DAY 1: The Science Behind EMDR: AIP, Polyvagal Theory, & the 8 Phases EMDR Phases One & Two Why Phases 1 & 2 are Critical for EMDR Success Role of Case Conceptualization 7 P’s of Case Conceptualization Overview of the 7 P’s Framework Application of 7 P’s Clinical Tool Assessing Readiness for Reprocessing DAY 2: Welcome Back & Review Preparation Techniques Polyvagal-Informed Preparation & Resourcing Preparation Techniques Recognizing and Addressing Dissociation & Avoidance EMDR Treatment Planning Techniques The Role of Phases 1 & 2 in Treatment Planning Comprehensive Treatment Planning EMDR Treatment Planning cont. Symptom-Focused Treatment Planning Laying the Foundation for EMDR Success: Key Strategies for Conceptualization, Preparation, & Treatment Planning in Phase 1 & 2 Fractionated Treatment Planning Treatment Barriers Applying the 7 P’s & Preparation Hierarchy when Therapy is Not Progressing Troubleshooting Activity

Describe the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, Polyvagal Theory, and the eight phases of EMDR, with a focus on their relevance to Phases 1 and 2. Analyze the role of case conceptualization in EMDR treatment and apply the 7 P’s framework to assess a client’s trauma history, treatment needs, and readiness for reprocessing. Assess client readiness for EMDR reprocessing using the Polyvagal-Informed EMDR Preparation Hierarchy and the 7 P’s of Case Conceptualization to determine appropriate treatment pacing and interventions. Demonstrate Polyvagal-informed preparation techniques and integrate nervous system regulation strategies to enhance Phase 2 resourcing. Apply EMDR treatment planning techniques that align with client presentation, conceptualization, and readiness for reprocessing, incorporating comprehensive, fractionated, and symptom-focused approaches. Evaluate common challenges in early-phase EMDR, such as dissociation, avoidance, and autonomic dysregulation, and implement strategies to address these barriers effectively. Apply problem-solving techniques when treatment is not progressing, using case conceptualization to troubleshoot obstacles and adapt treatment strategies accordingly. Integrate the principles of case conceptualization, nervous system regulation, and treatment planning to enhance EMDR therapy outcomes in clinical practice.

The Art of EMDR Preparation: Case Conceptualization and Readiness

Q: Agenda

DAY 1: The Science Behind EMDR: AIP, Polyvagal Theory, &amp; the 8 Phases EMDR Phases One &amp; Two Why Phases 1 &amp; 2 are Critical for EMDR Success Role of Case Conceptualization 7 P’s of Case Conceptualization Overview of the 7 P’s Framework Application of 7 P’s Clinical Tool Assessing Readiness for Reprocessing DAY 2: Welcome Back &amp; Review Preparation Techniques Polyvagal-Informed Preparation &amp; Resourcing Preparation Techniques Recognizing and Addressing Dissociation &amp; Avoidance EMDR Treatment Planning Techniques The Role of Phases 1 &amp; 2 in Treatment Planning Comprehensive Treatment Planning EMDR Treatment Planning cont. Symptom-Focused Treatment Planning Laying the Foundation for EMDR Success: Key Strategies for Conceptualization, Preparation, &amp; Treatment Planning in Phase 1 &amp; 2 Fractionated Treatment Planning Treatment Barriers Applying the 7 P’s &amp; Preparation Hierarchy when Therapy is Not Progressing Troubleshooting Activity

Q: Continuing Education

8 CEs is available upon completion of all course material. Trauma Therapist Institute is an approved continuing education provider. ACE, NBCC and EMDRIA CEs are available for this course. This course is not approved for APA or EMDRIA CEs. Participants must complete the full training to receive credit. ACE Approved Provider Trauma Therapist Institute, #1869, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/16/25 - 1/16/28. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credits. NBCC Approved Provider Trauma Therapist Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7033. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Kase &amp; CO is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. EMDRIA Approved Provider Trauma Therapist Institute is an EMDRIA Approved Training Provider. TTI courses are individually approved. CE Certificate will contain course approval number.

Getting your clients ready for EMDR is an art, and a science. Without the right preparation, reprocessing can stall, or worse, retraumatize. The Art of EMDR: Preparation, Case Conceptualization, and Readiness gives you the skills to confidently assess readiness, tailor preparation strategies, and build a strong therapeutic foundation before reprocessing begins.

In this course, you’ll refine your ability to conceptualize cases, strengthen your clients’ emotional resources, and troubleshoot common challenges in early EMDR phases. Whether you’re working with complex trauma, dissociation, or clients who struggle with affect tolerance, you’ll walk away with practical tools to ensure they’re truly prepared.

