EMDR Therapy Training Testimonials
I truly had no expectations from this EMDR training. I am an anti-“woo-woo” kind of person. After learning about the biology/anatomy behind this therapy, I quickly realized EMDR is a “kill switch” to all those verbal things our clients get hung up on during processing issues/trauma problems. You cannot make progress when the defense mechanisms will not come down.
~ R.S.
Before I stared EMDR training I felt like I was at a loss as therapist, I was burnt out and asked myself why do I continue to do therapy and all of my clients are still stuck. Doing this training and getting the opportunity to see a different way to therapy has been life changing for not only myself but for my clients. … EVERY therapist should be trained in EMDR.
~ Macie G.
… I was skeptical of EMDR. However, I tried it with clients and was amazed at the process and client feedback. One client shared at the beginning it was as if a tornado was in the back of their head. When they cleared they shared that the tornado was gone. I plan to continue with EMDR and help my clients – one tornado at a time.
~ Ashley B.
Click the images to enlarge
Why our EMDR Therapy Training is so important
Silk Screening + Workshop Testimonials
“When I watched the video initially I saw no signs of abuse until you explained them. One thing I learned about myself was that I may unintentionally be an abuser because I noticed I do some of those things. I’m feeling inspired to bring this information to my husband & talk this over with him.”
– 2021 | The Center for Women and Families (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“I want to share this entire workshop with all of my friends and family.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“I learned a lot of things that I was not educated on and it also showed me that I made the right decision for me and my children leaving my abusive relationship”
– Participant, 2022 | Family & Children’s Place | Louisville, KY
“As a DV advocate, most of my clients say that it was the emotional abuse that hurts the worst, not physical/financial or sexual… it leaves the most scars and takes the longest to heal from. This film and workshop has brought more light to this and was an AMAZING experience. I appreciated it and needed it. Thank you.”
– Participant, 2022 | Clark County and Floyd County Bar Associations | Clark and Floyd Counties, IN
“This workshop was a good reminder about systemic oppression being trauma and a part of the intersectionality of many of our students’ trauma experiences.”
– Participant, 2022 | Brescia University | Owensboro, KY
“I am feeling inspired to continue to educate others, practice EMDR training more and find a therapist for myself.”
– Participant, 2022 | Brescia University | Owensboro, KY
“This was extremely informative and in depth. I appreciate how this film and workshop address aspects of psychological abuse that many people do not know about. Learning the specific tactics like stonewalling and emotional withholding was very informative. I also think it is very helpful that other contexts of abuse were included – many people do not consider abusive friendships or abusive parents or family members when talking about abuse/psychological abuse, and I think that was very helpful to share.”
– Participant, 2022 | Clark County and Floyd County Bar Associations | Clark and Floyd Counties, IN
“I learned that CBT isn’t a therapy that treats the particular parts of the brain where trauma is stored.”
– Participant, 2021 | GreenHouse17 (Staff) | Lexington, KY
“I learned that trauma is so much more complex than what is understood on the surface, but the healing (not just coping) is very possible.”
– Participant, 2021 | ChooseWell (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“I learned that my trauma is valid. I recognized that I have effects of trauma but I wasn’t beaten as a kid or anything like that so I thought my trauma wasn’t real or valid or that I was just extra sensitive.”
– Participant, 2021 | The Center for Women and Families (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“The best example of gaslighting! An awesome film that shows the subtleties of abuse and gaslighting, a MUST SEE!”
– Participant, 2021 | ChooseWell (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“A powerful short film that helps you understand emotional abuse in a way that books and presentations just can’t.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“What an incredible workshop and film! I find the nuances of the film to be clear after having been explained all the forms of abuse that are shown by (Healing TREE Founder) Marissa. These types of abuse are so common and fly under the radar that most people would have no idea that they are either doing these behaviors or are a victim or both. I highly recommend this workshop to everyone to better educate our country so we can stop the abuse that causes so many sociological issues. Thank you for this in depth education!”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY
“This was incredible. Thank you for doing this! I hope you all are able to keep doing these in the future, I think it is really important especially for college aged people to learn about emotional abuse and trauma as many first relationships develop at this age.”
– Participant, 2021 | Bellarmine University | Louisville, KY
“I am definitely a victim of emotional abuse in past relationships and my current relationship has touches of it on both sides. I will use what I learned to try and strengthen my current relationship and stop this pattern for myself.”
– Participant, 2021 | Bellarmine University | Louisville, KY
“I would like to talk to my therapist about this film during our session tomorrow. I’m concerned that I have been emotionally abusive towards my partner at times related to my personal upbringing and what I’ve thought as ‘normal’, can actually be quite harmful to my partner.”
– Participant, 2021 | Face It Movement & Partner Organizations (Staff) | Louisville, KY
Speaking Engagement Testimonials
“It’s amazing to me that the information’s value would show up so close to the presentation and be so immediately meaningful to my practice for it to be applied and shared so quickly.”
– Maureen Nolan, LAPC, MA CC, NCC
Attendee of Medical Clinic Speaking Engagement, Healing from Trauma: Hope and Inspiration in Atlanta, GA – 10.26.16
“[Healing TREE Founder + CEO] Marissa’s presentation was impactful and informed. I am grateful for Marissa’s survivor-leadership, as well as for the inspiration and solidarity that this presentation offered for our Participants.”
