My Background and Training:
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I have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and a Master's Degree in Social Work specializing in clinical practice. I have worked in the Taber Mental Health Clinic for 34 years providing individual and family counselling. I am registered with the Alberta College of Social Worker (#892) and am also a member of the ACSW Clincal Specialty Registry (#37). I stay current by attending professional training every year. Below you will find a list of my most recent trainings.
I strongly believe in the importance of having strong professional training and skill, but even more important is that the client (you) feel like you have a "good fit" with your therapist. Feeling respected, accepted, valued and safe is critical to doing good EMDR work. If you want to hear me speak - go to the "videos" section of this website - check out the first video (a short explanation of how EMDR works). Please feel free to call me for a "meet and greet" conversation (which is free) - looking forward to meeting you!
Training Towards Professional Certification or Membership:
- 100 Hour Training in Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Therapy (100 hours). Trainer: Dr. Michael Yapko. April - July 2012.
- MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) Instructor Training Path - 9 day retreat (85 hours) Instructors: Dr. Rachel Crowder and Dr. Steven Hick (MBSR Canada) Oct 14 - 23/14.
- EMDR Training:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - Level 1 & 2 (aka "Basic Training") (53 hours). Trainer: Sue Ganest (EMDR Certified Trainer). Nov 30th, 2013 - March 17th 2014.
- EMDR Certified Therapist. Completed Jan 25th, 2018.
- EMDR Approved Consultant - Completed Dec 1st, 2018.
- EMDR Child Specialist Certification Intensive Program - completed 23Sept2022 (45 hours of training with Ana Gomez and Amy Tyrell).
Training Towards Professional Certification or Membership:
- 100 Hour Training in Clinical Hypnosis and Strategic Therapy (100 hours). Trainer: Dr. Michael Yapko. April - July 2012.
- MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) Instructor Training Path - 9 day retreat (85 hours) Instructors: Dr. Rachel Crowder and Dr. Steven Hick (MBSR Canada) Oct 14 - 23/14.
- EMDR Training:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - Level 1 & 2 (aka "Basic Training") (53 hours). Trainer: Sue Ganest (EMDR Certified Trainer). Nov 30th, 2013 - March 17th 2014.
- EMDR Certified Therapist. Completed Jan 25th, 2018.
- EMDR Approved Consultant - Completed Dec 1st, 2018.
- EMDR Child Specialist Certification Intensive Program - completed 23Sept2022 (45 hours of training with Ana Gomez and Amy Tyrell).
Workshops attended in recent years:
- 20March2025 - 22March2025 EMDR Canada Annual Conference - Vancouver. Multiple presenters. Duration: 3 days (19 hours of training on a EMDR and EMDR supervision).
- 19March2025 EMDR Canada Pre-Conference: Consultant's Day: Enhancing Competency and Resiliency in EMDR Therapy using the Trident Model of Clinical Supervision/Consultation and Resilience-based Approaches. Presenter: Dr. Derek Farrell MBD (professor - Northumbria University - England).
- 04Nov2024 - 07NOv2024. Neuro-affective Embodied Self-Therapy (N.E.S.T.) 4 -Day Advanced EMDR. Presenter: Dr. Sandra Paulsen. Duration: 24 hours.
- September 2024 - June 2024. 10 month Training: Advanced Series: Structural Dissociation of the Personality and use of the Meeting Place an other interventions to treat Complex Trauma. Presenters: Farnsworth Lobenstine (LICSW) and Kristen Wold (LMFT). Course currently in Progress - will be 30 hours of classroom work + reading/writing assignments.
- 30Sept2024: Truth And Reconciliation Day Event: Little Deer (Movie Screening)
- 09Aug2024 Pars Work and Artwork. Presenters: Bruce Duveau (LICSW) & Farnsworth Lobenstine (LICSW). Duration: 3.0 hours.
- 07May2024 Using IFS (Internal Family Systems Model) to understand the therapeutic relationship. Presenter: Katie Wine-Appleton (LPCC-S). Duration: 3.0 hours.
- 12May2024 Eagle Spirit Pow Wow.
- 14April2024 EMDR Canada Annual Conference - Day 3. Presenters: Robin Shapiro (Easy Ego State Interventions), Delores Mosquera (Treating Complex Trauma), Jen Savage and Bridger Falkenstien (Offering EMDR Intensives), Roshni Chabra (Treating Oppression Trauma), and Andrew Leeds (Progress and Future of EMDR). Duration: 8 hours.
