Expressive Arts Therapy, EMDR, and Sensory Integration: Resourcing, Orienting, and Grounding, Foundations of BMDR™
Includes 15 CEs of NBCC-Approved Continuing Education/Professional Development
15 NBCC-Approved Continuing Education/ Professional Development INCLUDED!
A Foundation for the Bilateral Movement Certificate Program
Join Cathy Malchiodi, PhD, and Elizabeth Warson, PhD, for this five-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. Dr. Warson is a Level One and Level Two practitioner and is an Advanced EMDR Consultant. 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 of all sorts 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.
As with all of our courses, we try to provide best practices that are:
If you wish to join us again, you can join the course for a discount of $100 off!
If you took this course in the past, email us to request a coupon offer for this special discount. Because we are always updating our trainings, you will also be receiving a good deal of new information in this course! Please join us, we love to see our returning participants from all over the planet.
This training provides a focus on Expressive Arts Therapy strategies and three concepts that are foundational to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)-- 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. These include:
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.
We will also explore the body's sense of trauma as well as capacity, facilitating and working with embodied cognition. 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 Thursdays from 12 noon to 3 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:
September 11
September 18
September 25
October 2
October 9
This webinar series provides 15 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]. The ATCB recognizes a variety of CEC 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 CECs must be earned in the area of ethics each cycle. If you are licensed as an art therapist in your state, please check with your state board to verify what types of CEC 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.
Syllabus, Goals and Objectives of this Course
Walkthrough this Live Webinar Site and Its Features
▶️ ZOOM LIVE format: notes and tips!
Special Note About Art Materials and Expressive Arts Assignments!
Disclaimer
Optional: Introduce Yourself Here!
What is EMDR? From EMDRIA.org
Introduction to EMDR from EMDR International
Francine Shapiro: Where EMDR Started
Current EMDR Neurobiological Theories : Looking at the Evidence
Bilateral Stimulation, Expressive Arts, and Trauma: An Introduction!
Working Bilaterally | An Overview of Bilateral Drawing
The Intersection of Play Therapy and EMDR from EMDRIA.org
Bilateral Art Making with Dr. Elizabeth Warson; discussant Dr. Cathy Malchiodi
Bilateral Stimulation Chart from Cathy Malchiodi PhD
What is Centering? What is Grounding?
Grounding and Anchoring -- From Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy
The Role of the Felt Sense in Sensory Processing and Sensory Integration
Definition of Terms: Bilateral Stimulation, Resourcing and Tapping and More
Creative Approaches to BLS and/or DAS
Self-Administered BLS | Butterfly Hug
Butterfly Hug with Children
The MSSS Model Graphic
The Circle of Capacity
Trauma and the Circle of Capacity | Psychology Today
Resensitizing the Body Through Expressive Arts
Bilateral Movement and Artmaking: Hemispheric Integration
Butterfly Hug Research
Butterfly Exercise for Children
Embodied Butterfly Script
Centering | Interoception | Exteroception (experiential)
Grounding | Proprioception
Getting Past Your Past (book review)
Need help getting through course? Troubleshooting the platform progress!
Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
Download for Session Two
What is the EMDR Safe/Calm Place? Here is One Definition
What is Safe? Special Considerations in Working with Complex Trauma
Original EMDR Safe/Calm Place with Children & Adolescents
Safe Place Adaptations
Securing a Space Film Presentation
Nature-Based Safe Place
Art Therapy Safe Place Feasibility Study
Art Therapy Safe Place (example)
Processing of Sensory Information: Implications for PTSD
Dissociative Experiences Scale - II
Outline of 8-Steps | Calm/Safe/Peaceful | Space/Place
Portable Calm/Safe Space/Place
Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
Downloadable Body Outlines: Some Alternatives
Maps of Subjective Feelings-- What We Should Know About Body Scans
The MSSS Model of Expressive Arts as Healing Practices -- A Continuum of Grounding, Orienting, and Resourcing Practices
Quick Body Scan
Body Scan
Bridge Breathing (follow-up to quick body scan)
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Original Container Script
Let It Go Bowl
EMDR and Mindfulness
Body Outline and Visual Analogue Scale
Focused Awareness Body Scan
Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
State-Change Skills
Resource-Focused: Art Therapy and EMDR
EMDR with Traumatized Children
Felted Grounding Stone
Original 4 Elements Protocol
Adapted 4 Elements & 5 Senses
EMDR Music Therapy
Light Stream (example)
Article on Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia Article for Your Files
How does EMDR work?
Arts-Informed EMDR
Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
Positive Resourcing
Bilateral Stimulation and Positive Cognitions
Attachment and Cognitions
Orienting Reflex
Slow Wave Sleep Hypothesis
Eye Movement
How to Body Scan (Brother Phap Linh)
Psychological Safety | Neuroception
EMDR & Art Therapy Study
Brother Phap Linh, Sensory Cortex, and Body Scans
Brother Phap Linh and the Source of Joy in One Toe
Sensory Cortex Illustration Download
Pendulation and Titration
Please POST to Discussion + UPLOAD* your Assignment-- *Required!
Here are some frequently asked questions.
Time: The live webinars are held on Thursdays from 12 noon to 3:00 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.
Refund Policy. 50% refund before August 29, 2025; no cash refunds after August 30, 2025. However, you can always choose to retain your entire registration fee as a credit to apply to any in-person, live webinar series, or home study courses at our Institute. And of course if we have to cancel this event for unforeseen reasons, you will receive a complete refund of your registration fee.
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.