EMDR and Ego State Therapy
Part II:
Advanced Applications Across the Eight Phases
Training led by:
Jessica Downs, LCSW
EMDRIA Approved Consultant
Available on Demand
Cost: $260
REGISTER NOW
FREE RESOURCES
Screening for Dissociation Is Not Just About What We Ask. It is also about what we notice in the room and within ourselves.
Screening for dissociation can feel challenging, especially when it is subtle, relational, or hidden behind high functioning.
This free two-part clinician resource offers a:
- One-page guide for what to notice and track in the therapy room during EMDR Phase 1, and
- Self-of-the-therapist reflection to explore what shapes how we see and respond to dissociation internally.
Together, these tools support screening that is thoughtful, grounded, and relational without over-pathologizing or rushing the work.
Download the FREE clinician tools below.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Working with clients who present with fragmented self-states, protector parts, and defensive systems requires more than the standard EMDR protocol. This advanced training gives you the skills to weave Ego States Therapy into every phase of EMDR, creating safety, readiness, and deeper access to reprocessing.
You’ll discover how to recognize and respond to dissociation, strengthen preparation with interventions that foster internal collaboration, and adapt reprocessing in ways that honor system consent while reducing resistance and blocking beliefs. With practical demonstrations and experiential exercises, the training brings concepts to life and equips you with strategies you can immediately apply in practice.
By integrating Ego States Therapy into EMDR, you’ll expand your capacity to hold fidelity to the model while meeting the needs of complex trauma clients with confidence, flexibility, and transformative impact.
CEs Available:
This course is eligible for 8 EMDRIA & NBCC CEs.
Training Format:
This training will be offered live then avaiable on demand after.
Investment:
This course is $260. Installment options available.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Define complex PTSD and the spectrum of dissociation using the framework of Structural Dissociation and the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model.
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Apply at least two screening and assessment strategies to identify dissociation and inform EMDR treatment planning within Phase 1.
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Identify at least three Phase 2 resourcing techniques for working with ego states and explain how these strategies can be adapted when client needs diverge from standard approaches.
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Adapt EMDR Phases 1–8 to integrate Ego States Therapy interventions while maintaining fidelity to the EMDR protocol.
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Implement case conceptualization strategies for complex clinical presentations using an ego states lens within the AIP framework.
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Employ interweaves during Phases 3–7 that address blocking beliefs, protector resistance, and system ambivalence to support effective reprocessing.
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Analyze the impact of socio-cultural and generational ideologies (e.g., productivity culture, beauty standards, religious trauma, racism, misogyny) as introjected parts requiring EMDR integration and adaptation in treatment planning.
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Reflect on therapist countertransference and internal “parts” as a mirror for clinical growth, applying strategies to use self-of-therapist awareness in adapting the eight phases of EMDR therapy.
IRIS Training Collective has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 8002. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. IRIS Training Collective is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
MEET YOUR TRAINER
Jessica Downs, LCSW
Jessica Downs, LCSW, is an EMDR Advanced Trainer and Consultant specializing in complex trauma and dissociation. She brings warmth, clarity, and a playful spirit to her work, integrating EMDR with Ego State Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and the Theory of Structural Dissociation. Jessica is passionate about helping clinicians build confidence and deepen their therapeutic skills.
A skillful and caring healer, in addition to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), she incorporates Ego State Therapy, Polyvagal Theory and the Theory of Structural Dissociation into her one-on-one work with adults of all ages. Jessica is known for her warm, grounded presence, and her ability to bring playfulness to the often difficult work of therapy.
While pursuing her master's degree in social work at the University of Denver, Jessica was introduced to the benefits of EMDR for the treatment of trauma. The education she received led her to seek out advanced training in EMDR, and to pursue certification. Today, Jessica shares her expertise in EMDR as an Advanced trainer and Consultant to other therapists, looking to deepen their therapeutic skills.
Course Prerequisites:
This continuing education program is intended for graduate-level professional counselors and mental health practitioners. It is designed for clinicians who hold a master's degree or higher in a mental health field, as well as graduate students actively pursuing that level of training.
This is an advanced EMDR Course, students must have fully completed EMDR Basic Training to be eligible for this training.
Course Attendance and CE Credit:
For live credit: Attendees must attend live via Zoom and attendance will be taken for course credit. Partial credit is not available. Live certificates are issued upon request within 5 business days of verified attendance and completed evaluation.
For on demand credit: Attendees must view the full course video, complete the quiz and evaluation to receive credit. Upon completion of all modules your certificate will be issued and sent via email.
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
Full refunds are available for cancellation requests received up to 1 day prior to the program. Cancellations on/after the live date or no-shows are non-refundable. If IRIS cancels, full refunds are issued or free transfer to a future date is offered.
