What a Psychologist Teach the Mental Health professionals of 5,000 to "Heal the World"
Dr. Michelle Gottlieb is determined to aid licensed mental health professionals "go out and heal the world" by using EMDR therapy.
She does so alongside her co-president and business partner Dr. Curtis Rouanzoin, through their business: EMDR Professional Training. "We teach mental health professionals to do the very particular type of therapy called EMDR, which is an acronym for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing," she says.
Gottlieb describes EMDR in terms of a highly researched, evidence-based psychotherapy which was initially used to treat therapy for trauma. "It's today being recognized to be effective on many types of mental health issues," she explains.
The interest in EMDR about a decade into her career as a psychotherapist. With conventional talk therapy her clients weren't seeing the progress with her clients as she had hoped. "While I could help people to cope, they were not recovering. There was a wound that was not healed," she says.
After realizing the healing power of it She enrolled in an EMDR course to be able to incorporate these techniques into her own private practice. "It's been knocking my socks off ever since; it truly aids in healing people," she says.
20 years after, she and Rouanzoin started their very own EMDR training company in the year 2018 . In 2020, they, shifted the entire business to the internet using . They've since taught more than 5,000 students through the platform. The way to do it:
Skip ahead:
- The became one-stop shop for all EMDR therapist
- They flipped from face-to-face to online training
- They designed clear learning paths
- They utilized price competition
- They created a sense of belonging
- They served an extensive audience
- They diversified their marketing channels
- They created content through collaboration
- They have a community-driven customer journey
- They built a supportive team
They became a one-stop-shop for all EMDR Therapist
The moment Rouanzoin and Gottlieb decided to create their own training organization and wanted to approach things differently. "We truly wanted to be this one-stop-shop for any EMDR therapist," says Gottlieb. "We were hoping help them go from beginning, the basic course to advanced education, possibly even to becoming certified as an EMDR trainer or facilitator. ."
According to Gottlieb, she along with Rouanzoin sought to deliver training in a place with warm, supportive and community. These are the main themes to EMDR professional training.
"We see people return and thank you for all the help, I've been able help to heal the world's suffering," says Gottlieb.
They pivoted from in-person to online instruction
In the beginning of their business in 2018, they were able to offer extra resources, including material evaluations, assessment as well as recorded lectures with the Drip Schedule. "We have always wondered, wouldn't it be lovely to be able to do everything online?" Gottlieb shares.
When covid shut everything down, Gottlieb's team immediately started thinking about how they could move from in-person to online programs. "We determined to investigate the issue," she continues. "That's the way we've always been and the reason we continue to expand our ."
Because they already had a good understanding with Zoom, all they needed to accomplish was find Zoom and use it to host live classes. "We had already made it halfway," she says.
Today, most of their training is online - although they're beginning to conduct some classes in person again now that the pandemic restrictions have lessened. "We've found that both models have been effective," she says.
In addition, in order to cater to different styles of students, the group has begun to provide a range of types of learning opportunities, including smaller groups for people who like learning in small groups. They also offer a hybrid-style learning environment where the cohort meets regularly in person, and then does the rest of their education online.
They designed distinct learning pathways
They offer two kinds of training: basic and advanced, each one of which has been approved by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) who sets the standard for EMDR education specifications. "All of our courses are subject to a string of tests to be sure they are approved by EMDRIA," explains Tiffaney Tiffin, one of the EMDR Professional Training's employees who is responsible for the program's support.
Students should complete the 57 hours of fundamental training prior to advanced courses is available, either offered by EMDR Professional Training or another training institution. Basic training takes place on a live basis via Zoom. After they go through basics training, they are able to become a member of a community which includes resources like PDFs, videos filled forms and a 20% discount on all advanced classes.
Following the basic course - though not mandatory - certification is required. This allows students to become approved EMDR consultants through EMDRIA.
Advanced training classes are less intensive, a-la kind of courses, which offer an array of streaming and live-streamed information. There's no particular path for advanced training and the participants certified professionals - can choose between a plethora of courses to complete their credits for continuing education as well as to improve their knowledge as well as learn about clinical specialty areas. "In advanced training students invest in their own development and the clients of their," continues Gottlieb.
They utilized competitive pricing
In determining their pricing they took into account the prices their rivals were offering.
The students also ensured that they pick a budget which allowed the students to pay for all the costs, and also include everything the students need to use.
The cost of basic training ranges from $1,500 to $2,100 USD, based upon the degree of certification. For example, someone working with a for-profit company that is licensed will pay more than graduate students.
If, after going through the basics of training, students wish to be a part of the community that is membership and join the membership community, they are able to do this with a monthly fee of $9 USD or $99 USD for the entire year by using the subscription price feature.
