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Hosted in Central Time | Bridging the Gap: From EMDR Basic Training to Complex Trauma and Dissociation (Event ID: 258066)

Advanced EMDR Training

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Virtual

Registration Deadline:
October 9, 2026 @ 11:59 PM EDT

Event Date(s):
Oct 12, 2026

Course Description

This is additional workshop is designed to help therapists bridge the gap between knowing the protocol and confidently applying it with complex trauma presentations. When reprocessing gets stuck, it’s often not a clinical mistake—it’s the client’s protective system working exactly as it was designed to: to survive. Building on the Blocking Belief Worksheet introduced earlier in training, this day helps participants recognize how dissociation and internal protectors show up in clinical practice. Using the 3-color Polyvagal Trauma Traffic Light Model, participants will learn to track autonomic states in the therapy environment and understand how shutdown, freeze, and looping often reflect a dorsal vagal dissociative state—not resistance, but protection. Participants will explore how dissociation can be screened using structured tools such as the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID). These validated assessment tools help clinicians identify dissociative patterns, guiding treatment pacing and preparation for clients with complex trauma. Practical strategies will be offered to help recognize protective beliefs and expand the window of tolerance, supporting readiness when clients feel stuck, conflicted, or uncertain about moving forward in reprocessing. The day concludes with hands-on practice in three key Phase 4 modifications—EMDR 2.0, CIPOS, and EMDR-Contained—designed to help clients stay grounded, maintain dual attention, and move through reprocessing safely and effectively. This training day offers an essential clinical bridge between EMDR protocol knowledge and the real-world complexity of working with clients who dissociate. Therapists will leave with greater clarity, confidence, and tools for staying attuned to the nervous system (PV) and internal experience of clients with complex trauma.

Workshop Objectives: After completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Explain how the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and the evolution of EMDR support the need to modify Phase 4 when dissociation blocks reprocessing.
  • Define dissociation and its connection to internal parts/aspects of the self.
  • Identify dissociation patterns using screening tools such as the DES and MID, and apply findings to case conceptualization, pacing, and preparation of complex CPTSD cases.
  • Demonstrate how Polyvagal-informed strategies support work with dissociative states and internal parts.
  • Demonstrate how to use basic Parts Work and Polyvagal-informed strategies to engage protective parts using the blocking belief worksheet to increase readiness before moving into Phase 4.
  • Summarize three practical Phase 4 modifications, EMDR 2.0, CIPOS, and EMDR-Contained, and how they help clients stay grounded and move through stuck points in reprocessing.

Course Details

Intended audience: provisionally or fully licensed counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc. who have completed an EMDRIA Approved EMDR basic training course.

Skill Level: This is an intermediate level EMDR workshop. Skills taught in this workshop are useful for newly trained EMDR therapists through advanced EMDR therapists.

CEs to be offered: Participants will receive 6 hours of continuing education credit from CBI upon completing this program. Please view the Continuing Education Credits tab below for more information about continuing education credit and approvals for this course.

EMDRIA Credit: 8 EMDRIA Approved Credits

To be eligible to attend this training, participants must have attended an EMDRIA Approved EMDR basic training course.

 

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Training Details

LOCATION

Live Webinar: Central Time

READ BEFORE REGISTERING:

  • When registering, provide a personal email address (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL) instead of a work or agency email. Organizational, governmental, and/or company-based email accounts typically have security settings that block Zoom invites to the virtual training.
  • When registering, provide a phone number where training staff can easily reach you during the training (e.g., cell number instead of work number if you’ll be training from home).
  • Participants must have a stable internet connection and must use their own computer (not a cell phone) during the training. The computer must have a working camera and be able to download the Zoom app.
  • Participants must be present the entire training — no exceptions.
  • If any of your information changes (name, email, phone number, or emergency contact) after registering, please email [email protected] no later than 14 days prior to the first day of training.

ZOOM INFORMATION:

  • The trainer will contact the participants via email the week of the training with the Zoom invite. Please keep an eye on your spam/junk folders.
  • This training is presented in CENTRAL TIME.
  • Trainer contact information is available on our Training Staff page.

