EMDR and Children

Description

When children carry the weight of trauma, it doesn’t just shape their behavior—it rewires their brain, disrupts development, and compromises their capacity to trust, connect, and thrive. Clinicians are often the first line of hope in helping young clients heal—but healing requires more than good intentions. It demands a nuanced, developmentally attuned, and evidence-based approach like EMDR.

This powerful, self-paced course provides behavioral health clinicians with the insight, techniques, and confidence needed to use EMDR with children and adolescents in a way that is not only effective—but trauma-informed and grounded in the critical science of attachment.

Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC, CCTP-II, EMDR-C, is a nationally recognized EMDR trainer, trauma expert, and published author with a passion for revolutionizing trauma treatment. With deep clinical experience and a track record of training thousands of clinicians across the U.S. and internationally, she brings clarity and compassion to one of the most complex areas in behavioral health.

Through creative, play-integrated tools and real-world clinical insights, Megan guides learners in understanding how trauma and attachment shape the developing brain—and how EMDR can be customized to promote healing, resilience, and growth in young clients.

Topics covered include the neurobiology of trauma and attachment, recognizing trauma through a developmental lens, using EMDR to treat complex attachment disruptions, dual awareness techniques for children, somatic and play-based resourcing methods, caregiver involvement in treatment, dissociation and emotional dysregulation, trauma screening tools, and therapeutic strategies for regulation and stabilization.

Key Takeaways:

• Developmental understanding of trauma: Learn how attachment deficits and early trauma alter brain development and how to identify the signs in clinical practice.

• Tools for transformation: Gain resourcing techniques and EMDR-specific interventions tailored to the unique needs of children and adolescents.

• Strategies for complex cases: Understand how to work with caregivers, recognize dissociative patterns, and integrate play and somatic tools for more effective outcomes.

Why this course?

• Designed for real-world challenges: This course equips clinicians with actionable EMDR strategies specifically adapted for working with children and teens—something many EMDR trainings don’t fully address.

• Expert-led, experience-based: Megan Salar brings unmatched depth in trauma and EMDR, combining science and storytelling to deliver practical, deeply resonant learning.

• A mission-driven provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is committed to empowering clinicians with top-tier training that aligns with ethical practice, clinical excellence, and compassionate care.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the basics of how attachment and trauma impact brain development.

• Express how to differentiate between trauma, attachment and other underlying mental health concerns.

• Apply specific EMDR based resourcing techniques to assist with emotional regulation.

• Demonstrate how to utilize attachment based interventions to create stabilization within children and adolescent populations.

• Explain how EMDR is able to target trauma and attachment based deficits.

• Apply different forms of dual awareness for children and adolescent clients.

• Identify different trauma screening tools that are effective in diagnosing early experiences of trauma.

• Explain how to utilize somatic-based techniques to regulate emotional disturbance.

Through the guidance of a seasoned trauma expert, this course will help you unlock the full potential of EMDR for your youngest, most vulnerable clients. Explore this self-study offering today and discover how your work can become a powerful catalyst for healing and change.

Add to cart to begin learning instantly.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 6 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Megan Salar, MSW, ACADC, CCTP-II, EMDR-C

Megan Salar is an EMDR Clinician, Trainer, and Author who earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from Northwest Nazarene University in 2011. She has been extensively trained in the use of EMDR and other trauma-based interventions and specializes in the areas of trauma, attachment, and addictive disorders. Megan has trained thousands of clinicians across the U.S. as well as internationally to get the most out of EMDR, trauma, and addiction-based skills and practices.

Megan previously owned/operated an intensive outpatient treatment center that was voted best in practice in 2019. She currently owns and operates her own Coaching, Consulting, and Training Business and is passionate about genuinely changing the landscape of mental health and trauma treatment through an authentic, hands-on perspective that is uniquely her own.

Megan is the author of the EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD: Skills to Manage Triggers, Move Beyond Traumatic Memories; and Take Back Your Life released by New Harbinger Publications in May of 2023, The EMDR Flip Chart by PESI Publications and EMDR for Dummies with Wiley Publishing and The EMDR Workbook for Addiction by New Harbinger set to release in 2025.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 6 continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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 marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 10/15/2025. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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 Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 360 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement