CompassionWorks

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Plano, TX
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.

03/27/2026

Getting lost during Phase 4 of EMDR therapy? 🔦

One of the most frequent questions we receive in our EMDR clinical training sessions is: "How do I know when to return to the target memory, and when should I actually check the SUD (Subjective Units of Disturbance)?"

In this episode of EMDR Analogies, CompassionWorks Trainer Amber Quaranta-Leech shares her brilliant "Cave System" metaphor to make navigating Phase 4 processing crystal clear for trauma therapists:

🦇 The Target Memory (Mouth of the Cave): This is Phase 3, where you gather the clinical information needed to start processing.

🚶‍♀️ Bilateral Stimulation (Walking the Cave): You apply sets of BLS, asking the client, "What do you notice?"

🧱 Hitting the Wall: You know a specific associative channel is cleared when you get a positive, neutral, or blank response.

✊ Checking the Wall: Do two more sets of bilateral stimulation to ensure the client isn't just stuck. You need three non-negative responses in a row.

🔄 Returning to Target: Leave that specific cave, go back to the original incident, and ask what they notice now to see if another trauma pathway needs exploring.

Pro-Tip for EMDR Clinicians: You ONLY check the SUD when you are absolutely certain every single associative pathway has been explored and the response to the original target memory is purely positive or neutral.

Watch the full video to see Amber break down this essential clinical skill. Save this post as a quick reference guide for your next EMDR session!

03/25/2026

You finished your EMDR Basic Training. Now what?

Transitioning from standard talk therapy to the EMDR 8-phase protocol is a massive paradigm shift for any trauma therapist. It is entirely normal to look at your clinical caseload and feel hesitant about exactly how to start integrating EMDR therapy.

Here is what successful EMDR integration actually looks like in your first few months:

🛡️ Master EMDR Phase 2 Preparation: Treat client resourcing as an active, vital trauma intervention—not just a checklist before processing.

🎯 Start Simple: Practice the mechanics of the EMDR phases with single-incident traumas before tackling complex PTSD or dissociation.

🗣️ Lean on EMDR Case Consultation: Bring your "stuck" clinical moments to your consultation hours. Expert feedback is the bridge between EMDR theory and real-world practice.

Clinical confidence develops as you repeatedly witness the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model in action. Give yourself the grace to consult your EMDR manual and trust the framework.

Read our latest practical guide on the CompassionWorks blog to learn how newly trained therapists successfully navigate the early hurdles of starting EMDR therapy with clients.

🔗 Link below to read the full post.
https://compassionworks.com/after-the-training/

03/21/2026

What does it take to teach EMDR all day? ⬇️

It doesn’t start in front of a screen. It starts at 6 AM with dogs, espresso, and quiet time. 🐶☕✨

To manage a high-intensity, multi-monitor virtual training, I rely heavily on an analog morning. That means paper schedules, physical clocks, and zero rush before the cameras turn on.
The organized chaos is real right before we go live. But once that tech check is done, we are ready to work.

What’s your non-negotiable morning habit before a heavy workday? 👇

03/18/2026

💡The American Psychological Association just sparked a major debate about AI chatbots in therapy—and it brings up a tension we talk about constantly in our EMDR trainings.

AI is rapidly changing our field, offering amazing ways to cut down on admin work and clinician burnout. But it also forces us to ask a critical question: Where does the algorithm end and the human begin?

For those of us working with complex trauma, the answer is clear. When we teach and practice EMDR, we are working directly with the human nervous system.

Profound healing requires something a screen cannot simulate: true, human-to-human attunement. It requires physical presence, clinical intuition, and the shared safety of being in the room together.

Technology is a brilliant tool to support your practice, but it will never be a substitute for the therapeutic alliance.

To our CompassionWorks community: Where are you drawing the line between helpful technology and essential human presence in your practice? Drop your thoughts below—we want to hear your perspective! 👇

03/15/2026

Stop dismissing your clients' pop culture obsessions as "just hobbies." They are diagnostic goldmines. 🧠

When a client deeply resonates with characters who are forced to hide their core identities—like Ilya and Shane in Heated Rivalry—they aren't just telling you about a book or a show. They are handing you a roadmap to their own nervous system.

Swipe through to explore the clinical lens of masking:

🔸️The Survival Response: Hiding is a severe physiological burden, not just an emotional one.

🔸️ Chronic Arousal: Constant masking requires defensive hypervigilance, keeping the sympathetic nervous system locked in overdrive.

🔸️ Somatic Cost: The body holds the exhausting charge of never truly being safe.

As EMDR therapists, our job is to help process the complex trauma that stems from this chronic dysregulation.

📌 Save this post to reference during your next case conceptualization.

