EMDR Intensives for Athletes and Performers: From Protocols to Performance
Live Workshop via Zoom
Saturday, December 5, 2026
presented by Whitney Dittmar, LPC
Instructor: Whitney Dittmar, MA, LPC
Whitney Dittmar, MA, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR Certified Therapist, EMDR Consultant, and founder of EMDR Intensives for Athletes, Coaches and Leaders in Centennial, Colorado. With more than 20 years of clinical experience, she specializes in supporting elite high school, collegiate, and professional athletes in overcoming performance blocks, such as the yips, anxiety, injury recovery challenges, identity transitions, and nervous system dysregulation that impact performance and well-being. As a former Division I athlete, she brings both clinical expertise and lived experience of high-performance environments to her work with athletes, coaches, and leaders navigating the psychological and physiological demands of competition and leadership.
Whitney is known for integrating EMDR therapy, nervous system regulation, and performance-focused interventions within an intensive treatment model designed for meaningful, efficient change in high-achieving populations. In her training, she teaches clinicians how to conceptualize performance challenges through a trauma-informed, Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) lens and how unresolved stress and maladaptive memory networks can directly impact performance, confidence, and emotional regulation. Her upcoming course, EMDR Intensives for Athletes and Performers: From Protocols to Performance is designed to help EMDR clinicians feel confident and equipped to implement EMDR intensive models with performance populations—offering practical frameworks, case conceptualization strategies, and applied tools to expand their effectiveness and impact in this specialized and growing area of practice.
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EMDR Intensives for Athletes and Performers
From Protocols to Performance
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Your ZOOM Link for the course
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Your CE Certificate
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EMDR Intensives for Athletes and Performers: From Protocols to Performance
- $129.00
- 1-Day Virtual Training
- 3 Professional CEs and 3 EMDRIA Credits
Course Description, Learning Objectives, Schedule
Program Abstract/ Program Description
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Advanced course implementing the standard eight-phase EMDR protocol into an intensive model for athletes and high performers. Explores screening, readiness, treatment mapping, performance-focused case conceptualization, systems considerations, and foundational business and marketing strategies for this specialized niche.
COURSE ABSTRACT
Athletes and other high-performing individuals often face unique barriers to accessing mental health care, including demanding schedules, travel requirements, competitive seasons, privacy concerns, and limited availability for traditional weekly therapy. In addition to addressing mental health concerns, clinicians working with performance populations are often asked to help clients navigate performance blocks, confidence issues, injury recovery, leadership challenges, and other factors that may interfere with optimal functioning. Unresolved trauma, injury-related distress, maladaptively stored memories, and nervous system dysregulation can significantly impact both well-being and performance, often presenting as challenges that are not immediately recognized as appropriate targets for EMDR therapy. Emerging research on intensive EMDR treatment models suggests that concentrated treatment formats can be both effective and efficient for appropriate clients. This training explores the rationale for utilizing EMDR intensives with athletes and high performers and examines how intensive models may increase access to care while supporting both clinical recovery and performance enhancement goals.
Participants will learn how to implement the standard eight-phase EMDR protocol within an intensive treatment format while maintaining fidelity to the EMDR model. The course will provide practical guidance on screening and determining appropriateness for intensive treatment, identifying contraindications, assessing readiness, case conceptualization, treatment planning, and treatment mapping for performance-focused populations. Attendees will gain a structured framework for designing and delivering half-day, full-day, and multi-day EMDR intensives in both in-person and virtual settings, including pre-intensive preparation and post-intensive integration strategies. The training will also explore how to conceptualize performance challenges through a trauma-informed Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) lens, work effectively within the athlete’s broader system of support, and incorporate performance-focused EMDR interventions, future templates, and specialized EMDR protocols when clinically appropriate. Additional topics will include foundational business and marketing strategies to support the ethical implementation of an intensive practice. By the conclusion of the training, participants will have practical tools, templates, and clinical frameworks to confidently integrate EMDR intensives into their work with athletes and other high-performing clients.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the clinical rationale and emerging research supporting the use of EMDR intensive treatment models with athletes and other high-performing populations.
- Identify screening, readiness, and case conceptualization factors that determine appropriateness for EMDR intensives and inform treatment planning for performance-focused populations.
- Describe the framework for implementing the standard eight-phase EMDR protocol within an intensive treatment format, including treatment mapping, session structure, and integration strategies for athletes and high performers and have an understanding and guide for how to implement the marketing and business strategies for this specialized work.
