Attachment-Focused Trauma Therapy for Adults

AFTT-A

A 2-Part Advanced EMDR Training for Clinicians Working with Adult Attachment Trauma

A 2-Part Advanced EMDR Training for Clinicians Working with Adult Attachment Trauma

Attachment trauma shapes the internal world in ways that standard EMDR approaches don't always reach. Adults who experienced early relational disruption often struggle with fragmented personality structure, difficulty forming safe therapeutic relationships, and limited access to adaptive memory networks needed for effective EMDR reprocessing.

The Attachment-Focused Trauma Therapy for Adults (AFTT-A) training — developed by Debra Wesselmann, MS, LIMHP and Ann E. Potter, Ph.D. — provides clinicians with a structured, experiential approach for working with these clients. Grounded in EMDR's Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and integrated with attachment theory and internal parts work, AFTT-A equips you to go beyond stabilization and help clients achieve lasting internal change.

This is a 2-part training. Both parts are required for certification; each can be taken independently for continuing education.

View Upcoming Training Opportunities

What you will learn

Part 1

Reconstruction of Internal Personality Parts & Attachments

This 2-day training teaches clinicians the skills to incorporate EMDR therapy into internal restructuring — creating safety and new attachment experiences for parts of self, building an effective inner resource team, and strengthening the competent adult self.

SKILLS YOU’LL DEVELOP

  • Creating Safe Place and Higher Power for Adult and Child parts of self

  • Building and installing an internal Resource Team

  • Time-orienting younger/other parts of self

  • Strengthening the Competent Adult through imagery

  • Generating new attachment experiences between Child and True Parent parts

  • Providing emotionally corrective experiences within the therapeutic relationship

  • Integrating AFTT-A strategies and protocols into clinical practice

Part 2

Transitioning & Integrating into EMDR Phases 3-8

This 2-day training teaches clinicians how to bridge the preparation work of Part 1 into active EMDR reprocessing, safely and effectively moving complex clients through Phases 3-8.

SKILLS YOU’LL DEVELOP

  •  Updating the Bonding Contract to support affect regulation during reprocessing

  • Developing therapeutic stories using the Joan Lovett, MD format

  • Implementing "contained reprocessing" to prevent overwhelm in complex clients

  • Applying inverted protocols to enhance safety during trauma work

  • Using cognitive interweaves that integrate preparation-phase content into desensitization

  • Getting client permission and structuring the transition to Phases 3-8

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Both parts of the AFTT-A training include extensive experiential practice. Participants have the opportunity to examine and create changes in their own internal parts and attachments through guided experiential sessions, a key feature that distinguishes this training from lecture-only formats.

Upcoming Trainings

Find an upcoming session.

Whether you're new to attachment-focused EMDR or deepening your advanced practice, there's a training designed for where you are.

New dates added throughout the year.

Virtual Trainings

AFTT-A Part 1: Virtual Training (September 18-19)
AFTT-A Part 2: Virtual Training (November 13-14)

In-Person Trainings

AFTT-A Part 1: In-person Training (October 26-27)

Audience & Educational Credits

  • AFTT-A is designed for licensed mental health professionals who have completed EMDR Basic Training, including psychologists, counselors, social workers, nurses, and other mental health and addiction professionals. It is an intermediate-level training.

    With appropriate adaptations, AFTT-A protocols can be utilized within broader treatment for dissociative identity disorder (DID), though DID treatment is not the primary focus of this workshop.

    • 13 EMDRIA Credits per part (26 total for both parts)

    • EMDRIA Approval

    • Licensure CEs approved through CE-Classes.com for FL, IL, NY, OH, OK, SC, TX, CA (CADTP), and additional states

    • Certificates issued online through CE-Classes.com after workshop completion

    More information on EMDRIA Credits available here.

This Ce-Classes.com course is approved for CE credit by:

  • California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP) Provider Number 231

  • Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling Provider #852 BAP-Expires 3/31/2027

  • Illinois – CE-Classes.com is a registered social work CE sponsor by the State of Illinois. License 159.001607 Expires 11/30/2027

  • New York Mental Health Practitioners Board CE-Classes.com, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Departments 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 Departments State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0211

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • This course does not offer ASWB ACE credit to social workers. However our state board approvals may be accepted for license renewal.  Check with your state board.

  • This course is NOT available for NBCC credit.

Grievances: All grievances must be in writing to angi.decapp@gmail.com and will be replied to within 5 - 10 business days.

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. Licensed Professionals should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.

Conflict of Interest: There are no known conflicts of interest for this workshop.

This workshop is held in facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact debwess@gmail.com if special accommodation is required.