The Touchstone Institute

02/26/2026

As EMDR practitioners, we start with the protocols, but individualized healing begins when we know the rules well enough to adapt them for each client.

Our upcoming workshop with Leslie Pertz is designed for EMDR therapists ready to bridge that gap. Move from rigid application to creative adaptation - with fidelity. Learn to confidently customize EMDR protocols for complex trauma, cultural needs, and unique client presentations.

📖 What's the protocol for...?: Developing creative adaptations to EMDR standard protocol
🗓️ March 5-6
🔗 Ready to transform your clinical flexibility and confidence? Register today at https://bit.ly/Protocol-Live

02/24/2026

Why use a one-size-fits-all approach when every client is unique? Just like we adjust car seats, wear glasses, or use apps to meet our daily needs, EMDR therapy can - and should - be tailored to fit each individual.

Effective therapy isn’t about rigidly following a script, it’s about creatively adapting evidence-based protocols to honor the diverse needs of every client. Whether you’re working with complex trauma, cultural considerations, or unique clinical presentations, customization is key to meaningful, sustainable healing.

Ready to move beyond standard protocol and expand your clinical toolkit? Join Leslie Pertz for her upcoming training to learn practical, innovative strategies to confidently adapt EMDR therapy - because the best tools are the ones you can adjust.

📖 What's the protocol for...?: Developing creative adaptations to EMDR standard protocol
🗓️ March 5-6
🔗 Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/Protocol-Live

02/23/2026

This month's trainings share a commitment to enhancing therapeutic effectiveness through creative problem-solving and deep self-awareness. Whether you’re refining your EMDR skills or deepening your approach to perinatal therapy, these workshops are designed to help you grow as a therapist and better serve your clients.

🗓️ March 5-6: What's the protocol for? Developing creative adaptations to EMDR standard protocol
🗓️ March 16: The Perinatal Therapist & Wounded Healer

Enroll today at https://www.touchstoneinstitute.org/training

02/20/2026

Whether you provide physical, mental, or emotional care professionally or for those closest to you, caregiving can be heavy work.

This National Caregivers Day, don't forget to take care of yourself as well. 🫶

02/19/2026

🪷 Embrace the balance between supporting others (your family, clients, colleagues...) and taking care of yourself. 🪷

02/18/2026

As clinicians, we know that the human experience is anything but uniform.

Clients bring with them a tapestry of histories, identities, and needs that demand a more nuanced approach. While the EMDR protocol provides a solid framework, it is our responsibility to adapt it - not to dilute its efficacy, but to deepen its relevance for the individuals we serve.

Our latest article explores inclusive EMDR adaptations for diverse clients and trauma-informed strategies to enhance your practice and empower all individuals.

Adapting EMDR Standard Protocols: Making Therapy Accessible for Diverse Client Needs

02/17/2026

Whether or not you identify as a couples therapist, relational systems are often present in session.

Gain the trauma-informed strategies needed for integrating EMDR into couples therapy with Patrick Monette in his workshop Recipe for Love.

You'll learn:
✅ How trauma shapes couple dynamics and relational conflict
✅ Strategies for incorporating EMDR into couples therapy
✅ Trauma-informed relationship conceptualization

If you're ready to transform overwhelmed couples sessions into confident, effective healing spaces, this course is for you.

📖 Recipe for Love: Integrating EMDR into Couples Therapy
🗓️ 10:00am - 5:30pm EST | February 19
🔗 Register by February 18 at https://bit.ly/Recipe-for-Love

02/16/2026

Couples typically walk into therapy overwhelmed, exhausted, distracted... But what if you could help them reconnect within the first few minutes of their session?

Starting a counseling session with resourcing techniques, like clench and release, can quickly help couples:
✅ Shed the day’s stress (kids, work, logistics)
✅ Shift out of adversarial roles
✅ Reconnect as partners, lovers, and friends

This is the foundation of trauma-informed couples therapy.

Ready to transform your sessions with practical EMDR integration?
📖 Recipe for Love: Integrating EMDR into Couples Therapy
🗓️ 10:00am - 5:30pm EST | February 19
🔗 Register today at https://bit.ly/Recipe-for-Love

What's your go-to resourcing tool with couples? 👇 Share in the comments below!

02/14/2026

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💝 This holiday is all about love and connection - but what about the deeper healing that happens within those relationships? Whether you’re working with couples or supporting individuals, trauma-informed therapy can be a powerful way to foster resilience, trust, and growth.

Want to learn how to support healthy relationship dynamics? Join Patrick Monette of Monette Counseling Services for his upcoming course:

📖 Recipe for Love: Integrating EMDR into Couples Therapy
🗓️ February 19
🔗 Enroll at https://bit.ly/Recipe-for-Love

02/13/2026

Struggling to adapt EMDR for diverse client populations? Learn how to adjust EMDR’s 8 phases for children, perinatal individuals, those with body differences and neurodivergences, and beyond.

Join Leslie Pertz as she breaks down the why and how of standard EMDR protocol, offering refreshers for seasoned therapists and insights for those new to EMDR. Gain essential skills for working with interpreters and the Triad of the Therapeutic Alliance - key components for fostering trust and inclusivity in therapy.

📖 What's the protocol for...?: Developing creative adaptations to EMDR standard protocol
🗓️ March 5-6
🔗 Enroll today to evolve your practice with person-first, evidence-based expertise at https://bit.ly/Protocol-Live

02/12/2026

Meet Emily Spencer!

Emily is a licensed counselor and owner of Lily of the Valley Wellness, specializing in maternal mental health, perinatal loss, and trauma. A NICU mom herself, her lived experience fuels her passion for supporting perinatal clients and mentoring professionals in the field.

Join Emily on March 16 for The Perinatal Therapist & Wounded Healer. If you’ve ever struggled with when to share your own story, felt emotionally activated by a client’s experience, or worried about the toll this work takes - this training is for you.

What you'll gain:
✅ A structured framework that takes the guesswork out of self-disclosure
✅ Guidance on recognizing and managing countertransference
✅ Tools for preventing burnout and compassion fatigue

Secure your spot – register today at https://bit.ly/healer-26-live

02/11/2026

Using EMDR with couples isn’t a yes-or-no decision, it’s a phase-by-phase process.

Recipe for Love: Integrating EMDR into Couples Therapy
10:00am - 5:30pm EST | February 19

Register today at https://bit.ly/Recipe-for-Love

Monette Counseling Services