Master the essential, but often overlooked, phases of EMDR so you can set your clients up for success. Join us and take your EMDR practice to the next level.

Shame-Free Space for Learning™

Because the best learning happens when you feel safe. Ask freely, show up fully, and learn in a relational, non-judgmental environment built for practitioners like you.

Expert Clinical Training

Expect real case examples, practical guidance, and a teaching style that makes even the hardest topics feel approachable.

Where Learning Meets Community

Join a community of learners with EMDRIA-approved training, CE hours, structured pathways, and lifetime access to support you every step of the way.

Phases 1 and 2 are where EMDR succeeds or stalls. When preparation is rushed or under-conceptualized, reprocessing can flood the client, loop endlessly, or grind to a halt. When it is done well, your client arrives at Phase 3 with the resources, regulation, and trust they need to actually move.

This on-demand training with Dr. Crystal Wildes gives you the structured frameworks, clinical tools, and decision-making skills to make Phases 1 and 2 the foundation your most complex cases deserve.

By the end of this training, you will learn how to:

Apply the 7 P's of Case Conceptualization to assess presenting concerns, trauma history, attachment patterns, and overall readiness for EMDR reprocessing.
Use the Polyvagal-Informed EMDR Preparation Hierarchy to match your preparation strategies to your client's nervous system state, instead of defaulting to a one-size-fits-all approach.
Track autonomic nervous system states in session and adjust pacing, language, and interventions based on whether your client is in ventral, sympathetic, or dorsal activation.
Build Phase 2 resourcing that actually holds, including Polyvagal-informed regulation strategies, somatic anchoring, and nervous system-attuned safe place and container work.
Recognize and address dissociation and avoidance early, before they derail reprocessing, with concrete language and interventions for the most common presentations.
Choose between comprehensive, symptom-focused, and fractionated treatment planning based on where your client actually is, rather than where you wish they were.
Troubleshoot stalled treatment by returning to the 7 P's and the Preparation Hierarchy to identify what was missed, what needs more work, and what to adjust before moving forward.
Apply structured clinical decision-making across Phase 1 history-taking, Phase 2 preparation, and treatment planning, so you stop guessing and start working from a clear, repeatable framework.

Describe the Adaptive Information Processing model, Polyvagal Theory, and the eight phases of EMDR, with a clear understanding of why Phases 1 and 2 are the foundation for everything that follows.
Conceptualize complex cases using the 7 P's framework, a structured clinical tool for assessing trauma history, treatment needs, attachment patterns, and overall readiness for EMDR.
Assess client readiness for reprocessing using the Polyvagal-Informed EMDR Preparation Hierarchy and the 7 P's to determine appropriate pacing, sequencing, and intervention selection.
Integrate Polyvagal-informed preparation techniques that build nervous system regulation, increase client engagement, and create the physiological capacity for trauma processing.
Apply EMDR treatment planning across multiple approaches, including comprehensive, symptom-focused, and fractionated planning, and select the right approach based on your client's presentation.
Evaluate and address common early-phase challenges, including dissociation, avoidance, autonomic dysregulation, and the kinds of stuck points that show up before reprocessing even begins.
Apply problem-solving strategies when treatment is not progressing, using case conceptualization to troubleshoot obstacles and adapt your approach with clarity.
Integrate case conceptualization, nervous system regulation, and treatment planning into a coherent clinical practice that supports better outcomes for your most complex clients.

7 P's of case conceptualization

Apply a structured framework to assess presenting concerns, trauma history, and treatment readiness.

Resourcing and stabilization toolkit

Build resourcing and stabilization techniques that strengthen affect tolerance before reprocessing.

Preparation Hierarchy in practice

Use the Polyvagal-Informed Preparation Hierarchy to make decisions based on nervous system regulation.

Q&A and chat

Submit questions and connect with peers through the on-demand course community.

Treatment planning options

Choose between comprehensive, fractionated, and symptom-focused treatment plans for each client.

Flexible access options

Watch live or access the replay for seven days. Learn on your schedule.

Expert clinical insight

Case-grounded teaching from a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant and Trainer.

Free community membership

Join TTI's free membership for conversations and resources. No cost, no catch.

You have completed EMDR Basic Training and want to deepen your skills in the phases that often get rushed.
You have had EMDR cases stall, loop, or flood, and you suspect the issue lives in conceptualization or preparation, not in the reprocessing itself.
You work with complex trauma, dissociation, or attachment wounds and need a more structured way to assess readiness before approaching targets.
You want a clinical framework you can apply consistently, instead of relying on intuition alone to decide whether a client is ready to reprocess.
You are looking for Polyvagal-informed strategies that go beyond psychoeducation and give you concrete tools for working with nervous system states in session.
You want CE credit while strengthening the foundational skills that determine whether your EMDR work succeeds or stalls.

