Course Description

This EMDRIA-approved EMDR therapy training goes beyond the standard EMDR curriculum, by infusing every lesson with perinatal-specific insights and demos. It's designed for both seasoned perinatal specialists and practitioners new to this work, providing a rich, dynamic curriculum that equips trainees with the skills needed to transform their practice. Through engaging demonstrations and practical applications, this course will deepen your expertise and broaden your impact in working with your clients.

With so much misinformation surrounding the safety of EMDR during pregnancy, many pregnant people miss out on this effective treatment. Our foundational training not only debunks this harmful myth but equips you with the foundational knowledge needed to effectively provide EMDR therapy for all of your clients.

When you embark on your EMDR journey with The Touchstone Institute's foundational training, you not only add a powerful modality to your therapeutic toolkit, you join a community of peers passionate about making a difference in perinatal mental health.


EMDRIA-approved EMDR trainings are comprised of two components:

  • Six days of training  offered in two three-day parts (you must complete all 6 days of training) These training days consist of:
    • Lecture and discussion (about 50% of training time)
    • Practicum in dyads and triads (about 50% of training time)
  •  10 hours of consultation (group or individual) with a Touchstone-approved consultant or consultant-in-training. EMDRIA requires your 10 hours of consultation to be completed within one year of beginning the training.


Please note: consultation hours are NOT included in the price of the training. This allows you to choose from among a long list of  EMDRIA-approved consultants and consultants-in-training with a wide range of pricing and specializations who can support you as you integrate EMDR into your clinical practice. It also allows you to pace your consultation in a way that works for you and your clinical situation.


This course takes place live on Zoom. Check out this link for Zoom requirements.


For more information on our work at The Touchstone Institute, visit our website.

Course Overview

  • Schedule

    Part I: February 4th - 6th and Part II: April 7th - 9th , 2024 from 11am - 7:30pm EST

  • Prerequisites

    All licensed mental health professionals are eligible for this course. Training Agreement below with details.

  • CE Credits

    This training is approved for 42 CE's. Please see the CE section below for more details about specific coverage.

Course Details

    1. Introduction

    2. Training Schedule

    3. EMDR Therapy Training Overview

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Learning Objectives

    5. By Registering For This Training, You Acknowledge And Agree To The Following_

    6. Cancellation Policy

    7. Continuing Education Approvals

      FREE PREVIEW

    8. Get to know Mara Tesler Stein!

    1. Important Guidelines for Moving Forward

    2. Approved Consultants for your ten (10) hours of consultation

    1. Zoom Information

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Course Itinerary

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. The History of EMDR Therapy

    2. EMDRIA-Required Reading and Resources

    3. Lessons Learned from Perinatal Mental Health - Go With That Magazine (Winter, 2022)

    4. Go With That Magazine

    5. EMDR Therapy Research

    6. Additional References and Resources

    1. Print Friendly Version of the Manual

    2. Training Manual

    3. All the Worksheets are Here (for use after completion of Part 1)

    4. Practicum Packet Part 2

    1. Weaving

    2. Full Demo Phases 1-7

    3. Container Demo

    4. Double Dutch (BLS)

    5. Haka (BLS

    6. Choir Swaying (BLS)

    7. Mama rocking preemie baby

    8. Bomba (BLS)

    9. Swimming (BLS)

    10. Phases 4-7 Demo

About this course

  • $1350
  • February 4-6 and April 7-9, 2024
  • 42 CE's - see below for details

Before registering for this training:

Please read the following document to ensure you agree with all training policies. Participating in EMDR therapy training is a big commitment and we want to make sure trainees understand the full scope of training requirements. If you have any questions about this agreement, please reach out to us.

Training Agreement

Payment Options

We are unable to offer tiered pricing for this training. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you are interested in payment plan not listed here. We are always happy to create a custom payment plan to make it more feasible for everyone to participate in our courses.

Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives


Day 1:

  • Identify three parts of the triune brain and their functions

  • Describe the window of tolerance

  • Compare top-down vs bottom-up forms of therapy

  • Explain the Adaptive Information Processing Model

  • List the 8 phases of EMDR therapy

  • Identify the phases of EMDR therapy while watching a complete session

  • Demonstrate phase 1 of EMDR therapy

Day 2:

  • Identify the stages of trauma treatment 

  • Explain the process of EMDR therapy to clients 

  • Demonstrate multiple thematic history taking procedures

  • Explain negative and positive cognitions

  • Demonstrate 2 forms of resourcing

  • Apply 2 forms of bilateral stimulation

  • Assess client readiness to move from resourcing to phases 3-7

  • Apply phases 3-7 of EMDR

  • Plan closure of a complete session and closure of an incomplete session

Day 3:

  • Identify the various components of phase 8 reevaluation

  • Plan and implement a Future Template

  • Demonstrate phase 8 reevaluation

  • Identify treatment planning considerations

  • Create a treatment plan

  • Discussion of advanced issues in processing including addressing dissociation, intense emotional responses, and methods to work with them.

  • Describe how abreaction can present in clients

  • Assess for abreaction in clients

Day 4:

  • Identify and describe blocking beliefs

  • Identify and explain feeder memories

  • Demonstrate interweaves as a strategy to unblock processing

  • Identify dissociation

  • Identify and apply ways to assess for dissociation

  • Identify abreactions and list ways to process through abreaction

  • Apply phases 1-8 of EMDR therapy as a clinician, a therapist, and an observer.

Day 5:

  • Identify specific populations that may require further consideration in the application of EMDR therapy. 

