🌟 EMDR Basic Training Intensive Retreat
Hosted by EMDR Toronto | June 4th- 9th, 2026.
Transform Your Practice. Rejuvenate Your Spirit. Learn in Nature.
We’re thrilled to invite you to a truly life-changing experience — a 6-day EMDR Basic Training Intensive Retreat in the serene natural setting of Lac-des-Plages, Quebec, just 30 minutes from Mont Tremblant.
Led by Sophia Barna, M.Ed., M.S.W., R.S.W. / EMDRIA-Approved Trainer and founder of EMDR Toronto, this retreat is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of EMDR therapy while stepping away from everyday distractions.
🎁 SPECIAL OFFER – FREE LODGING for registrations before December 30th, 2025
EARLY BIRD OFFER — before February 1st, 2026
🌿 Register by December 30th, 2025 and receive FREE 5-Night Lodging at the beautiful Serenity Retreat Centre—a limited-time gift to support your journey into EMDR therapy.
Register here: https://emdrtoronto.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EMDR-Basic-Training.-REGISTRATION-FORM.-June-2026.docx
📅 Training Dates:
June 4th- 9th, 2026
📍 Serenity Retreat Centre – Lac-des-Plages, Quebec – HYBRID FORMAT (in person and live streaming)
🌲 Intimate group (10 participants max) for personalized attention
🧠 What Is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most effective, research-supported therapies for trauma and emotional distress. It helps people heal from disturbing life experiences quickly, safely, and thoroughly—often where other therapies have stalled.
Whether you’re working with PTSD, anxiety, grief, or developmental trauma, EMDR therapy empowers you to help clients heal at the root.
📘 About the EMDR Basic Training Program
This training meets all EMDRIA standards and provides over 50 hours of comprehensive training:
- ✅ 20 Hours of Instructional Teaching
(18 hours instructor-led + 2 hours self-study) - ✅ 20 Hours of Live Practicum
Skill-building through peer practice and supervision - ✅ Bonus: 10 Hours of Group Consultation
In-depth clinical application with real-time expert feedback
You’ll receive live lectures, video case studies, real-world demos, and hands-on practice—everything you need to confidently integrate EMDR into your clinical practice.
Eligibility
This training is open to:
- Licensed mental health professionals with a Master’s degree or higher
- Graduate students (on a licensing track) currently in practicum or internship, working under supervision
For full eligibility criteria, visit the EMDRIA Training FAQs
🎓 What You’ll Gain
- Master EMDR’s 8-phase treatment model and protocols
- Learn trauma-informed case conceptualization and treatment planning
- Explore adaptations for diverse client needs
- Understand the research and neuroscience behind EMDR
- Practice in a safe, supportive environment
- Connect deeply with like-hearted peers
🧘♀️ Why a Retreat Format?
🌸 Step out of daily life and immerse yourself in focused learning
🌳 Recharge in nature at a peaceful lakeside retreat center
💬 Form lasting bonds with fellow clinicians
🔥 Reignite your passion for healing and transformation
“This is not just a training—it’s a soulful, nourishing experience that will elevate your professional path and personal growth.”
💲 Program Investment
SPECIAL OFFER – Until December 30th, 2025
🌟 FREE 5-night Lodging at Serenity Retreat Centre!
- Early Bird: $2,500 + HST (Register by August 10th, 2025 )
- Regular Rate: $2,750 + HST
- Deposit required of $500 to reserve a spot if course fees are not being paid in full during registration.
- Bonus: Includes the required 10 hours of consultation
Cancellation
Cancellations made more than 45 days before the training start will incur a $500 cancellation fee. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within 45 days of the training. Trainees who interrupt their training due to circumstances beyond their control must complete the training within a 1-year frame.
Only 10 spots available — secure your place today!
🔗 REGISTER NOW: https://emdrtoronto.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EMDR-Basic-Training.-REGISTRATION-FORM.-June-2026.docx
📧 sophia.barna@emdrtoronto.org / sophia.barna@crossingyourbridges.ca
📱 WhatsApp: +1-647-608-6615
🌐 EMDR Toronto Website
📚 Required Reading Before and During Training
- Francine Shapiro’s EMDR Therapy (3rd Edition)
(Please read Chapters 1–8 before Part 1 of training) - Go With That Magazine – Fall 2020, Volume 25, Issue 3
- Guidelines for Virtual EMDR Therapy
Course fees include: The EMDRIA approved Basic Training program, a comprehensive electronic training manual and additional resources, access to instructional videos for duration of program and 10 hours of post-training mandatory group consultation.