EMDR Consulting & EMDRIA Approved Trainer

Paula P. Merucci, LCSW, CADC

Paula P. Merucci, LCSW, CADC

DAILY SCHEDULE & ITINERARY

Oct 12, 2026

Standard Fee: $200.00 USD*

Non-Profit, Community Mental Health, Veterans, and Active Duty Military Fee: $150.00 USD*

This training does not offer ASWB ACE credit to social workers. Our co-sponsor CBI Center for Education has social work state board approvals with New York (details below). Please contact your state board to confirm if the CEs for this course will be accepted.

Continuing Education credit for this program is also awarded by CBI Center for Education. CBI is approved by:

  • The American Psychological Association (APA) CBI is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CBI maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Cognitive Behavior Institute is not responsible to verify that American Psychological Association continuing education credits are approved by an attendee’s respective state licensing board.
  • New York Psychology Board –  CBI Center for Education, PLLC. is recognized by the New York State Education Departments State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0098
  • New York Social Work Board – CBI Center for Education, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0646
  • New York Mental Health Practitioners Board – CBI Center for Education, PLLC is recognized by the New York State Board for Mental Health Practitioner as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health practioners #MHC-0216

Licensed professionals should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.

Participants will receive 6 hours of continuing education credit upon completing this program. Attendance for the entirety of the program is required to receive CE credits. No partial credit will be awarded. Certificates are awarded online after completion of the workshop. Participants print their own certificate after completing the evaluation form.

EMDR Consulting and CBI do not provide CMEs for psychiatrists (MDs).

CE Instructions to obtain CEs will be issued upon receipt of the course evaluation and final sign-out at the conclusion of the training.

Cancellation Policy for Scheduled Trainings:

  • Minimum Attendance Requirement: EMDR Consulting reserves the right to cancel any training if it does not meet its minimum attendance requirement of 10 participants.
  • Force Majeure Events: EMDR Consulting reserves the right to cancel any program if a Force Majeure Event occurs.
  • Refunds: In the event EMDR Consulting cancels a program, participants will receive a 100% refund of their registration fee; however, EMDR Consulting is not responsible for reimbursement of participants’ incurred travel, food, and/or lodging expenses. Please make your travel plans accordingly, as EMDR Consulting will not reimburse any costs or expenses related to travel, lodging, or meals in the event EMDR Consulting cancels a program. If you will be incurring significant travel or lodging expenses, we recommend you purchase travel insurance from a reputable provider. For clarity and the avoidance of doubt, no refund of any kind will be provided to any participant who is ejected from the program for any reason.
  • If participant registers for EMDR Consulting’s program hosted by another organization (e.g., Centerstone, Leading Edge Seminars, MAHEC, Missouri Behavioral Health Council, Nachas Consulting, APT 15, U.S. Military, etc.), participant agrees to that organization’s cancellation, transfer, and refund policy for scheduled trainings.

Force Majeure:

  • EMDR Consulting assumes no responsibility for any personal injury, property damage, financial or other loss, accident, delay, inconvenience, or irregularity which may be occasioned by reason of any matter beyond its control, including, but not limited to, personal illness, a delay or cancellation of a flight or other mode of transportation, cancellation of your hotel reservation or expulsion from any venue used by EMDR Consulting, acts of God, acts or orders of government, epidemics, pandemics or other public heath emergencies, war, terrorist acts, riots, local or national disasters, weather events, unavailability of coaches, trainers, or other staff, strikes or other similar or dissimilar events or occurrences beyond EMDR Consulting’s control (“Force Majeure Events”) that causes you to miss all or any portion of the program.

