1.5 CE course

Certificates are emailed immediately upon completion of course evaluation.

90 minute program - 1.5 CE

NBCC and NY PSY, SW, MHC & MFT. EMDRIA pending.

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Healing Protectors

This session is a recording of a live demonstration offered as a fundraiser on May 29, 2026 organized by Beau Laviolette for Healing Protectors. A live audience of over 60 predominantly EMDR trained mental health professionals observed and supported a beautiful healing session for Jackie, conducted by Bruce Hersey. Bruce is well-known as a leading figure in the integration of IFS and EMDR, specifically as the originator of the Syzygy Model™, which also incorporates a memory reconsolidation perspective from Coherence Therapy.

In this session, he aptly demonstrates and teaches this model as he guides Jackie through a deep healing process focused on a compulsively over-responsible helper part that protects against falling into despair, aloneness and grief experienced with the loss of her sister when they were teens in a dysfunctional alcoholicfamily system. The session is followed by a rich debrief and Q & A with this informed and astute professional audience. Additional teaching points have been edited in, post recording, for enhanced learning.

EMDR Phases One through Seven are shown, incorporating Syzygy Model perspective and technique. This includes some critical concepts from Coherence Therapy pertaining to the role of memory reconsolidation in IFS-Informed EMDR, as well as how IFS impacts conceptualization of EMDR treatment planning, the nature of targets, dual attention, and important distinctions regarding protector parts.

What our live audience said about the demo:

• "What a beautiful training today, thank you. I would like to become trained in the confluence of IFS and EMDR like I witnessed today."
• "This was awesome, thank you!"
• "Thank you so much for offering this demo/training!"
• "Thank you both so much! That was beautiful."
• "Thanks Jackie, beautiful demo, grateful for your vulnerability"
• "Beautiful to witness Jackie, thanks for your trust and vulnerability. I was really moved. Bruce, my parts really appreciated your approach- thank you"
• "thank you Jackie...beautiful work"
• "It was very moving to witness, Jackie!"
• "I really appreciate Bruce staying with this really important protector (rather than going straight for the exile)."
• "Bruce, wonderful job!"
• "This was so great! Thank you to everyone and what a great cause."
• "Thank you for this experience and the work you do (from a veteran)!"
• "This was such an amazing training. Thank you so much for putting it together for us. Not only did I learn so much, but I was so happy the money raised is going to support our veterans."
  
• "My heart goes out to you, Jackie. Thank you for sharing your system with us.
  

Continuing Education Information

• Approved for 1.5 CE distance education through EMDRIA (EC provider #17025, course approval #17025-DL39).
• NY SW Board: emdrifs.com 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-0740.
• NY MFT Board: emdrifs.com 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-0116.
• NY MHC Board: emdrifs.com 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-0278.
• NY PSY Board: emdrifs.com 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-0230. Approved for 1.5 Psychology CE Contact Hours.
• NBCC: emdrifs.com, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7432. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. emdrifs.com, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
• Syzygy Model Full Session Demo: Healing Protectors, #6784 is approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to be offered by emdrifs.com, LLC as an individual course. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE course approval period: 8/6/26-8/6/28. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credits.
  
  

Target Audience: This course was created on 5/29/26 for mental health professionals familiar with EMDR and interested in how IFS & Coherence Therapy concepts can enhance their application of EMDR.

Completion Requirements: Attendees must complete the entire course, post test and evaluation to receive credit. A score of 75% or better is required to pass and gain access to your completion certificate. You may retake the test once, after which you must contact the administrator for further guidance.

Accommodations for the Differently Abled: This workshop is held in a facility and/or delivered in a manner that is in compliance with the Americans Disabilities Act. Please contact emdrifs.com@gmail.com if special accommodation is required.

Cancellation Policy: Once you have registered and paid for this course you have six months to complete it. After six months, a monthly extension subscription may be purchased. Cancellations or extensions may be requested if there are extenuating circumstances disabling the student from taking the course for the entire six months. Requests may be initiated by emailing emdrifs.com@gmail.com or calling 814-944-3852.

Grievance Policy: All grievances must be in writing to emdrifs.com@gmail.com, and will be replied to within 5 - 10 business days.

Learning Objectives

After completing this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Name how the Syzygy Model™ conceptualizes the IFS-Informed EMDR target. 
2. Recite the Syzygy Model™ definition of dual attention. 
3. Describe the two components of a protector’s positive intention. 
4. Explain how to measure Self-energy using the Presence of Self (PoS) scale. 
5. Name what the Syzygy Model™ considers the appropriate and optimal source of the Positive Cognition in the EMDR Assessment Phase. 
6. Explain how to use the Level of Urge to Protect (LUP) scale to measure protector energy.

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Bibliography (References):

Ally, D., Tobiasz-Veltz, L., Tu, K., Comeau, A., Bumpus, C., Blot, T., Rice, F. K., Orr, B., Soumerai Rea, H., Sweezy, M., & Schuman-Olivier, Z. (2025). A pilot study of an online group-based Internal Family Systems intervention for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use. Frontiers in Psychiatry, Volume 16-2025. 

