CompassionWorks

CompassionWorks CompassionWorks was founded in 1998 by Jordan Shafer, MS, LPC. Through EMDR we can let your brain change the way emotional information is linked.

CompassionWorks offers EMDR & Mindfulness Distance Counseling to individuals, EMDR training & Continuing Education courses to mental health professionals. EMDR is a type of therapy that helps people move past difficulties, so they can be more present and enjoy their daily lives. Similar to other psychotherapies, we talk about what is happening in your life and explore practical solutions. However, we take it another step further by leveraging EMDR processing to work directly with your ‘limbic’ brain. This process allows neural networks, old and new, to link-up allowing the mind to become more open in its ability to find creative solutions. As a result, anxiety will lessen and life can begin to ‘feel’ more manageable; even better. We offer EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) approved EMDR Basic Training to Mental Health Professionals such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, professional counselors and graduate students in the field of mental health (completing their internships). Partnering with the Advanced Education Institute, we teach the EMDR training program developed by DaLene Forester, PhD, LMFT. For EMDR trained therapists and mental health professionals, we also offer an EMDR Boot Camp. This is for professionals who have completed the basic training (previously EMDR L1 & L2) from an EMDRIA approved training or the EMDR Institute. This two day EMDR skills refresher course is specifically designed for professionals that have not had the opportunity to practice EMDR. This is the perfect course for professionals that would like hands on practice to their build technical competence. Continuing Education credits for EMDR trained professionals are also available. For more information, visit us at www.CompassionWorks.com or call (972) 342 - 2448.

Not every training leaves a mark.✔️ Some just check a box.💫 Others change how you show up in the room.This is why we sha...
01/23/2026

Not every training leaves a mark.

✔️ Some just check a box.
💫 Others change how you show up in the room.

This is why we share Real Voices. Real Impact.

Reflections from clinicians who found not just information—but a learning environment where curiosity was welcomed, questions were met with care, and clinical depth was paired with genuine presence.

Because the way we learn matters.
And so does how safe we feel while learning.

💬 What makes a training truly impactful for you?

Most conversations about Dry January miss the point.For many people, it’s not about quitting, discipline, or “doing bett...
01/21/2026

Most conversations about Dry January miss the point.

For many people, it’s not about quitting, discipline, or “doing better.”
It’s about what becomes noticeable when alcohol isn’t numbing stress anymore.

🔸Sleep shifts.
🔸Emotions surface.
🔸The nervous system responds.

This reflection looks at alcohol, stress, and trauma through a gentle, non-judgmental lens—without labels, timelines, or pressure to change anything permanently.

🔹Not a challenge.
🔹Not a test.
🔹Just information.

Head to our blog to read the full article: Substances, Stress, and the Nervous System
https://compassionworks.com/substances-stress-and-the-nervous-system/

💬 If you’ve ever paused or reduced—even briefly—what did you notice first?

💙 Blue Monday isn’t real—but the way January can feel often is.The idea of a “most depressing day of the year” comes fro...
01/19/2026

💙 Blue Monday isn’t real—but the way January can feel often is.

The idea of a “most depressing day of the year” comes from marketing, not psychology.

Still, this time of year can bring real strain:
🔁 post-holiday transitions
💸 financial pressure
🕰️ disrupted routines
📈 the quiet push to “get it together” fast

There’s no emotional standard you’re meant to meet right now.
No timeline. No comparison.
Just space to notice what’s actually happening—and respond with a little care. 🤍

💬 What’s been most supportive for you lately, even in a small way?

01/19/2026

One of Amber's FAVORITE trainings is coming to Houston in October 2026!
If there was a third weekend of EMDR training, in Amber's opinion this would be it. These protocols have OVER 100 Peer Reviewed publications evidencing their use for on-going trauma and recent event situations.
Information about the training: https://scalingupemdr.com/gap-training/
Registration Link for Houston: https://fs27.formsite.com/kellysmythdent/bngepcvvla/index
Coupon Code (20% discount until Jan 31st): YES25

Not everyone chooses sobriety because something is “wrong.”Sometimes it’s quieter than that.✨ Better sleep.✨ Steadier em...
01/16/2026

Not everyone chooses sobriety because something is “wrong.”

Sometimes it’s quieter than that.
✨ Better sleep.
✨ Steadier emotions.
✨ Clearer thinking.
✨ Feeling choice return.
✨ Listening to the body again.

No labels.
No lifetime promises.
No explanations required.

This carousel isn’t about dramatic before-and-after stories.
It’s about the subtle shifts people notice when alcohol steps out of the way—especially in January.

💬 Which one of these stood out to you the most right now?
Or is there a reason you’d add to the list?

January doesn’t need to be loud to be meaningful.Every year, this month arrives with urgency:reset everything, fix what ...
01/14/2026

January doesn’t need to be loud to be meaningful.

Every year, this month arrives with urgency:
reset everything, fix what didn’t work, move forward fast.