Participant Cancellation, Transfer, and Refund Policy:

  • 14+ days prior to event’s initial start date:
    • Full refund of registration fee, less a $50.00 USD administrative fee
    • 1 free complimentary transfer
      • Once used, $100.00 USD transfer fee
  • 4-13 days prior to event’s initial start date:
    • 25% refund of registration fee
    • $125.00 USD transfer fee
  • 72 hours prior to event’s initial start date / No-Show to event:
    • No refund
    • $150.00 USD transfer fee
    • A “No-Show” is a participant who has registered for a training but who does not cancel their registration or attend the training.
  • Transfers are only eligible for 12 months (1 year) from the date of registration. After this date, participants will forfeit the full price of their registration fee and, if still interested in attending, need to re-register and pay the full registration fee again.
  • Refunds and transfer requests will be processed as they are received (our office is located in the Eastern time zone) and may take up to 5-7 business days to process.
  • For participants on a payment plan, any cancellation requests occurring after the second payment will incur a $100 cancellation fee regardless of the date of cancellation.
  • Cancellation and transfer requests shall be submitted in writing to [email protected].
  • If participant registers for EMDR Consulting’s program hosted another organization (e.g., Centerstone, Leading Edge Seminars, MAHEC, Missouri Behavioral Health Council, Nachas Consulting, APT 15, U.S. Military, etc.), participant agrees to that organization’s participant cancellation, transfer, and refund policy.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), EMDR Consulting will make reasonable adjustments or modifications to practices, policies and procedures, and to provide auxiliary aids and services for our training participants with disabilities. It is the responsibility of participants who seek disability-related accommodations and services to submit their requests in a timely manner prior to the training, notwithstanding emergencies or unexpected events that require services.

Participants may request services during the registration process. Some services may require further written medical verification that supports the medical reason for the request (e.g., a supporting letter from their medical provider). To start this process, participants can complete our Request for Reasonable Accommodation Form and upload their documentation to their account page or email it to [email protected].

EMDR Consulting is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformation with the APA, ASWB, NASW, NBCC, and EMDRIA grievance procedures.

During a training event, the trainer responsible for conducting the training has EMDR Consulting’s authority to address any concerns that arise during the actual training. Every effort will be made to address the concerns during the training to include changing practice partners, addressing staff issues, etc.

If the trainer is unable to address the participant’s concerns, the complaints and grievances shall be presented in writing to Starr Stevens, Director of External Affairs.

Social Workers: Should social workers have a specific grievance, these grievances will be addressed by Starr Stevens, Director of External Affairs. In situations where the social worker would have a conflict of interest, then, Crystal Whitlow, LCSW, a social worker grievance consultant for EMDR Consulting, has been given the final authority to resolve any grievances between participants.

EMDR Consulting’s approach in resolving grievances is always from the perspective of what is in the best interest of the participant.

All complaints and grievances are reviewed within 5 working days. Formal grievances are required to be written and emailed to [email protected] (or, for social workers in situations of a conflict of interest, [email protected]) and will be responded to within 10 business days.

There are no known conflicts of interests for this workshop.

Registration

Thank you for choosing EMDR Consulting to help you integrate EMDR into your clinical practice.

The registration deadline for this training is October 9, 2026 @ 11:59 PM EDT

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Prefer to spread out the cost over time? Choose Afterpay, Klarna, PayPal, or Sezzle as your payment method and follow the prompts!

Helpful tips about PayPal: If you want to pay with PayPal, Venmo, or PayPal Pay Later, select PayPal as your payment method and then more PayPal options appear:

To pay over time, select Pay Later, which is the last option listed. After that, follow the prompts to proceed with PayPal Pay in 4* or PayPal Credit. Be advised that PayPal’s max purchase limit is $1,500.00 USD.

To pay the full registration fee as a single lump sum, select PayPal or Venmo (the first and second options listed, respectfully).

*PayPal’s Pay in 4 is not currently available to residents of Missouri, Nevada, or Canada.

 

Additional Workshops

Bridging the Gap: From EMDR Basic Training to Complex Trauma and Dissociation
Live Webinar
$200.00 USD
Bridging the Gap: From EMDR Basic Training to Complex Trauma and Dissociation
Live Webinar | Non-Profit Fee
$150.00 USD

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Thank you for choosing EMDR Consulting to help you integrate EMDR into your clinical practice.

 

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Office Hours & Contact
Hours:
Monday – Friday | 9:00am to 5:00pm EDT
Registration:
215-326-7214
Billing:
724-957-9089
Fax:
724-957-9086