- 11April2024. CASW: New Social Work Code of Ethics: Privacy and Confidentiality. Presenters: Rhonda Hallberg MSW, RSW & Julie Gaudet RN, MN. Duration: 1 hour.
- 15March2024. Adapting Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Client with Dissociative Disorders. Presenter: Kathy Steele (MS, CS, APRN). Duration: 3.0 hours.
- 12Jan2024 - 13Jan2024. Easy Ego State Interventions. Presenter: Robin Shapiro LICSW. Working with Personality Disorders and dissociation using Ego State interventions. Duration: 12.0 hours (2 days).
- 18Nov2023 - 19Nov2023. New Developments in the Treatment of Dissociative Disorders: Wisdom from Six Leading Experts. Presenters: Suzette Boon Ph.D, Kathy Steele, MN, CS; Dolores Mosquera, MS; and Bethany Brand. Duration: 12.0 hours.
- 03Nov2023 - 04Nov2023. Grace Unfolding: An Introduction to the Hakomi Method. Presenter: Jaci Hull LMFT, Senior Hakomi Trainer. Duration: 13 hours.
- 28Oct2023. Strategies and Techniques for Working with Hostile and Destructive Parts of Self. Presenter: Dr. Colin A. Ross. 28Oct2023. 5.0 hours
- 09Sept2023. Working with Perpetrator Introjects in DID. Presenters: Farnsworth Lobenstine (LICSW) and Gillian Cissold (LPC). Duration: 7.0 hours.
- 08Sept2023. Dissociative Identity Adaptations: Creating the Landscape for Successful Treatment. Presenters: Farnsworth Lobenstine (LICSW), Danielle West (LPC), Katy Gelinas (LPC), and Gillian Cissold (LPC). Duration: 7.0 hours.
- 24March2023. EMDR Consultant Day. Offered and hosted by EMDRIA. Intended for EMDRIA Approved Consultants. 5.75 hours Presenters: Sharon Rollins MS, LPC-S, NCC, Andrew Leeds PhD., Mark Nickerson LICSW, and 10 other presenters.
- 21Jan2023. Dissociation, Psychosis and Schizophrenia: Trauma Focused Treatment Strategies. Presenter: Dr. Collin A. Ross MD (Psychiatrist). (4.0 hours).
- 19Sept2022 - 23Sept2022. EMDR-Child Specialist Certification Intensive Program. 45 hours of training with Ana Gomez and Amy Tyrell.
- 12Aug2022. Metis Experience. Fort Whoop Up & Galt Museum. Cindy Lemlay and Sarah Sansom. (3.0 hours).
- 14Jan2022. Integrating the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation into Clinical Practice. Presenters: Michael Coy M.A. EMDRIA AC/AT and Jennifer Madere M.A. EMDRIA AC/AT. (6.0 hours).
- EMDR in the Treatment Of Chronic Pain. Presenter: Mark Grant, MA (Australia). 18Nov2021. (4.5 hours).
- A New Anger Protocol: When Anger, Resentment and Revenge are Complicating EMDR: A New EMDR Anger Protocol. Date: 18Sept202. Presenter: Herman Veerbeek (Clinical Psychologist - Netherlands). (6.0 hours).
- EMDR in the Treatment of Depression: How to use the EMDR DeprEnd Protocol. Date: 26March2021. Presenters: Arne Hoffman PhD and Maria Lehnung PhD (EMDR Europe). (4.5 hours).
- Complex Trauma and Dissociation Across the Lifespan Part 2. Dates: 15Jan2021 - 26Feb2021. Presenters: Ana Gomez (Mc, LPC), Cathy Steele (MN, CS), and Delores Mosquera (PhD). Jan 15 - Feb 26, 2021. (15 hours).
- Treating Insomnia with EMDR Therapy. Presenter: Steven Marcus, PhD Date: Jan 30, 2021. (4 hours).
- Counselling Ethics: Writing Ethical, Useful and Efficient Session Notes. Presenter: Dawn McBride, PhD. Date: Jan 18,2021 (6 hours).
- Counselling Ethics: The Consent Process in Counselling: It is More Than You Imagine. Presenter: Dawn McBride, MSc., PhD. Date: Jan 12, 20201 (6 hours).