And when that pressure doesn’t translate into change, we tend to blame ourselves.

But neuroscience and trauma-informed research point to something else:
👉 pressure activates threat—not growth.

In our latest blog post, we explore why willpower collapses under stress, how self-compassion supports real momentum, and what it looks like to set intentions your nervous system can actually sustain.

This isn’t about lowering standards.
It’s about choosing a pace that allows change to last.

📖 Read: Why Pressure Doesn’t Work—and What to Try Instead This January
🔗 www.compassionworks.com/why-pressure-doesnt-work/

Keep scrolling if you’re not looking to grow your EMDR skills in 2026.👇Still here? Then this one’s for you.From online E...
01/11/2026

Keep scrolling if you’re not looking to grow your EMDR skills in 2026.
👇
Still here? Then this one’s for you.

From online EMDR trainings to in-person and hybrid cohorts, plus live and on-demand workshops, we’ve got multiple ways to learn—without forcing your life to fit one rigid format.

Whether you’re just getting started or ready to deepen your practice, there’s a path here that meets you where you are.

💬 Tell us in the comments:
Do you prefer online, in-person, or hybrid learning—and why?

(And yes, you can say “it depends” 😉)

New years often come with an unspoken expectation: reset, plan, accelerate.But a nervous-system-informed start looks dif...
01/05/2026

New years often come with an unspoken expectation: reset, plan, accelerate.

But a nervous-system-informed start looks different.

Gentleness doesn’t mean disengaging — it means pacing.

A gentle start might include:
🔸️ beginning the day without urgency
🔸️ setting fewer, more intentional priorities
🔸️ noticing where tension lives in the body
🔸️ choosing regulation over productivity
🔸️ allowing direction to emerge gradually

Before setting goals or making plans, pause and check in.

What does a gentle start feel like in your body as this year begins?

✨ A new year begins.The past year shaped us—through learning, connection, challenges, and quiet moments of growth. We ca...
01/01/2026

✨ A new year begins.

The past year shaped us—through learning, connection, challenges, and quiet moments of growth. We carry those experiences with us, not as a summary, but as a foundation.

Now, we look ahead.
To new questions.
New trainings.
New ways of showing up—for our clients, our communities, and ourselves.

The work continues, and so does the becoming. Not rushed. Not perfected. Just intentional, present, and grounded in care.
Here’s to what’s ahead—and to walking into it together. 🥂

✨ Looking Back on a Year That Shaped Us ✨As 2025 comes to a close, we’re pausing—not to tally accomplishments, but to ho...
12/30/2025

✨ Looking Back on a Year That Shaped Us ✨

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re pausing—not to tally accomplishments, but to honor what truly mattered: connection, presence, and shared growth.

This year unfolded across classrooms, communities, and continents. It showed up in quiet leadership, global collaboration, new voices finding their way, and clinicians choosing depth over speed—again and again.

From global contributions and well-earned recognitions, to the launch of Founder’s Corner and the stories shared through Real Voices. Real Impact, 2025 reminded us that the heart of this work isn’t just what we teach—it’s how we show up for one another.

💭 Behind every training, every workshop, every number, there was a human being choosing to learn, to listen, and to stay present.

We captured it all in our 2025 Year-in-Review—a reflection on where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, and how this community continues to grow.

👉 Read the full reflection on the blog and join us in closing the year with gratitude and intention: www.compassionworks.com/2025-year-in-review/

💬 What did this year open for you—personally or professionally?

Training in action—Week 2 in Montrose 🌈✨There’s something that shifts as a training moves into its second week. The room...
12/28/2025

Training in action—Week 2 in Montrose 🌈✨

There’s something that shifts as a training moves into its second week. The room feels more settled. The questions get deeper. The learning becomes embodied.

This week in Montrose, we saw clinicians stepping more fully into the work—practicing, reflecting, supporting one another, and building the kind of trust that makes real growth possible. EMDR training isn’t just about learning a protocol; it’s about community, presence, and the courage to stay curious together.

We’re grateful for this group—for the openness they bring, the care they show each other, and the shared commitment to doing this work with integrity and compassion.

This is what Training in Action looks like.
And it’s why we do what we do.

💬 Tag a colleague you’d love to train alongside in a future cohort.

Real voices. Real impact. 💬✨Behind every EMDR training, there’s a moment when learning feels safe, questions are welcome...
12/26/2025

Real voices. Real impact. 💬✨

Behind every EMDR training, there’s a moment when learning feels safe, questions are welcomed, and curiosity replaces pressure. This reflection from a recent participant captures what we strive to create at CompassionWorks: spaces where clinicians feel supported, understood, and confident to grow.

Whether in person or online, our trainings are designed to make complex concepts feel accessible—and to remind you that you don’t have to know everything to begin. You just need a place where it’s okay to ask.

💙 Curious about upcoming trainings and workshops?
Explore what’s next at www.compassionworks.com

Address

1709 Savage Drive
Plano, TX
75023

Telephone

(972) 342-2448

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