  • Discuss clinical considerations for specific populations receiving EMDR therapy. 

  • Discuss the ethical implications of practicing EMDR therapy with specific populations.

  • Apply phases 1-8 of EMDR therapy as a clinician, a therapist, and an observer. 


Day 6:

  • Plan a case-specific conceptualization to include presenting issues and appropriate interventions. 

  • Apply case examples to treatment planning of EMDR therapy 

  • Identify specific and measurable goals for EMDR treatment plan for identified client

  • Identify legal issues that should be considered when providing EMDR therapy 

  • Identify professional standards to ensure clinicians practice EMDR ethically and responsibly.

  • Identify the importance of ethical factors in the application of therapeutic decision making.

  • Discuss ethical issues that can occur in the practice of EMDR therapy

  • Apply phases 1-8 of EMDR therapy

Scholarship Information

All scholarship spots have been claimed for this round of training. We are happy to provide you with a payment plan for this training and will have more spots available for scholarship in our next round of Foundational EMDR later in 2024.

Reach Out

Continuing Education Credits

Participation in all training sessions and submission of a course evaluation is required to receive a CE Certificate for this course. Course evaluations are made available after all live sessions have been completed within the course portal. After completing the evaluation, participants will be able to download their CE certificates. This training (Parts 1 and 2 combined) offers 42 CE credit hours.

  • It is your responsibility to verify CE coverage in your State or Provence.

  • The Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

  • The Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7346. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  • This course is approved by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). The Touchstone Institute is an approved training provider with EMDRIA: approval #22021.

  • This course is approved by Postpartum Support International (PSI) for continuing education towards obtaining and maintaining the PMH-C

  • The Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training, [provider number:1876], is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Touchstone Institute for Perinatal Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: [1/19/2024-1/19/2025]. Social workers completing this course receive 42 continuing education credits.

Note on Accessibility:

We include captions in all of our live and self-paced trainings. If there is anything else you need to make our trainings accessible to you, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We recognize that every person has access needs and we are happy to do everything we can to meet yours.
Get in Touch

Instructor

Mara Stein, PsyD, PMH-C

Mara Tesler Stein, Psy.D., PMH-C is a clinical psychologist practicing in the United States and Israel. She is the founder and director of The Touchstone Institute for Psychotherapy and Training where she offers both EMDR Foundational trainings for perinatal specialists & advanced EMDR workshops which take a deeper dive into the intersections and applications of EMDR and perinatal mental health. Dr. Stein is a staunch advocate for trauma-focused care and is trained and certified in a range of integrative trauma therapies. A certified EMDR therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant and Trainer, Dr. Stein is also certified in Emotion-Focused Family and Couple Therapy, is a Gottman Certified Therapist, and continues to pursue training in Clinical Hypnosis, Yoga-Informed treatment, Advanced applications of EMDR, Brainspotting, and Ego-State therapies.

Detailed Training Agenda

Day 1:

  • Introduction to the neurobiology of trauma,
  • The adaptive information processing model
  • Overview of the 8 phases of EMDR therapy
  • Live (or recorded) demonstration of EMDR therapy
  • Instruction on Phase 1: History Taking
  • Facilitated practicum with Phase 1 of EMDR


Day 2:

  • EMDR Therapy Phase 2: Preparation and Resourcing.
  • Facilitated practicum with Phase 2
  • Overview of reprocessing phases
  • Instruction on Phases 3-7 (targeting, reprocessing, and closure phases of EMDR therapy).
  • Facilitated Practicum with reprocessing phases


Day 3:

  • Instruction on Phase 8: Reevaluation of EMDR therapy
  • Facilitated practicum blocks continuing reprocessing and implementing Phase 8: Reevaluation
  • Discussion of advanced issues in processing including addressing dissociation, intense emotional responses, and methods to work with them.


Day 4:

  • Review and discussion of advanced issues in reprocessing including addressing blocking beliefs and feeder memories.
  • Review and discussion of addressing dissociation and abreaction.
  • Facilitated practicum blocks beginning with Phase 1 through reprocessing phases in triads.


Day 5:

  • Discussion of specific populations and clinical considerations for application of EMDR therapy for these groups
  • Facilitated practicum blocks in triads where reprocessing will continue.


Day 6:

  • Discussion and application of case conceptualization.
  • Discussion and application of treatment planning.
  • Discussion of legal and professional issues in EMDR therapy.
  • Discussion of ethical issues in EMDR therapy.
  • Facilitated practicum blocks with continued reprocessing.


This training is six days long, scheduled in two three-day blocks. Parts 1 and 2 are not available for purchase/registration alone as they are each only a portion of the training.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is there no tiered pricing for Foundational/Basic Training?

    Because the overhead for these trainings is fixed and high, we are unable to offer tiered pricing. However, we offer extensive and flexible payment plans. Please reach out to Vanessa at [email protected] to set up payment. We want you to be able to attend this training and will support you to do so in any way we can.

  • Are there payment plan options available?

    Yes! We are happy to work with you to create a payment plan that fits your needs. Please reach out to us over email with a brief description of the length of the plan that you are interested in using to pay for this course: [email protected].

  • What is your cancellation policy?

    We require 14 days' notice for cancellations to receive a refund, minus a 5% administrative fee. If you cancel within 14 days of the start of Part I you will be able to apply your full tuition to any other trainings we offer or receive a 50% refund.

  • Am I eligible to take EMDR Foundational/Basic Training?

    For the complete description of eligibility criteria, please go here: https://www.emdria.org/eligibility-requirements-for-emdr-training/

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