Schedule
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Please note: This course meets in Pacific Standard Time. Please adjust times according to your timezone.
| Time: | Course Content: |
|---|---|
| 8:45 - 9:00am PST 9:46 - 10:00am MST 10:45 - 11:00am CST 11:45 - 12:00am EST |
Check in and attendance |
| 9:00 - 9:30am PST (30 min) |
Introduction and overview of the course (Why a need for intensives)- an engagement exercise- finding your own Why and using HeartMath (What- working intensively can look like) |
| 9:30 - 10:30 am (60 min) |
(How) The Basics of Implementing Intensive work while maintaining fidelity to the 8 phases of EMDR- screening, readiness and resourcing, treatment planning/mapping. |
| 10:30 - 10:45am | BREAK |
| 10:45 -11:45am PST (60 min) |
Case conceptualization, systems considerations and foundational business and marketing strategies |
| 11:45 - 12:15pm PST (30 min) |
Additional Resources to consider, another experiential exercise and Q & A |
| Total: 3 Hours |
Eligibility and Approvals
Eligibility
This course is an advanced course open to EMDR therapy clinicians.
If you have not yet taken EMDR Basic Training, please go to our Basic Training schedule on our EMDR Basic Training home page at EMDR Professional Training.
CE INFORMATION
This course is a CE course. Participants are responsible for checking with their state boards to verify CE requirements.
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) CEs
EMDR Professional Training is an approved EMDRIA CE Provider (#18023), and this program is awaiting approval by EMDRIA for EMDRIA Credits, Approval #18023-.
TRAINING LEVEL: Beginning level
Eligibility for EMDRIA Credits is restricted to those who have completed an EMDRIA-Approved Basic EMDR Training.
Continuing Education Credit: NBCC
EMDR Profes
sional Training has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7569. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. EMDR Professional Training is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
This course at EMDR Professional Training offers a total of 3 NBCC CE hours.
Continuing Education Credit - Professional CEs
Continuing Education Credit is approved for 3 CEs through EMDR Professional Training's CE partner, CE-Classes.com. See the information below for professional approvals.
CE-Classes.com is approved by:
- The American Psychological Association (APA). CE-Classes.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE-Classes.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- Florida Certification Board
- The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Provider #852 BAP-Expires 3/31/2027.
- The California Board of Behavioral Sciences. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences, BBS, recognizes relevant coursework/training that has been approved by nationally recognized certifying bodies, such as APA, to satisfy renewal requirements.
- California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Provider Number OS-12-174-0225
- The Texas Board of Social Work Examiners – CE-Classes.com meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education. Effective 1/1/24, at least half of the 30 hours must be obtained from a provider listed in 801.261(f). This course meets that requirement.
- The Texas Board of Professional Counselors – CE-Classes.com meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education. Effective 1/1/24, at least half of the 30 hours must be obtained from a provider listed in 801.261(f). This course meets that requirement.
- The Texas Board of Marriage & Family Therapists – CE-Classes.com meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education. Effective 1/1/24, at least half of the 30 hours must be obtained from a provider listed in 801.261(f). This course meets that requirement.
- Massachusetts Authorization Number: (TBD)
- Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board - Approval from a state licensing board for counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists is accepted by the OH CSWMFTB.
- New York Social Work Board – CE-Classes.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0120.
- New York Mental Health Practitioners Board CE-Classes.com, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0260.
- New York Psychology Board CE-Classes.com, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0211
- Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure (LPCs, LMFTs and LBCs)
- South Carolina - CE-Classes.com is approved by the S.C. Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapist, Addiction Counselors, and Psycho-Educational Specialists (#4696).
- Illinois - CE-Classes.com is a registered social work CE sponsor by the State of Illinois. License 159.001607
- The Florida Board of Nursing (CE Provider #: 50-4896) Expires 10/31/2026. Do not send certificates to the Florida Board of Nursing. You must keep this certificate for 4 years.
- The California Board of Registered Nursing. CEP 15647 Expires 11/30/2026.
- This training does not offer ASWB ACE credit to social workers.
Licensed Professionals should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.
Certificates are awarded online after completion of the workshop. Participants print their own certificate after registering at CE-Classes.com, entering a keycode, and completing an evaluation form.
To contact CE-Classes.com, go to: CE-Classes.com
Address: 1398 SW 160th Ave, Sunrise, FL 33326, USA
Phone: 954-290-8446
Email: [email protected]
More information about obtaining your CE Certificate for this course is available at the end of the workshop.
ADA Assistance
Facilities used by EMDR Professional Training for on-location training events are ADA compliant. Please contact Michelle Gottlieb at [email protected] should you need any special accommodations (ADA) at an on-location training event.
For our cancellation policy, please go to our Terms and Conditions.
There is no known commercial support for this program.