Dr. Crystal Wildes is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, EMDR-certified clinician, and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant and Trainer with extensive experience in trauma treatment, clinician development, and EMDR training. She specializes in working with complex trauma and has a strong passion for training students and new clinicians, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to become effective trauma therapists.

Dr. Wildes currently works in private practice, where she provides trauma-focused therapy, consultation, and supervision. She has a 20-year history of working in community settings, serving underserved populations, and remains committed to increasing access to high-quality trauma care. Her background in both private and community-based practice allows her to offer a comprehensive perspective on trauma treatment, case conceptualization, and clinician training.

As a leader in the field of EMDR training and consultation, Dr. Wildes integrates Polyvagal Theory, advanced EMDR strategies, and structured case conceptualization models to help clinicians develop a nervous system-informed approach to treatment. She has worked extensively with dissociation, attachment wounds, and nervous system dysregulation, ensuring that both clients and clinicians have the tools necessary for successful trauma processing.

Agenda

DAY 1:

The Science Behind EMDR: AIP, Polyvagal Theory, & the 8
Phases
EMDR Phases One & Two
- Why Phases 1 & 2 are Critical for EMDR Success
- Role of Case Conceptualization
7 P’s of Case Conceptualization
- Overview of the 7 P’s Framework
- Application of 7 P’s Clinical Tool
Assessing Readiness for Reprocessing

DAY 2:

Welcome Back & Review
Preparation Techniques
- Polyvagal-Informed Preparation & Resourcing
Preparation Techniques
- Recognizing and Addressing Dissociation & Avoidance
EMDR Treatment Planning Techniques
- The Role of Phases 1 & 2 in Treatment Planning
- Comprehensive Treatment Planning
EMDR Treatment Planning cont.
- Symptom-Focused Treatment Planning
- Laying the Foundation for EMDR Success: Key Strategies for Conceptualization, Preparation, & Treatment Planning in Phase 1 & 2
- Fractionated Treatment Planning
Treatment Barriers
- Applying the 7 P’s & Preparation Hierarchy when Therapy is Not Progressing
- Troubleshooting Activity

Learning Objectives

Describe the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, Polyvagal Theory, and the eight phases of EMDR, with a focus on their relevance to Phases 1 and 2.
Analyze the role of case conceptualization in EMDR treatment and apply the 7 P’s framework to assess a client’s trauma history, treatment needs, and readiness for reprocessing.
Assess client readiness for EMDR reprocessing using the Polyvagal-Informed EMDR Preparation Hierarchy and the 7 P’s of Case Conceptualization to determine appropriate treatment pacing and interventions.
Demonstrate Polyvagal-informed preparation techniques and integrate nervous system regulation strategies to enhance Phase 2 resourcing.
Apply EMDR treatment planning techniques that align with client presentation, conceptualization, and readiness for reprocessing, incorporating comprehensive, fractionated, and symptom-focused approaches.
Evaluate common challenges in early-phase EMDR, such as dissociation, avoidance, and autonomic dysregulation, and implement strategies to address these barriers effectively.
Apply problem-solving techniques when treatment is not progressing, using case conceptualization to troubleshoot obstacles and adapt treatment strategies accordingly.
Integrate the principles of case conceptualization, nervous system regulation, and treatment planning to enhance EMDR therapy outcomes in clinical practice.

Prerequisites

EMDR Basic Training

Continuing Education

8 CEs is available upon completion of all course material.

Trauma Therapist Institute is an approved continuing education provider. ACE, NBCC and EMDRIA CEs are available for this course. This course is not approved for APA or EMDRIA CEs.

Participants must complete the full training to receive credit.

ACE Approved Provider

Trauma Therapist Institute, #1869, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/16/25 - 1/16/28. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credits.

NBCC Approved Provider

Trauma Therapist Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7033. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Kase & CO is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

EMDRIA Approved Provider

Trauma Therapist Institute is an EMDRIA Approved Training Provider. TTI courses are individually approved. CE Certificate will contain course approval number.

Course Completion

To receive a CE certificate, participants must complete the entire course, complete the post-test with a score of 80% or above, and complete the course evaluation. You may retake the post-test as needed. Once completed, a CE certificate will auto-populate to your online account.

Cancellation Policy

Please reference our cancellation policy here (bottom section of this page).

Trauma Training

The Art of EMDR Preparation

Case Conceptualization and Readiness

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