests and letters of recommendation can be sent to: registration@newleaftrauma.com Your registration is not considered complete/confirmed until approval is granted.

• Medical Professionals (e.g., master’s level nurses and physicians) are also eligible to take the course if they possess a clinical master’s or doctorate degree and if their primary specialty is within mental health.

• Chemical dependency professionals with a master’s degree or higher may also be eligible to take the course.

Team members will assist in the training as facilitators of practicums. Please feel free to direct any questions you have to registration@newleaftrauma.com before registering.

This course is only available as part of a bundle (Part I & Part II). Please read the following informed consent before registering. After completing this initial registration, you will receive an email from Podia to finalize your registration and be given access to preliminary course materials in your personalized dashboard.