Completion Requirements:
In order to receive a certificate of completion in Basic EMDR Therapy registrants must provide evidence they have completed the full-required plus 10 hours of consultation. EMDRIA requires trainees to complete the program within 12 months.
ABOUT THE TRAINER:
Sophia Barna, M.Ed., M.S.W., R.S.W.
Sophia Barna is a Registered Social Worker and Mental Health Therapist with over
30 years of experience in psychotherapy. As a Certified EMDR Therapist,
Consultant, and Trainer accredited by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), Sophia is the Founder of EMDR Toronto (www.emdrtoronto.org). Her practice focuses on providing EMDR therapy, supervision, consultation, and both Basic and Advanced EMDR trainings, bridging the realms of trauma healing, peak performance, and spiritual transformation.
An accomplished author, Sophia has written “Flying Home: Soul Stories for the Little One Within“ and “The SIMPLE Way: A Graceful Path to Success.”
As an international speaker and sought-after trainer, Sophia is recognized for her pioneering contributions to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), especially in performance enhancement and consciousness research. Her signature programs, including “EMDR for Optimal Performance,” “Cura Te Ipsum: Healer, Heal Yourself,” and “Transcending the Levels of Consciousness with EMDR,“ have been presented worldwide, including in Ecuador, Israel, Turkey, Romania, Japan, the United States, and Canada.
Recently, she was a featured speaker at the EMDR Canada Conference in
Vancouver, where she presented “Transcending the Levels of Consciousness with EMDR.” Sophia is also slated to speak at the upcoming “Consciousness Unveiled” Conference in Padova, Italy, in November 2025.
To learn more about Sophia’s work, visit:
www.emdrtoronto.org www.crossingyourbridges.ca
WhatsApp: +1-647-608-6615
YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/oWUK8NwAI–M?si=7uJCtIMhT–KKVmwt
🌟 Ready to Elevate Your Practice?
Join us for a one-of-a-kind EMDR training retreat that blends clinical excellence with mind-body-soul renewal. Transform your practice and your life—one eye movement at a time.
Only 10 spots available. Claim yours now—and your free lodging!
🔗 REGISTER HERE: https://emdrtoronto.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/EMDR-Basic-Training.-REGISTRATION-FORM.-June-2026.docx
FEEDBACK & TESTIMONIALS from OTHER PARTICIPANTS
“I’ve just completed an intensive 6-day EMDR training with Sophia, and I couldn’t be more grateful. She is an incredible trainer: deeply knowledgeable, highly professional, and profoundly passionate about her work. Her belief in the power of EMDR is inspiring, and she brings such a grounded, intuitive presence to the training space.“
“Sophia is not only a fountain of clinical wisdom, but also beautifully attuned to her students. I feel truly honored to have learned from her. Through her guidance, I’ve gained a solid foundation in EMDR and trust in my ability to continue developing and mastering this powerful psychotherapeutic approach.“
” What sets Sophia apart is the unique flow and depth she brings to EMDR. She made me fall in love with this modality. I’m now genuinely looking forward to the next steps: consultation, advanced modules, and integrating this work even more fully into my clinical practice.“
“There was a natural ease to the training that allowed any questions or insecurities I might have had to completely dissolve. I felt fully focused and engaged throughout, deeply present with everything Sophia was presenting and sharing with me and my colleagues. Her personal and warm touch to the entire training was truly inspiring.“
“I had a wonderful experience, one that felt like so much more than just a learning process. I genuinely feel that I received far more than I expected. This wasn’t only a training, it was a remarkable and enriching experience that I can now carry with me, integrate deeply, and offer to those who may benefit from EMDR in their own healing journeys. I would not change anything about how the training was presented – Haola- All is Well! With honour and gratitude”
” Taking this EMDR course was a truly transformative experience for me. From start to finish, I felt supported, challenged, and most of all inspired. I came in hoping to deepen my understanding of EMDR, and I left with not only a wealth of practical tools and techniques, but also a profound sense of clarity and confidence in applying them.“
“Sophia is an exceptional teacher. She brings a rare combination of clinical expertise, intuitive insight, and deep compassion to her teaching. She doesn’t just convey information, she teaches from the heart, creating a space that feels safe, open, and rich with possibility. I would say it’s rare to find someone so passionate about their work, it was refreshing and appreciated. You can feel that she genuinely cares about her students and the clients we serve, and that makes all the difference. We need more social workers like her, and also humans.“
“What stood out most to me was how the course balanced theory, practice, and personal growth. There were plenty of opportunities to engage actively with the material, ask questions, and reflect on how EMDR can be integrated into our own therapeutic style. I left every day feeling more grounded and more connected to why I do this work. For me, this wasn’t just a training, it was a life-changing experience. I feel more prepared, more present, and more aligned with my purpose as a clinician. I can’t recommend this course highly enough to anyone who’s ready to deepen their skills and grow both professionally and personally.”