– Alissa L. F. Tertichny, LMSW
Staff Attendee of a Women’s Residential Program Speaking Engagement, The Journey In and Out of Trauma in Atlanta, GA – 10.27.16
“[Healing TREE is] providing an important and much needed service by raising public understanding and awareness of the wide range of experiences that constitute trauma and safe, effective, mind-body approaches for healing.”
-Kalpana Murthy, LPC, EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist
Attendee of a Medical Clinic Speaking Engagement, Healing from Trauma: Hope and Inspiration in Atlanta, GA – 10.26.16
Approved Care Network Testimonials
“I honestly don’t think I would have made it through the first year of going on disability for Complex PTSD without the help, support and insight from Healing TREE. Thank you. I hope that those of you out there who want to make a difference in the lives of so many will help by supporting this incredible cause.”
“This organization saved my life. I cannot thank you enough.”
“You have made it possible for me to begin living again. I was so devastatingly traumatized that I attempted suicide. After Healing TREE set me up with proper counseling, they enabled me to go from completely bedridden, agoraphobic and suicidal to attending a large family party dressed up and enjoying it! It would never have been possible without your priceless help. I owe an eternal debt.”
“I wanted real help that I was not getting from 3 1/2 years of ongoing, regular visits to a Psychiatrist, a Neuropsychologist, 2 Neurologists, 2 Pain Management Drs, as well as 3 inpatient Mental Health Hospital stays during that time. Healing TREE gave me resources, facilities, books, Trauma Expert doctors’ names near where I live, they were an encyclopedia of trauma, and recovery from trauma, knowledge! Healing TREE gave me hope! Hope not to see suicide as my only way out of this nightmare of my mind and body torment. I now am convinced I will win this battle in my mind and body with their help and direction. That is priceless and life-saving in my case.”
Working with an EMDR-trained therapist has been a wonderful experience. The folks working to expand the Approved Care Network at Healing TREE spent a lot of time and energy finding a caring therapist who took my specific insurance and could work remotely, and I’m very grateful. I’ve accessed many difficult episodes from my life—things I had simply gotten used to not thinking about—and reprocessed them to reduce their effect on me. That’s helped me both understand and regulate anxieties and triggers in my daily life, and I feel more integrated and aware of—and positive about—myself than ever.”
Speaking Engagement Testimonials
“I think the most valuable thing I learned from this talk was to look at those who have mental illnesses in terms of what happened to them instead of what’s wrong with them. Marissa is an amazing speaker and she’s very knowledgeable and I think everyone should hear her speak.”
-Student who attended Red Flags of Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma college engagement
Type of Event: College Speaking Engagement
Audience: Open to entire campus community, co-sponsored by the Relationship Peer Educators (RPE) and the Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE) 23 questionnaires filled out
Topic:Red Flags of Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma
Speaker: Healing TREE Founder + CEO Marissa Ghavami
Time: 1 1/2 hours including Q&A; 30 minute pre-engagement with Peer Educators
Venue: College of the Holy Cross
Location and Date: Worcester, MA 3.14.2018
100% of attendees said they learned something new from the speaking engagement
“I think the most valuable thing I learned from this talk was to look at those who have mental illnesses in terms of what happened to them instead of what’s wrong with them. Marissa is an amazing speaker and she’s very knowledgeable and I think everyone should hear her speak.”
– Student Who Attended
Type of Event: Speaking Engagement at Staff Retreat
Audience: Staff at a domestic violence program and shelter; 14 questionnaires filled out, approximately 2 left blank/not turned in
Topic:Trauma Bonding Using Real Life Examples
Speaker: Healing TREE Founder + CEO Marissa Ghavami
Time: 2 1/2 hours including Q&A
Venue: Golden House Staff Retreat
Location and Date: Green Bay, WI 5.23.17
100% of professionals said they feel better prepared to recognize the signs of trauma bonding after attending the speaking engagement
“I feel like I want to share this training with everyone I know – this is so important.”
– Diane Sohr, Crisis Advocate, Attendee of Speaking Engagement at a Staff Retreat for a Domestic Violence Program and Shelter
Type of Event: Keynote Speaking Engagement
Audience: 2017 Changing Face of Adoption Conference
Topic:The Journey In and Out of Trauma
Speaker: Healing TREE Founder + CEO Marissa Ghavami
Time: 1 1/2 hours including Q&A
Venue: Kalahari Resort
Location and Date: Wisconsin Dells, WI 9.13.2017
“It was inspiring to hear Marissa’s story and an experience of how the right work can really help heal trauma and the brain. It would be interesting to see how Marissa’s work intersects with the WI Trauma Project.”– Conference Attendee
“Marissa was an excellent speaker and very inspirational.”
– Conference Attendee
Type of Event: Breakout Speaking Engagement
Audience: 2017 Changing Face of Adoption Conference
Topic:The Journey In and Out of Trauma
Time: 1 1/2 hours including Q&A
Venue: Kalahari Resort
Speaker: Healing TREE Founder + CEO Marissa Ghavami
Location and Date: Wisconsin Dells, WI 9.13.2017
With regards to what they learned, the most common response amongst attendees was “Trauma Bonding”.