Dr. Pria Alpern

02/19/2026

If you’ve been following the news in trauma and neuroscience circles, you may have seen that Polyvagal Theory is under attack. A group of 39 researchers published a paper in 2026 calling the theory “untenable.” Wikipedia has been updated to reflect the criticism. Therapists who have built their clinical practice around this framework are understandably asking: should I still be using this?

02/18/2026

Stabilization is the phase of trauma treatment that determines whether processing will succeed.

When clients have the internal capacity to stay present with difficult material through grounding, resourcing, and affect regulation, trauma work can move forward safely and effectively.

I’ve put together a free toolkit with the resourcing and stabilization scripts I use in practice. It’s designed for trauma therapists working with clients who need to build that capacity before moving into deeper work.

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02/17/2026

The thing no one tells you about becoming a trauma therapist:

You’ll have moments where you feel completely alone with hard cases.

You’ll second-guess yourself when a session doesn’t go as planned.

You’ll wish you had colleagues who actually understand the weight of this work.

That’s why I built the MCTS Membership.

Monthly EMDR consultation where you can bring real cases and get unstuck (counts toward EMDRIA certification). Study groups on complex trauma and dissociation. On-demand CE-approved trainings. A private community where you can ask the questions you can’t ask anywhere else. Marketing support. Therapist directory for referrals. 15% off all trainings.

$59/month. First month free this week only.

You don’t have to do this work alone.

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02/16/2026

Spots are filling up for my online July/September EMDR basic training cohort! More info below:

Enhance your therapy skills with our 50-hour EMDR Basic Training. This course includes 20 hours of lecture on trauma neurobiology, EMDR methodology, and treatment phases, 20 hours of supervised practicum, and 10 hours of case consultation. Ideal for mental health professionals seeking evidence-based...

02/16/2026

In that moment, a part of me died.

If you work with trauma long enough, you hear this sentence constantly. Clients don’t say it lightly. They’re trying to describe something that feels existential and irreversible.

02/13/2026

Hey EMDR therapists! If you’ve been looking for a community that truly gets the work we do, I wanted to share something with you.
We’ve built a membership program at the Manhattan Center for Trauma Studies specifically for trauma therapists who want to keep growing, learning, and connecting with colleagues who understand this work.

Membership includes:
✨ Access to curated on-demand trainings with CE credits include
✨ Live study groups and group consultation
✨ A private community app with connection and support
✨ Resource library with didactic videos and clinical tools
✨ 15% off all our CE courses (including EMDR Basic Training)
✨ Marketing & entrepreneurship support tailored for therapists
✨ Listing in our public therapist directory

Everything is accessible right from your phone through our member app. Would love to see you in the community! 💙

Check it out here:

The Manhattan Center for Trauma Studies offers a membership program for trauma therapists seeking clinical growth, peer connection, and ongoing learning. Members access to live consultation calls, curated trauma treatment resources, reading groups, and community support.

02/11/2026

EMDR has eight phases for a reason. Each one serves a specific clinical function, and skipping or rushing any phase changes how the work unfolds in the room.

If you want structured, step-by-step training in all eight phases, I have two EMDR Basic Training cohorts coming up soon.

• In-person training begins in April
• Virtual training begins in July

Both formats include live instruction, guided practicum, and consultation so you leave knowing how to apply EMDR with real trauma presentations.

🔗 in bio to learn more and save your spot.

02/11/2026

“As soon as the Epstein files dropped, millions of people did the same thing: they opened the PDFs and read the depositions. They scrolled through testimonies describing sexual abuse in graphic, legal detail.

And then something disturbing happened. People reported feeling dirty. Not metaphorically troubled or emotionally heavy but actually contaminated. Like they needed to shower. Like something had gotten inside them that wouldn’t wash out.”

02/09/2026

✨EMDR Basic Training (virtual, July ‘26 & Sept ‘26)✨ This training includes 50 hours combining lecture, practicum, and consultation to build competence in the eight phases of EMDR therapy (ASWB ACE + NY State approved for 40 Contact Hours). Payment plan available. 🎉 Early career and nonprofit therapists are eligible for 15% off tuition✨More details via the link here:

Enhance your therapy skills with our 50-hour EMDR Basic Training. This course includes 20 hours of lecture on trauma neurobiology, EMDR methodology, and treatment phases, 20 hours of supervised practicum, and 10 hours of case consultation. Ideal for mental health professionals seeking evidence-based...

02/08/2026

Resource Development and Installation (RDI) sits in the “preparation” corner of EMDR, where trauma work focuses on stabilization and practicing internal state change.

(Paid subscriber bonus: Resource Development and Installation script download for therapists)

02/03/2026

Interrupting your scrolling with this 💕

02/03/2026

The moment that humor no longer provides distance from threat is the moment that it stops being funny