“Sophia, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the energy, warmth, and presence you brought to this course. Your passion for this work is contagious, and your ability to hold space so authentically was a gift in itself. You’ve not only helped me grow as a clinician, but also as a human being. I’m deeply grateful for everything you shared and for the way you lead—with heart, integrity, and so much grace. To cross paths with someone like you in my lifetime is such a blessing. Thank you”
“The quality of this EMDR basic training exceeded my expectations. Sophia did an excellent job equipping participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to feel confident and competent in implementing EMDR in clinical practice. One of the greatest strengths of the training was how she infused her personal style and energy into the delivery of complex material, making it more engaging and accessible.“
“The EMDR basic training with Sophia was an enriching and immersive experience. I did not only learn the basic EMDR protocol by heart, but I also learned to be more of the human that I am. And the more I connected to my essence through experiencing EMDR myself for the first time in my life, the more I could embody it in practicum and in my life, starting to integrate it in my work as a therapist and future EMDR therapist. I liked Sophia’s focus on the therapist’s attitude and state of mind and connection to the client, because in working in trauma, being a stable container is one of the most important things, especially in EMDR. The curriculum was rich, and Sophia did a good job at adapting to our needs and requests in presenting the material and organising the training schedule. She took time to answer my questions and I was able to gain clarity on the aspects I needed to. “
” Sophia’s presence filled every moment, and allowed me to see how a truly attuned and competent EMDR therapist conducts their work. I appreciated the opportunity to learn the protocols for different populations, learn to recognize signs of dissociation or other aspects that might block the processing, and learn to competently move through them. I believe I have got to a good balance as of now, between being able to follow the protocol and also adapt to what is coming up for the client. I very much enjoyed the practicum, and the feedback sessions after each practicum where I could reflect and understand my experience, as well as learn from that of others. Overall, I feel competent in knowing that I can work with EMDR with simple to moderate cases, and I am confident that I can build on this good foundation in the future. I am truly grateful for this experience, because it opened the space for me personally and professionally to allow the true power to EMDR to be experienced by me, and to feel ready and competent to bring it into the world. Thank you, Sophia!” ( S.T.)
“Sophia Barna is a phenomenal educator who provided a truly life-enhancing experience, both professionally and personally. She delivered all lecture material in a clear and well-organized manner, offering explicit and detailed explanations of each phase of EMDR. This clarity allowed me to enter the practicum with confidence and a strong foundational understanding. During the practicum, Sophia offered thoughtful insight and supportive guidance that encouraged growth and strengthened my confidence in applying EMDR. Her teaching style is both grounded and dynamic—she brings vitality, compassion, and passion to every aspect of the learning process while also ensuring that each participant feels seen and supported. Sophia’s use of imagery and metaphors enriched the training by making complex concepts easier to grasp and integrate. She has a remarkable ability to balance structure with warmth, and her energy infused the space with lightness and engagement. I feel privileged to have trained under Sophia Barna, and I am grateful for the knowledge, skills, and inspiration I will carry forward from this experience.”
“Sophia, thank you for such a truly transformative experience. Any human being who has the opportunity to learn from or work with you is deeply fortunate. You carry a rare combination of wisdom, compassion, and beauty that shines through in everything you do, and it is such a gift to witness. I so appreciated your sound teachings—rich, grounded, and woven with imagery that made the EMDR concepts come alive in a way that felt both accessible and profound. I felt especially privileged to be your demo, as it allowed me to experience firsthand the depth and authenticity of EMDR as it is meant to be practiced. That moment will stay with me and continue to inform and inspire my work moving forward.
You are, without question, a gift to this land and to the people who cross your path. May you continue to dance through life with the same grace and brilliance you bring to your teaching. I am grateful for this connection and look forward to continuing to learn from you. Truly, you are a rare gem. Thank you from the heart.“