- Identifying Narcicissim in Clinical Practice. Trainer: Delores Mosquera PhD. (3 hours) Date: Dec 12, 2020.
- Working with Chronic Shame, Resistance and Traumatic Memory in Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders (14 hours). Date: Nov 13 - 14th, 2020. Trainer: Kathy Steele MN, CS.
- Treating Dissociative Disorders with EMDR: The Progressive Approach. Trainer: Delores Mosquera Ph.D. (from Spain). March 14 - 15 th 2020 (12 hours of training).
- Reprocessing Early Trauma in Implicit Memory with EMDR. (Also known as the Pre-verbal Protocol for trauma occurring in the first 3 years of life, sometimes called the 'Somatic Protocol'). Trainer: Katie O'Shea. Nov 29 - Nov 30th 2019. (14 hours).
- Clinical Social Work Supervision. Nov 3 - 29th 2019). Instructor: Dr. Jane Matheson - University of Calgary. (20 hours).
- Treating First Responders & Military with EMDR Foundations for Effective EMDR Treatment. Trainer: Dr. E.C. Hurley. Oct 19 - Oct 21 2019 (18 Hours).
- EMDR Sandtray Specialist Intensive Program - Level 1. Trainer: Ana Gomez. (Hours: 49 hours - 9 hours on line, 40 hours classroom & practice hours). July 2 - 6th, 2019.
- EMDR with Children and Their Families Using the IATP-C Model (Integrated Attachment Trauma Protocol). Trainers: Cathy Schweitzer & Stefanie Armstrong. June 22 - June 23rd 2019. (12 hours).
- Memory Re consolidation - The Flash Technique with Dr. Philip Manfield, PhD. Feb 9th 2019. (6 hours).
- EMDR with Children and Youth: Advanced EMDR Workshop with Ana Gomez. Nov. 2nd - Nov 4, 2018 (21 Hours).
- EMDR Coach for Level 1 & Level 2 Training. Head Trainer: Roy Kiessling, LISW (EMDR Consulting). (50 hours) Role: I served as a coach to newly trained EMDR Therapists (48 trainees total). First Training: 02March2018 - 29April2018. I continue to assist Roy Kiesling as well as Sharon Meredith when trainings are done in Alberta. (1 - 2 trainings a year).
- EMDR Advanced Training: EMDR desensitization of Triggers and urge Reprocessing (De TUR Protocol). Trainers: A. J. Popky and Dr. Judy Munch. (14 Hours) (This protocol is used in addictions to reduce cravings. It can also be used to reduce sugar cravings, cigarette smoking, or "any behavior you want to stop doing").
- 2017 EMDR Canada National Conference - Banff (April 20th - 23 April 23 2017) (3 days). I studied with: Ad De Jongh (PhD - Netherlands) "Treatment of Fears and Phobias with EMDR" - 1 day. Roy Kiessling (LISW) - "EMDR Therapy Unchained" - 1 day. Kathliine Martin (LCSW) and /Cindy Shrigley (MSW) "Advancing Excellence in Treating Complex Trauma) - 1 day.
- Meditation: Silent Retreat - Centering Prayer (Christian Tradition). Instructor: Pat Boheme (Spiritual Director) 10 - 12 March 2017 ( 2 days).
- Meditation: Silent Retreat - Metta Meditation (Loving Kindness - Buddhist Tradition). Instructor: Bob Campbell. Feb 24th - Feb 26th 2017 (2 days).
- EMDR with Spiritual Trauma - 7 Steps to Help Client's Heal. Trainer: Mark Odland. April 16th, 2016 (5.5 hours).
- EMDR Advanced Training: Recent Event Episode Protocol (R-TEP). Trainer: Elan Shapiro (from Israel) Sept 12, 2015. (6 hours).
- EMDR Advanced Training" Looking Though the Eyes: EMDR and Ego State Therapy Across the Dissociative Continuum. Trainer: Dr. Sandra Paulson. (14 hours) Jan 23 - 24th, 2014.
Some Final Thoughts:
Although I highly value professional training, no academic qualification replaces the importance of a "good fit" between client and therapist. It really matters that you feel valued, respected, and understood. The only real way for you to check the "fit" of a therapist is to talk with them by phone or in person.