Course Description

EMDR Therapy is designed to bring resolution to traumatic experiences, decreasing the distress associated with disturbing memories and improving the client’s self-image. The model understands trauma and adverse life events to encode information maladaptively in the brain, causing mental and behavioral disorders. EMDR Therapy aims to correct this encoding using the AIP model, a standard 8-phase protocol, and a 3-pronged approach to treatment. 

In this course, participants will learn the history of EMDR, its evolution to an efficient and evidence-based therapy for PTSD, and its effectiveness for other behavioral disorders.

Total Running Time 73 minutes. 1 Hour CE. Recorded Video Format (non-interactive). 

Content Advisories:  This course includes brief mentions of traumatic experiences including sexual assault and death of a child. To protect client confidentiality, case examples may include fictionalized elements.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least three ways in which trauma affects emotions and behavior

  • Explain at least two elements of the hypothesized mechanism of change in EMDR Therapy

  • Describe the 8 phases of EMDR therapy

  • Apply at least two principles of a trauma-informed framework to identify those clients who would benefit from EMDR therapy

Course Outline

1. History of EMDR therapy

a. Definition

b. Research

c. Mechanism of change

2. How trauma impacts emotions and behaviors 

3. AIP model (Adaptive Information Processing)

4. The Three-pronged approach 

5. Eight phases of EMDR therapy

6. Additional elements

a. Resources

b. Trauma-informed framework

c. Identifying appropriate clients

7. Success stories

a. Who may benefit

b. Problems outside of PTSD

References

Instructors

Michelle Gottlieb, PsyD, and Curt Rouanzoin, PhD

Michelle Gottlieb, PsyD is a California licensed marriage and family therapist (#LMFT32271) and licensed professional clinical counselor (#LPCC76) in private practice, and serves as Adjunct Faculty for California State University Fullerton. She has been providing clinical services for 30 years, and has extensive experience in trauma. She is an EMDR Approved Consultant. Curt Rouanzoin, PhD is a California licensed Psychologist (#7809) and licensed marriage and family Therapist (#8790) in private practice. He has more than 40 years of clinical and teaching experience, co-authored task force recommendations for the use of EMDR with dissociative disorders, and is an EMDR Approved Consultant.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 73 minutes. Progress is saved after each lesson section so you can complete the course in multiple sittings. Please note that if you leave the course in the middle of a video, quiz, or survey section you may be required to start that section from the beginning.

Topic Area:

Clinical practice

Instructional Level:

Intermediate. This course presumes post-graduate training and experience in trauma care, but does not presume specific familiarity with EMDR.

Completion Requirements:

To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a satisfaction survey, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a course completion quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within a reasonable number of attempts, and may be blocked from completing the course and receiving their certificate if unable to do so.

Completion Quiz and Course Evaluation:

After watching course videos, the course completion quiz will be available to complete, followed by the course evaluation.

Who Should Attend:

Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Published: April 6, 2021 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Conflict of Interest Statement:

There is no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance.

Contact Information:

For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

System Requirements:

Please ensure your device meets our system requirements.

Continuing Education Approvals:

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course provides 1 hour of continuing education (1 CE credit) for psychologists.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice, #1749, 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. Simple Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/06/2021 – 07/06/2024. Social workers participating in this course will receive 1 continuing education credit in the Clinical topic area.

SimplePractice is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #145276). SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 

SimplePractice is approved as a Rule/Statute Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Note that we do not automatically report CE completion to CE Broker at this time, so certificates of completion must be manually uploaded. Click here for more information.

SimplePractice LLC 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-0582.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0030.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0091.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0206.

This course is not part of our continuing education program approved through NAADAC. Click here to view our complete CE approval information, or check out our collection of NAADAC approved courses.