How can EMDR and IFS benefit queer communities?
The Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach to therapy and healing recognizes not just multiplicity of experience, but the ways that parts of us develop in response to the dominant culture. It is a model that offers great potential for healing with people whose experiences do not align with dominant culture expectations or who experience systemic marginalization. EMDR therapy is recognized as an effective treatment for trauma. Together, these modalities can be used to offer more comprehensive treatment for trauma and painful life experiences.
In this 90-minute Zoom workshop, Sand Chang, PhD (they/them), horizon greene, LCSW (she/her) and Lisa Gallegos, LCSW (she/her) will provide information on how to integrate IFS and EMDR in a queer- and trans-affirming way. We will discuss key tenets in integrating these techniques in a way that is affirming to people of all genders and sexualities. Each presenter will share examples of applying integrative IFS and EMDR with the communities they serve. The training will contain both didactic and experiential portions.
This workshop is for anyone who is interested in IFS and EMDR and its applications to the realm of work. While attendees do not need to be trained in IFS or EMDR, those with training in at least one of these approaches will likely benefit more from the content. In this brief workshop we will not have time to offer basic skills training on IFS or EMDR. For a brief overview of IFS, please watch this video. For a brief overview of EMDR, please read this description or this article.
This course is not a substitute for the IFS Institute Level 1 training and it is not offered by the IFS Institute. It may be helpful for those who have taken Level 1 training. No prior experience with IFS is required.
Who should take this course:
This is a course for health and mental health providers (psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, as well as other health care providers or practitioners such as bodyworkers). Prior knowledge of EMDR and IFS is not required, but will be beneficial.
For a brief overview of IFS, please watch this video.
This workshop will be led by Sand Chang, PhD (they/them), IFS Institute Assistant Trainer Mentee (ATM), Approved Consultant, and Level 3 Certified IFS therapist. Learn more about Sand here.
Learning objectives:
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Gain a demonstrable understanding of the relationship between anti-trans and anti-queer bias and trauma, including common sources and effects of trauma for queer and/or trans people.
Identify common relational themes and therapist reactions that arise when applying IFS and EMDR queer and/or trans clients.
Apply knowledge of queer and/or trans experience to the three-pronged protocol and eight-phase treatment approach of EMDR therapy.
Name two different strategies for integrating IFS insight work when using EMDR to target a specific traumatic experience.
Describe some common challenges and pitfalls when integrating IFS and EMDR.
Payment and Recording:
Your payment will secure your registration. 25% of profit will be donated to Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF).
Those who cannot attend live can access the recording for 90 days (through June 8, 2024). There will be no refunds after February 23, 2024.
Closed captioning available.
For people attending live, a total of 1.5 hours of continuing education (CE) units are available through The Affirmative Couch for an additional $15. This CE certificate fee is waived for The Affirmative Couch annual and lifetime members. The Affirmative Couch, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Affirmative Couch, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content. We recommend that you check with your state board as to whether APA sponsored CEs will count for your license.
Meet the Instructors
Sand Chang, PhD (they/them/their; Tongva land) is a Chinese American nonbinary psychologist and DEI consultant who works at the intersection of trans health, eating disorders, trauma recovery, and body liberation. They are a Level 3 Certified IFS therapist, IFS Institute Assistant Trainer and Approved Consultant, Certified Body Trust Provider, Certified EMDR therapist, and Co-Founder of Queer and Trans Internal Family Systems (QTIFS). Learn more about Sand here.
horizon greene, LCSW (she/her, Coast Salish land) is a queer fat femme whose Jewish ancestral body-memory lifts up the prayer of never again for anyone. She has spent 21 years in a deep study of how healing happens, learning to co-create cultures of justice and belonging. An IFS trained therapist, EMDR Certified Therapist and EMDR Consultant In Training, horizon stands in a lineage of queer witches, healers and teachers, offering the folk medicines of QTIFS, quEerMDR and consultation in liberatory practice. Learn more about horizon here.
Lisa Gallegos, LCSW (she/her, Tongva land, Northeast LA) is a queer Chicana/Latina with a lifelong commitment to healing, justice, and transformation institutionally, interpersonally, and internally. She has a psychotherapy practice, has worked in community-based mental health, and has taught courses in graduate MSW programs. She is EMDR certified, IFS trained, and integrates other somatic therapy practices. She provides consultation to therapists, and develops workshops for social justice organizations on trauma-informed organizing. Before transitioning to mental health work, Lisa did social and economic justice work for 15 years with low-income, people of color, and immigrant communities through community and labor union organizing, policy, and electoral work.
Tiered Pricing and Registration
$100 - Full Fee. Recommended for people with dominant identities (white, cisgender, higher SES).
$80 - Reduced Fee 1. Recommended for people with some barriers to financial resources based on non-dominant identities.
$60 - Reduced Fee 2. Recommended for people with multiple non-dominant identities (BIPOC, trans, lower SES) who experience barriers to financial resources.