Anderson, F.G. (2021). Transcending trauma: Healing Complex PTSD With Internal Family Systems. Claire, WI: PESI Publishing.

Comeau, A., Smith, L. J., Smith, L., Soumerai Rea, H., Ward, M. C., Creedon, T. B., Sweezy, M., Rosenberg, L. G., & Schuman-Olivier, Z. (2024). Online group-based internal family systems treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: Feasibility and acceptability of the program for alleviating and resolving trauma and stress. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 16(Suppl 3), S636–S640. 

Ecker, B. (2024). A proposal for the unification of psychotherapeutic action understood as memory modification processes. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 34(3), 291–314.

Ecker, B., Ticic, R., & Hulley, L. (2024). Unlocking the Emotional Brain: Memory Reconsolidation and the Psychotherapy of Transformational Change (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Ecker, B., Bridges, S.K. (2020) How the Science of Memory Reconsolidation Advances the Effectiveness and Unification of Psychotherapy. Clin Soc Work J 48, 287–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-020-00754-z

Every-Palmer, S., et al. (2024). EMDR vs. usual treatment for PTSD in adults with psychosis: A randomized controlled trial. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 16(Suppl 3), S555–S560. 

Fatter, D. (2026). Integrating internal family systems (IFS) into EMDR therapy: The step-by-step guide to complex trauma recovery. PESI Publishing, Inc. 

Gomez, A. M. & Krause, P. K. (2013). EMDR Therapy and the Use of Internal Family Systems Strategies With Children, In A. M. Gomez, (Ed.), EMDR Therapy and Adjunct Approaches with Children (pp. 299–345). New York, NY: Springer publishing.

Hafkemeijer, L., Hofman, S., de Jongh, A., de Roos, D., van Velzen, M., Starrenburg, A., & Slotema, K. (2025). The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and diagnostic status in patients with a personality disorder: A randomized controlled trial. *Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 94*(6), 453–??. 

Hart, K. (2025). Treating trauma with EMDR and IFS: A clinician's guide to integrating eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy with internal family systems. New Harbinger Publications.

Hersey, B. (2025) Syzygy: Alignment of IFS, EMDR and Memory Reconsolidation. In Polidi, D. (Ed.), IFS-Informed EMDR: Creative and Collaborative Approaches (1st ed.), (pp.. 63-77). Routledge. 

Hodgdon, H. B.; Anderson, F. G.; Southwell, E.; Hrubec, W.; Schwartz, R. C. (2022) Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Survivors of Multiple Childhood Trauma: A Pilot Effectiveness Study. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma. Jan2022, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p22-43. 22p. 1 Diagram, 1 Chart, 1 Graph. DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2021.2013375.

Knipe, J. (2019). EMDR Toolbox, Second Edition: Theory and Treatment of Complex PTSD and Dissociation. Springer Publishing Company. 

Kredler, V. (2023) How does Internal Family Systems therapy lead to transformational change through memory reconsolidation? Counselling Australia, Autumn Volume 24 (2) (26-36).

Lawrence, M. (1998) EMDR as a special form of ego state psychotherapy: Part 1. EMDRIA Newsletter, 3:4. 

Lawrence, M. (1999) EMDR as a special form of ego state psychotherapy: Part 2. EMDRIA Newsletter, 4:1. 

Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027

O’Shea Brown, G. (2021) Internal Family Systems Informed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: An Integrative Technique for Treatment of Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorders. International Body Psychotherapy Journal The Art and Science of Somatic Praxis. Volume 19, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2020/2021, pp. 112-122

Poli, A., Gemignani, A., & Miccoli, M. (2022). Randomized Trial on the Effects of a Group EMDR Intervention on Narrative Complexity and Specificity of Autobiographical Memories: A Path Analytic and Supervised Machine-Learning Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(13), 7684. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137684

Richardson, M. (2025) Phase 2.5 Discovery: Working with Blended Protectors. In Polidi, D. (Ed.), IFS-Informed EMDR: Creative and Collaborative Approaches (1st ed.), (pp.. 78-92). Routledge.

Schwartz, R. C. (2021). No bad parts: Healing trauma and restoring wholeness with the Internal Family Systems model.Sounds True.

Schwartz, R.C. & Sweezy, M. (2021). Internal Family Systems Therapy (2nd ed.). New York NY: Guilford Press.

Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Basic principles, protocols and procedures (3rd ed.) New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Tsai, C. S., & Chang, H. J. (2024). EMDR efficacy for depression: A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(18), 5633.

Twombly, J. H., & Schwartz, R. C. (2008). The integration of internal family systems model and EMDR. In C. Forgash & M. Copeley (Eds.), Healing the heart of trauma and dissociation with EMDR and ego state therapy (pp. 295–311). New York, NY: Springer publishing.