Three Session Live Webinar Series Beginning on November 4, 2026 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm EST (New York Time). Join us live on our interactive sessions or watch the replays and complete assignments at your convenience. "You Do You."

12 NBCC-Approved Continuing Education/ Professional Development INCLUDED!

A Foundation for the Bilateral Movement Certificate Program 

Join Cathy Malchiodi, PhD (USA), and Linda McQuire (Ireland), for this  three-session live webinar series that brings together their collective experience with the practices of EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, Sensory Integration, and most importantly, Bilateral Movement. Dr. Malchiodi studied with the original "G.O.A.T.," (Greatest Of All Time)-- Francine Shapiro, originator of EMDR. Cathy also updated her EMDR practice in the 21st century to Level One and Level Two practitioner. Linda McQuire is an advanced EMDR practitioner, play therapist, and psychotherapist based in Ireland. Between them, they have multiple decades of experience with expressive arts therapy and traumatic stress, bilateral and sensory integration approaches, and body-mind strategies, including work with children, adolescents, adults, families, and communities. 

This course is foundational to learning the foundations of BMDR™-- Bilateral Movement Desensitization and Resensitization. The goal is to help practitioners understand and incorporate what our bodies can experience to counteract activation and withdrawal. Let's enhance the capacity of all individuals to inhabit body, mind, and spirit with joy, compassion, confidence, enlivenment, playfulness, resilience, and curiosity.

Because we are learning that the "creative flow" state mediates traumatic stress, the latest information on expressive arts therapy practices that support this are emphasized. Including bilateral work in therapy means not just "keeping the score," but also "changing the score." The flow state is key to restoration, recuperative and revitalizing experiences that change and replace the body's/mind's patterns of distress.

As with all of our courses, we try to provide best practices that are:

  • Evidence-informed or evidence-based;
  • Include lived experiences and incorporate intersectionality;
  • Consider neurodiversity and neurodivergence;
  • Centralize "capacity" over expanding "tolerance," and resensitization of body, mind, and spirit to restorative experiences.


Cathy Malchiodi PhD, Trauma and Expressive Arts and EMDR

This training provides a focus on Expressive Arts Therapy strategies and three concepts: grounding, orienting, and resourcing. These concepts are presented through the principles of BMDR;  somatosensory and sensory integration approaches; through bilateral stimulation and sensorimotor expressive arts therapy; and through  the Circle of Capacity Model, emphasizing building and expanding mastery, self-efficacy, and resilience in contrast to a "window of tolerance." The MSSS Model-- Movement, Sound Storytelling, and Silence (Self-Regulation) and an expanded Expressive Therapies Continuum framework also serve as a basis for practicing hands-on interventions and strategies. 

This course provides expressive and somatosensory concepts that support Phase 2 of EMDR, but are skills that any therapist, facilitator, or coach should be applying to work with individuals of all ages. No previous EMDR experience is necessary to apply these important principles:

Grounding-- a form of self-soothing that reorients us to the present moment.

Resourcing-- an experience that involves identifying and accessing internal strengths, resources, and positive memories.

Orienting-- the attentional adjustment to unexpected stimuli.

The emphasis is on resilience and supporting wellness in body and mind through expressive methods and using the Circle of Capacity model to support enlivenment, self-efficacy, mastery, joy, curiosity, and empowerment.

No prerequisite required! This is NOT an EMDR training course; in order to learn EMDR you are required to take coursework with an approved EMDRIA instructor. This course applies knowledge derived from EMDR research, combined with trauma-informed sensory integration approaches-- interoception, exteroception, proprioception, vestibular function, and gravitational security. And of course, the integrative practices found in Expressive Arts Therapy! 

Meeting on Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Eastern Standard Time/New York Time. A replay of each session is up on the course site 24-48 hours after each webinar session. Live Webinar Meetings on:

November 4 

November 11

November 18

This webinar series provides 12 hours of continuing education/professional development; upon completion participants receive a Certificate of Completion. You can join live and participate in our interactive format. Or watch the replays shortly after the live meetings, complete assignments, and participate in the discussions on the course site. 

This course is a "drip format"-- the contents are available each week and we constantly add new resources in the form of films, downloadable documents and protocols, links to articles, and more. Each section has a module where you can share your impressions and images, connect with other participants, and network with colleagues around the world.

Continuing Education Information

Counselors/National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6557. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

Art Therapy Credentials Board [ATCB] AATCEP Provider No. 70876751. Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute has been approved by ATCB as an Approved Continuing Education Provider.

Learners should also know that the ATCB recognizes a variety of CE activities, including those in the areas of professional and mental health counseling. These activities are clearly outlined in their recertification standards provided to all ATR-BCs in their recertification year and on their website. A minimum of six CEs must be earned in the area of ethics each cycle and a minimum of six CE in supervision each cycle. If you are licensed as an art therapist in your state, please check with your state board to verify what types of CE activities are acceptable for license renewal.


California Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers and Professional Counselors. As of July 1, 2015, the State of California /Board of Behavioral Sciences [BBS] amended its regulations for continuing education providers to include National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as a "board-recognized approval agency." If you are licensed as a marriage and family therapist, social worker, educational psychologist or professional clinical counselor in California, NBCC Approved Continuing Education Providers are recognized by the BBS to fulfill continuing education requirements. As of July 1, 2015, required CE hours can be accumulated through self-study and distance learning. 

International Expressive Arts Therapy Association [IEATA]. Many participants go on to apply for the REAT or REACE credential with IEATA and use our expressive arts therapy coursework to do so. Please check with IEATA to make sure you are meeting their current requirements for registration and let us know if you need additional information to help you qualify.

Psychotherapy and Counseling Fedration of Australia [PACFA]. Many of our Australian participants indicate that these hours are accepted by PACFA---Psychotherapy and Counseling Federation of Australia. Please check with PACFA to verify this and let us know if you require any additional information for this organization to qualify your professional development hours.

Canadian Counseling and Psychotherapy Association [CCPA]. Many of our Canadian participants indicate that these hours are accepted by CCPA for certain professional development requirements. Please check with CCPA to verify this and let us know if you require any additional information for this organization to qualify your professional development hours.

CPD hours [Professional Development] are currently in the application stage. We also welcome teachers to this course; please contact us for additional information.

Credentialing boards in Canada, Europe, and Australia accept our courses for professional development. Please check with them to verify that this course applies to your goals for credentialing or renewal of registration, certification, or licensing.




Institute Faculty

Institute Faculty Cathy Malchiodi PhD

Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, LPCC, LPAT, REAT is a research psychologist, a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, and a licensed mental health counselor and licensed professional art therapist. She is the executive director of the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute and is an investigator with the US Department of Education, integrating trauma-informed expressive arts into classrooms. She has also worked with the Department of Defense since 2008 to bring expressive arts therapy programming and psychotherapy to combat military and their families and Veterans with posttraumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. Dr. Malchiodi studied with Francine Shapiro and is qualified in EMDR Level I and Level II. Cathy has assisted more than 500 agencies, organizations, and institutions in developing trauma-informed programming including the United Nations, Department of Defense, Kennedy Center, Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins University. An international presenter and workshop leader, she given over 750 invited keynotes and workshops throughout the US, Canada, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. She has authored 21 books, including the bestselling Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy: Brain, Body, and Imagination in the Healing Process and Handbook of Expressive Arts Therapy. Her books have been translated in over 20 languages. A life-long learner, Dr. Malchiodi's latest research and practice includes sensory processing and neurodiversity affirming models of psychotherapy to address trauma through expressive approaches to intervention.

Institute Faculty

Institute Faculty Linda McGuire

Linda McGuire MIACP, EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner, Master of Arts, Dip Prof Couns, Dip Creative Sup, P. Grad Child Psych, P. Grad Dip Play Therapy, CBT and EMDR Child & Adolescent Specialist, Multi-Sensory Trauma Processing (MTP) certified trainer Linda has worked extensively with couples, young people and their families coordinating clinical services in these dedicated areas for over twenty-five years. Additionally, Linda has spent many years working with short-term clients offering solution focused brief therapy as part of employee assistance programmes. She has led university level degree programmes in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, addiction counselling and art psychotherapy throughout Ireland and is an experienced lecturer and course developer. Recognising the ever-growing need for researched based therapeutic approaches for complex client cases she travelled to the Beck Institute (USA) and completed several specialised trainings in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for her work with young people and adults. This was followed by her travelling to Pheonix, AZ where she completed an EMDR Child Specialist intensive 46-hour training with Ana Gomez. She is an accredited clinical supervisor for adult and child & adolescent psychotherapists and play therapists. Linda is a founding member of the Global Child EMDR Alliance, a service established in early 2020 in response to the Covid pandemic, she is the Chairperson of EMDR Leinster, Committee Member on the IACP Accreditation and CPD panels and IACP Course Assessor.

Register Early For Best Pricing

Here are some frequently asked questions.

  • Time: The live webinars are held on Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Eastern US Time Zone. You can attend and participate in the live session or you can participate by watching the replays of each session on the course site. Each session includes readings, links to resources, films, and other information. You will be required to submit a brief assignment for each session in order to receive your Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

  • Registration Online Only: Please use the registration link to complete your registration; you can complete it by using one of the payment options.

  • Continuing Education. Please read the Continuing Education section on this page.

  • Zoom Meeting Link: You will receive at least two emails before each session, to let you know about necessary supplies and the Zoom meeting link. The Zoom meeting link is also available on the course site and is the same link for each session.

  • Graduate Students. Because this is a continuing education offering, there are no student scholarships or reduced pricing. We recommend that you check with your university for availability of scholarships to participate in this course.