👇 Let’s discuss: How do you map your clients' favorite pop culture references to their clinical treatment plans? Tell us your approach in the comments.

03/09/2026

If 'Monday after Daylight Saving Time' was a recognized clinical diagnosis, we'd all meet the criteria today. 📉💤

Tag a fellow therapist who is surviving purely on vibes and espresso today. We see you! 👇

03/08/2026

Feeling a little "prickly" lately? Take a deep breath. It's just your nervous system thawing out.

If March were an animal, it would undoubtedly be a bear. 🐻

After months of wintering, we are collectively experiencing the shift from deep Dorsal Vagal rest 💤 to Sympathetic action energy ⚡.

This transition isn't always smooth. It can feel jarring or restless. But remember: awakening is a process, not an event.

This month is all about:
🔹Pacing the return of your energy
🔹Managing the physical sensations of activation
🔹Giving yourself (and your clients) the grace to wake up slowly.

👉 Swipe through for a gentle reminder on how to navigate the "March thaw".

📌 Save this post to share with a client or a friend who might need this exact validation today.

What does your nervous system feel like this week? Let us know in the comments. 👇💬

03/04/2026

Ready to expand your clinical toolkit this year, but need a format that actually fits your schedule? ⏱️

We know your time is valuable. That’s why we designed our 2026 EMDR Trainings with multiple formats and multiple dates—all leading to one path forward.

Swipe through to explore the option that works best for you:

💻 Live Online: Comprehensive training from the comfort of your office with Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts.
📍 In-Person: Deep-dive weekends in Houston and Ft. Worth.
🤝 Hybrid: The best of both worlds with locations across Texas and North Carolina.
🧠 Workshops: Live and On-Demand deep dives into Neurodivergence, Grief, Equine-Assisted Therapy, and more.

Your EMDR journey starts here. 🌱

📌 Save this post to reference later, share it with a colleague, and click the link in our bio/below to secure your spot today!

https://compassionworks.com/courses/

02/27/2026

Have you ever asked a client what they are noticing, and their answer is simply... "nothing"?

It’s one of the most intimidating moments in the therapy room. The void. The silence. No image, no words, no negative cognition.

Recently, CompassionWorks lead trainer Amber experienced this exact phenomenon—but from the client chair. What she realized in that moment completely shifted how she understands non-verbal trauma and EMDR feeling nothing.

"Nothing" isn’t always a blocked memory. Sometimes, it’s just a profound lack of words.

📖 If you’ve ever felt stuck when your client hits the void, you need to read Amber’s deeply vulnerable reflection.

👉 Hit the link below to read the full post: Feeling "Nothing" in EMDR: Reflections from My Practice.
https://compassionworks.com/emdr-feeling-nothing-practice-reflections/

02/26/2026

Can an algorithm co-regulate a nervous system? 🛑🧠

Let’s address the elephant in the therapy room: the persistent myth that AI is eventually going to replace human clinicians.

Yes, artificial intelligence is a highly efficient tool. It can write your progress notes, synthesize intake data, and streamline your private practice. But here is the hard line we must draw when working with trauma:
Algorithms calculate. Only humans attune.

In EMDR therapy, safety isn't digital—it is profoundly biological. Your intuition, your empathy, and your physical presence are the core mechanisms of healing.

Tech is simply the scaffold. YOU are the architect.

Let's have a real conversation about the future of our field.
👇 Where do you see possibility—and where do you feel caution? Tell us in the comments.

02/19/2026

Why does your brain keep taking the same destructive path? 🌪️

In this clip, Amber explains the science behind our mental habits using a simple analogy: rain and dirt pathways.

⛈️ When life’s "rainstorms" hit, our neural pathways tend to follow the old, maladaptive ruts we've used for years.

In EMDR therapy, we don't just look at the past. We use the "Future Template" to literally "build up the land"—creating new, adaptive pathways so you can handle future challenges with confidence and authenticity.

👇 What is one "mental path" you’re working on redirecting lately? Let’s discuss in the comments.

02/12/2026

🔴 Your neurons don’t know your trauma.
They don’t know your name.
They don’t know the story.

👉 They fire. They link. They hold charge.
That’s it.

So when something feels overwhelming, reactive, or intense…
what if it’s not “you” — but circuitry doing what circuitry does?

In this Founder’s Corner reflection, we explore:
🔹why EMDR can feel intense
🔹what “target nodes” really are
🔹and how neuroscience meets nondual wisdom

If neurons aren’t broken, maybe you aren’t either.

Read the full piece at: https://compassionworks.com/do-neurons-know-your-story/ (or link in bio)

💬 Does it feel different to think of trauma as neural patterning rather than identity?

Address

1709 Savage Drive
Plano, TX
75023

Telephone

(972) 342-2448

Website

https://compassionworks.com/

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