Advanced course prices vary even more; hour-long trainings start at $79 USD, half-day classes cost $450 USD and the longest 20-hour program that is offered over five months begins with $850 USD.
For payment processing, the EMDR Professional Training team makes use of payments .
They created a sense of belonging
Recently, their team have added the Communities feature in the basic training and membership course.
Students now have the support not only from their peers via the Communities page, but also the entire team of training members that can help the students through their training."
Since launching Communities in mid-February of 2023, Communities have helped students to cheer on each other. Additionally, the training team assists the two Communities, providing tips and guidance when required.
The sense of community been a huge influence on the creation of content. "Everytime Michelle and Curtis meet they have a discussion about what the students need. They're always listening to their community" adds Tiffin.
"We're focused on ensuring their requirements are satisfied and they're comfortable and secure," states Gottlieb.
They provided catering to a wide audience
Only those who can conduct EMDR Professional Training are mental health professionals, as per the rules and regulations of EMDRIA. This includes graduate students, those who have completed a post-practicum program which will eventually result in licensure, or licensed mental health professionals already practicing in the field.
Gottlieb states that the EMDR community was an older demographic. Nowadays, more and more young individuals are enrolled in classes - and they're a wider range of individuals, at that. "We're seeing people of every shape, color as well as religions and genders," she states.
To help widen this audience The team is now offering several scholarships for members of the BIPOC community.
They have diversified their advertising channels
It is believed that the EMDR Professional Training audience was mostly built through word of mouth; over the course of four years in its business, the company has conducted several trainings - some with more than 50 attendees at a time. The majority of students will tell one or two individuals about the event afterward, helping to spread the word. "Mental medical professionals can be described as community-oriented individuals," says Tiffin. "They talk to each other and want to collaborate ."
It also relies heavily on emails; every occasion that an advanced class is being offered and advertised to the mailing list of its members, which includes those who have been through basic training aswell as a wider audience of EMDR-trained individuals.
Contacts are obtained via the website When people land on the site, there is a pop-up that offers the users 10% off for anything once they sign-up for the email list.
The group also provides an unpaid Neurobiology of EMDR training that gathers email addresses.
In addition, the company promotes itself by working with other facilitators and presenters for each advanced course. Each facilitator is given marketing material from the organisation to help spread the word on their social media platforms as well as email lists.
In the end, the group invests funds into Google ads, and the firm is listed on the EMDRIA's website as an entity offering training.
They developed content with collaboration
The collaborative nature of the advanced education courses can be an opportunity for all parties, as the profits are shared between the institution and the trainer. "One of the things clinicians struggle with is that they only make money during their time in the chair talking to a client," explains Gottlieb. "If they're away on holiday or sick, they don't have income. For a physician, the idea to earn passive income is amazing to them. ."
"In a lot of ways, it's an enormous collaboration effort," adds Tiffin.
Depending on the presenter's comfort in creating content using technology, the content creation procedure varies from course course. There are some who require help to develop their technology skills and some are skilled presenters, but require assistance in creating content. It is the EMDR Professional Training team helps bring everything together into the perfect, well-crafted course - while still following the EMDRIA guidelines.
They offer a social-driven customer experience
If you are asked about the customer journey the way it is explained by Gottlieb goes like this:
A mental health professional that isn't making the strides they want to be making with their clients hears about treatment with EMDR. It's possible that they've heard of it once or twice, and then begin to look at the therapy. Then they search for EMDR therapy courses then EMDR Professional Training pops up. They start reading about it and talk to their friends who have been EMDR certified about the place they went to school and what they enjoyed about it, and the things they did not like about it. They do some further research before reaching out to EMDR Professional Training, first entering their email address into the site and getting the 10% off coupon. After that, they go to the organization directly for more information.
Community is a crucial word for us. As people talk to us and get an idea of who we are as well as what and how we are and what we do, selling us is fairly simple - especially considering that we're an expensive company."
They formed a supportive team
According to Gottlieb the things she and Rouanzoin made would've been possible without their team. "It is a team effort," says Gottlieb. "And it's becoming quite a large village now." ."
"We aren't able to get rid one another at this time," laughs Tiffin.
Apart from Tiffin who does assistance with programs, they also have an email marketing specialist, a designer and a virtual assistant team and a team of trainers and a team for scholarships as well as a research team as well as an accountant.
When it comes to helping fellow team members Gottlieb suggests that the creators of online courses hire individuals with similar goals - and individuals they trust and communicate with. "My companion and I both know that regardless of what goes on, we'll always be with one another. Forever," she explains.
Gottlieb believes her greatest accomplishment is seeing the community she's built as well as how many students show up at their trainings. "I will often stop and tell Curt"look at the community we've built,' she continues.