Re-Wilding EMDR

Re-Wilding EMDR & Sandtray: A Nature-Based Approach to the 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

This 2-day immersive training invites EMDR-trained clinicians into a revitalized way of working with children and adolescents by integrating nature-based play therapy, Sandtray, and rhythmic regulation into every phase of EMDR therapy.

Grounded in fidelity to the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and the 8 phases of EMDR, the Re-Wilding approach blends clinical precision with symbolic depth—supporting trauma healing in spaces where words alone cannot reach.

Participants will explore how intergenerational trauma and ancestral wisdom appear in play, body language, and metaphor—and how these can be held and transformed within a child’s EMDR process. Through experiential learning, live demonstration, and hands-on practice, clinicians will learn to assess readiness using symbolic Sandtray, co-regulate through nature-based rhythms, and integrate healing through movement, sensory connection, and creative ritual.

This advanced training is designed for EMDR-trained therapists working with developmental trauma, dissociation, or preverbal memory, offering practical tools that honor both fidelity and flexibility in EMDR application.

Phase 1 – History Taking:
Gather a meaningful history attuned to body cues, environment, and intergenerational patterns—rooted in relationship and rhythm.

Phase 2 – Preparation:
Use nature-based and nervous-system-informed practices to build safety and regulation through rhythm, movement, and sensory connection.

Phase 3 – Assessment:
Identify targets anchored in nature’s sense of safety, helping clients access trauma held before language.

Phase 4 – Desensitization:
Engage natural bilateral stimulation—walking, tapping, or sound—within standard EMDR protocols to support adaptive shifts.

Phase 5 – Installation:
Strengthen positive beliefs through body-based anchoring and nature-aligned integration so new learning becomes embodied and lasting.

Phase 6 – Body Scan:
Enhance somatic awareness with nature-informed tools that release residual tension and restore balance.

Phase 7 – Closure:
Use ritual, rhythm, and the natural elements to stabilize and integrate, offering grounded containment.

Phase 8 – Reevaluation:
Revisit targets through felt sense, whole-brain awareness, and nature-based insight to confirm adaptive resolution.

✔️ 16 hours of advanced EMDR and Sandtraytherapy training rooted in clinical integrity and experiential practice
✔️ Full EMDR refresher—maintaining fidelity to the AIP model and all 8 phases
✔️ Nature-based, play, and Sandtray interventions for developmental trauma
✔️ Somatic and symbolic methods for nervous-system regulation
✔️ Integrative applications for both indoor and outdoor clinical settings

This is not just a training—it’s a transformative experience designed for deep, embodied integration.
You’ll leave with tools and insights that expand your practice and reconnect you to your clinical purpose.

Participants will learn to:
✔️ Support nervous-system regulation in and beyond the therapy room
✔️ Facilitate healing through movement, symbolism, and nature
✔️ Address generational trauma and preverbal memory through play and Sandtray
✔️ Integrate fidelity and creativity within EMDR’s eight phases

Jackie Flynn, EdS, LMHC-S, RPT-S™

Jackie Flynn, EdS, LMHC-S, RPT-S™, is a renowned therapist, consultant, and international trainer specializing in EMDR, Play Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, and the integration of expressive and somatic modalities. As the founder of EMDR with Kids and the EMDR Playground, she is passionate about helping therapists harness the power of play and creativity to facilitate deep healing—beyond the limitations of words. A licensed mental health counselor and registered play therapist supervisor, Jackie brings a nervous system-informed, trauma-responsive approach to her work, blending neuroscience, attachment, and experiential therapies in a way that is both deeply intuitive and highly effective. Her teachings emphasize presence over protocol, honoring the wisdom of the body, and creating spaces where healing unfolds naturally. She is a sought-after speaker, author, and course creator, known for making complex therapeutic concepts accessible, engaging, and immediately applicable. Whether she is teaching, consulting, or guiding immersive experiences in nature-based settings, Jackie’s work is rooted in connection, creativity, and a deep respect for the healing potential of play and presence. 

Catherine Denham
LCSW, RPT-S™

Catherine Denham, LCSW-RPT-S, is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist-supervisor with over a decade of experience providing therapy to individuals and families. As co-founder of Momma Owls, she has demonstrated a commitment to supporting parents and children through innovative therapeutic approaches. Catherine is also the co-host of the 'Rewilding EMDR' podcast, where she explores the intersections of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and nature-based healing practices. Her dedication extends to training and supervising emerging therapists, emphasizing the importance of play therapy and holistic mental health practices. 

Alisha Denham
LCSW, RPT-S™

Alisha Denham, LCSW, RPT-S, is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience in child therapy. She co-founded Momma Owls Minis, an Etsy shop specializing in handcrafted miniature figures designed to support sandtray and play therapy practices. Alisha's unique blend of artistic talent and therapeutic expertise allows her to create tools that facilitate healing and self-expression in clients. She has also contributed to educational resources, such as demonstrating the use of small labyrinths in therapeutic settings. Alisha is actively involved in the therapeutic community, participating in events like the EMDR Playground Immersion, where she leads immersive sessions on symbolism and metaphor in sandtray therapy. Her dedication to integrating creative arts into therapy underscores her commitment to holistic mental health practices 

Schedule: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM each day
Includes: 16 CE Hours, Lunch & Refreshments

Setting: Indoor & Outdoor Learning Experiences

Eligibility: Participants must have completed an EMDRIA-Approved Basic EMDR Training to attend.

