Syzygy Institute
IFS-Informed EMDR Experiential Training and Certification
“Healing is a natural, organic, process which emerges under specific conditions. The confluence of EMDR and IFS, honed by knowledge of the memory reconsolidation sequence, as illuminated by Coherence Therapy, can foster those conditions.”
-Bruce Hersey
*Syzygy is when three or more bodies in a gravitational system align in a straight line. The gravitational system is natural healing and the bodies in alignment are... EMDR, IFS & CT.
Mission Statement
Syzygy Institute is the result of the overwhelming popularity and positive responses to Bruce Hersey’s IFS-Informed EMDR courses and consultation offerings. Many EMDR practitioners have improved the safety and effectiveness of their EMDR work with their clients by utilizing these teachings.
The teachings themselves continue to develop and evolve to new levels of integration and complexity. Bruce Ecker’s Coherence Therapy, and its clinical application of neuroscience from memory reconsolidation research has contributed additional insight to these methods, which begin with the application of Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) framework within the Standard Protocol of Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) from Francine Shapiro.
The Institute recognizes a need to promote and maintain high standards of training and treatment in the name of “IFS-Informed EMDR” for the ultimate benefit of the clients who are consumers of psychotherapy services and entitled to informed consent as to the treatment they will be receiving.
Syzygy Institute aspires to develop and maintain a program of training and continuing education in this advanced integrated methodology and train qualified trainers to lead these trainings. Additionally, the Institute aims to offer certification and recertification standards to support recognition and quality assurance as to the title of “IFS-Informed EMDR Practitioner.”
The Institute holds the position that the optimally safe and effective integration of any number of psychotherapy approaches requires that the practitioner is adequately trained in all of the component approaches separately. Therefore, the institute will promote and support basic training and certification processes in both IFS and EMDR, and encourage training in Coherence Therapy.
IFS-Informed EMDR 2022 Workshop Calendar
January 27 & 28 IFS-Informed EMDR 2 day
February 24 & 25 IFS-Informed EMDR 2 day
March 24 & 25 Discovery & Beyond 2 day
May 19 & 20 IFS-Informed EMDR 2 day
September 8 & 9 IFS-Informed EMDR 2 day
One of the following set of dates will be Discovery & Beyond 2 day
(once we determine the EMDRIA and IFS Conference dates):
October 6 & 7
November 3 & 4
December 1 & 2
Our Team
Our cadre of talented consultants and trainers-in-training are:
Elizabeth Venart, LPC
Nancy Simons, LPC
Beau Laviolette, LCSW
Crystal Whitlow, LCSW
Erik Anderson. LCSW
Sam Johnson, LPC
Additional Consultants and Guides:
Mary Green, LPC
Robin McMahon, MA
Lara Seymour, LCSW
Nicole Valles, LPC
Tom Wadleigh, LPC
Sarah Temel, LPC
Lara Farrokh, LCSW
IFS-Informed EMDR (Proposed) Trainer & Certification Requirements
IFS-Informed EMDR Certified Practitioner - Basic (IIE-BCP)
1. EMDRIA certified
2. Completed 2-day IFS Experiential Intro (or an approved equivalent)
3. Completed IFS-Informed EMDR 2-Day & Discovery & Beyond 2-Day
4. Completed 20 hours of IFS-Informed EMDR Consultation post- EMDRIA certification, with an IIE-AC (10 may be group)
IFS-Informed EMDR Certified Practitioner - Master (IIE-MCP)
1. EMDRIA certified
2. IFS-Institute Certified Practitioner
3. Completed IFS-Informed EMDR 2-Day & Discovery & Beyond 2-Day
4. Completed 20 hours of IFS-Informed EMDR Consultation post- EMDRIA certification, with an IIE-AC (10 may be group)
5. Has been an IFS-Informed EMDR 2-Day or Discovery & Beyond Guide twice or more
IFS-Informed EMDR Approved Consultant (IIE-AC)
1. Has met requirements for IIE-CP
2. EMDRIA Approved Consultant
3. Completed IFS Level One
4. Has been an IFS-Informed EMDR 2-Day or Discovery & Beyond Guide twice or more
IFS-Informed EMDR Trainer Assistant (IIE-TA)
1. Has met requirements for IIE-AC
2. Completed Coherence Therapy Intermediate course or 12 hours of training from Coherence Therapy Institute
IFS-Informed EMDR Trainer co-Lead (IIE-TcL )
1. Has met requirements for IIE-AT
2. Has been an IIE-TA for EMDR 2-Day once
IFS-Informed EMDR Lead Trainer (IIE-LT)
1. Has met requirements for IIE-AT
2. Has been an IIE-AT/cLT for EMDR 2-Day twice
3. Has been an IIE-AT/cLT for Discovery & Beyond 2-Day once
4. IFS Certified