EMDR Trainings for Therapists
WELCOME TO IRIS
Where therapists come to grow, challenge the status quo, and find deep connection in learning. We’re here to expand, inspire, and disrupt in all the best ways.
We believe training should feel alive. Like the best kind of deep conversation that makes you think, laugh, and shifts the way you see yourself and your work.
Trainings Available at Iris
What makes us different?
In a culture that often pushes for quick fixes, we’re here to explore the depths and elevate the standard for trauma training with an emphasis on excellence in teaching and pedagogy. Too often, trainings focus on procedural steps without deepening clinical conceptualization or skill integration. We saw the gap, and we’re filling it.
At Iris, we believe trauma training should be more than just receiving information. It should expand your clinical confidence, deepen your intuition, and spark the kind of self-study that stays with you long after the training ends. It’s about becoming the therapist you want to be.
Meet Our Team
We are beyond thrilled to introduce Iris Training Collective, a new training group founded by Jessica Downs, Cassie Krajewski, and Laurel Thornton—three trauma specialists committed to reshaping how therapists learn, grow, and show up in their work.
At Iris we value…
Creativity
We don’t do rigid, lifeless trainings. We prioritize excellent teaching and pedagogy. We approach education with curiosity, innovation, and play, inviting you to think outside the box and make learning your own. This isn’t about passive note-taking; it’s about engaging, questioning, and creating something new.
Collaboration
We believe in relational power, co-creation, and learning from one another. Our collective is built on celebrating each other’s brilliance. Our approach dismantles authority-as-expert hierarchies, instead honoring the collective wisdom of therapists, clients, and communities. Whether you're a new therapist or a seasoned expert, we honor what you bring to the table and create spaces where learning is reciprocal.
Integrity
No fluff. No gatekeeping. No performative nonsense. We lead with honesty, depth, and a commitment to real change—in our work, in the field, and in ourselves. We commit to transparency, critical self-reflection, and the ongoing work of unlearning oppressive conditioning in our field. We don’t just teach values-driven practice; we embody it.
Why Iris?
The iris holds deep significance for us at Iris Training Collective. In EMDR Therapy, the movement of the iris of the eye plays a central role in bilateral stimulation and healing. But the meaning goes deeper.
The Greek goddess Iris holds a unique place in mythology as a messenger who bridges the gap between the gods and humanity. Iris, which means "rainbow" in Greek, was said to travel between the heavens and earth on the arc of a rainbow, a companion to souls, reflecting her role as a symbol of connection, transition, and transformation.
In her essence, Iris embodies an ethereal phenomenon that appears after storms, offering hope and a reminder of the light that follows darkness. The rainbow, in all its colors, represents the spectrum of human experience, from joy to sorrow, light to shadow. Iris, as a messenger, carries the energy of transformation, guiding souls through times of change and showing us that even in the most challenging of moments, there is beauty and connection to be found.