Exploring lineage, symbolic memory, and nervous system readiness

Day One centers on reconnecting with the foundations of EMDR through the lens of ancestry, play, and embodiment. We begin by grounding in the land, honoring the lineages that brought us here, and setting intentions for the work ahead. Participants will engage in reflective exercises using natural objects and Sandtray symbolism to deepen attunement to their own clinical and personal roots.

We’ll move through Phase 1 (History Taking) by exploring lineage and symbolic memory — mapping generational themes, identifying inherited protectors, and tracing family patterns of resilience and rupture. 

Through Sandtray and metaphor, participants will learn to use nature imagery (rings in a tree, weathered stones, growth patterns) to uncover and organize complex trauma narratives with intergenerational depth.

In Phase 2 (Preparation), the focus shifts to regulation through nature-based co-regulation, movement, rhythm, and creative sensory practices that foster “safe enough” spaces for clients. Participants will explore resource creatures, ancestral imagery, and rhythmic resourcing to strengthen nervous system readiness and enhance relational safety.

Throughout the day, we’ll alternate between indoor and outdoor experiential activities, using movement, rhythm walks, and environmental attunement to embody the principles of readiness and grounding.

The day closes with an integration exercise inviting participants to reflect on:

🌱 Strengths they’ve inherited and wish to reclaim
🌱 Tools for tracking readiness through body cues and symbolic play
🌱 Nature-informed methods to stabilize parts across time and systems

Moving through the arc of healing with metaphor, memory, and movement

Day Two deepens into the full EMDR process—moving through desensitization, installation, and integration with fidelity to the model and reverence for symbolic process. The morning begins outdoors with grounding and reflection, connecting to an inherited story that is ready to shift.

In Phase 3 (Assessment), participants will learn to identify targets rooted in generational themes such as abandonment, silence, and repetition, using Sandtray as a bridge to embodied and preverbal memory. VOC and SUD measures will be adapted for symbolic and relational processing.

During Phase 4 (Desensitization), we’ll explore the use of natural bilateral stimulation—stones, water sounds, rhythmic walking, and outdoor movement—to regulate inherited fight/flight patterns and release trauma stored in the body.

Phases 5 & 6 (Installation & Body Scan) emphasize embodiment and generational release: planting new beliefs like “It can stop with me” and acknowledging family body stories during somatic integration, supported by nature’s grounding presence.

Phases 7 & 8 (Closure & Reevaluation) conclude the training with ritual and reflection, integrating new adaptive learning through nature, symbol, and community. Participants will engage in a Stone Marking Ceremony, honoring what has been witnessed, released, and reclaimed—ending in circle as we reflect on what each will carry forward.

By the end of Day Two, participants will:
🌾 Apply all 8 phases of EMDR with fidelity and creativity
🌾 Use Sandtray and nature-based tools for targeting, resourcing, and reprocessing
🌾 Support clients through intergenerational healing and embodied integration
🌾 Experience how working both indoors and outdoors can expand nervous-system regulation, therapeutic depth, and personal renewal

EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
Approved Provider: Jacqueline Flynn (#19012)
EMDRIA Program Approval Number: #19012-37
Approved for 16 EMDRIA Credits (ECs).
Eligibility for EMDRIA Credits is restricted to participants who have completed an EMDRIA-Approved Basic EMDR Training.

Association for Play Therapy (APT)
Approved Provider: Jacqueline Flynn (#20-628)
Approved for 16 Live CE Hours for the Association for Play Therapy (APT).

Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners
Approved for 16 CE Hours for Alabama Licensed Social Workers. Approved Provider : Healthy Minds Consulting LLC

Additional Approvals
Continuing Education Credit Hours are available from several other professional organizations and are currently pending approval.

  Healthy Minds Consulting, LLC offers a unique training experience at their location in Atmore, Alabama, where the serene environment is conducive to both learning and reflection. Situated conveniently near the scenic beaches of Florida and Alabama, the setting perfectly balances accessibility and retreat. The indoor training room is designed for comfort and effective learning, making it ideal for presentations and discussions. Meanwhile, the expansive outdoor spaces offer opportunities for experiential activities that encourage participants to embrace nature’s calming influence. This fluid transition between indoor and outdoor sessions allows for an immersive experience in the Re-Wilding approach to EMDR, integrating reflection, movement, and Sandtray processes that deepen the understanding and practice of this therapeutic method. 

1. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Atmore
• 2 mi from the office (next to Wind Creek Casino)
• Free breakfast, pool, fitness center
📍 4405 Hwy 21 N, Atmore, AL 36502
📞 (251) 368-1180

2. Hampton Inn Atmore
• 2 mi from the office
• Hot breakfast, gym, pool
📍 45 Rivercane Blvd E, Atmore, AL 36502
📞 (251) 368-9090

3. Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Atmore
• 3 mi from the office
• Luxury rooms, spa, multiple restaurants, pool
📍 303 Poarch Rd, Atmore, AL 36502
📞 (866) 946-3360