Introduction
Date Course Created: October 2026
Please Note: No prior EMDR training is required to benefit from this course; however, previous EMDR training is recommended.
One of the greatest challenges in trauma therapy is helping clients approach distressing memories without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Some clients become highly activated when discussing traumatic experiences. Others avoid trauma processing altogether due to fear, shame, dissociation, or concerns about emotional flooding. For these individuals, traditional trauma processing approaches may feel inaccessible, resulting in stalled treatment and ongoing symptoms.
The EMDR Flash Technique is an innovative intervention developed by Dr. Philip Manfield that allows clinicians to process traumatic memories while minimizing client distress and conscious exposure to the target memory. Rather than requiring sustained attention on traumatic material, clients maintain their focus on an engaging, non-traumatic experience while only briefly contacting the target memory during the intervention process. This approach can reduce distress, increase client willingness to engage in trauma treatment, and provide a valuable pathway into deeper trauma processing work.
In this practical training, participants will learn the theory behind the Flash Technique, appropriate case selection, the Flash protocol, common clinical challenges, and strategies for integrating Flash into trauma treatment. Participants will also explore how the technique can be used as a standalone intervention or as preparation for standard EMDR processing.
Although rooted in EMDR practice, the concepts presented in this course are relevant to any clinician seeking ways to reduce client overwhelm and improve engagement in trauma-focused treatment.
DISCLAIMER: This program has been developed and offered by Online CE Credits, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any other organization, center, clinic, institute, psychotherapy broker, person, or other business entity.
This is a 1.75-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform.
Agenda
00:00 – 00:30 → Introduction / Risks / Benefits of the Flash Technique, Addressing Client Attrition and Dropout
00:30 – 01:00 → Flash Technique Mechanisms and Advantages, Research Limitations and Evidence, Addressing Risks
01:00 – 01:30 → Core Rules of Conscious Attention, Target Identification and Setup, Check In and Transition Steps
01:30 – 01:55 → Determining SUDS Thresholds for Progress, Explaining the Technique to Clients, Flash Versus Standard EMDR
Objectives
This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:
After completing this training, participants will be able to describe the theoretical rationale underlying the EMDR Flash Technique.- After completing this training, participants will be able to identify clinical presentations that may benefit from Flash interventions.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to explain the role of the Engaging Focus within the Flash protocol.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to implement the Flash Technique protocol.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to differentiate Flash Technique interventions from standard EMDR processing procedures.
- After completing this training, participants will be able to apply strategies for reducing client overwhelm during trauma-focused treatment.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this course includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, MFT’s, and other clinical mental health professionals.
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Instructor(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, JD, MS, MA
Material Author(s): Jennifer Sweeton, PsyD, JD, MS, MA
For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.
Course Materials & Delivery Method:
Course Materials – The course is composed of a recorded presentation and written materials (e.g. a slide deck and/or other worksheets, manuals, or handouts as provided by the instructor). The slide deck and any additional worksheets or handouts (as provided by the instructor) are made available inside the Lesson module after a course is purchased.- Delivery Method – This course is a recorded asynchronous, self-paced webinar training, and there is no access time limit or due date to complete it once enrolled. The enrolled learner will stream the recorded presentation and view the materials from their internet connected device via an industry-standard online learning platform.
CE Approvals:
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, 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: July 23, 2025 – July 23, 2028. Social workers completing this course receive 1.75 clinical continuing education credits.
Other Helpful Information:
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- Course Completion Requirements – 1.) View the entire Lesson module (accessible from the main course page), to include the embedded and/or linked presentation video(s), slide deck, additional materials, and/or links to any shared video clip(s) that may have been edited from the presentation video(s) to comply with copyright laws. 2.) Click into the Quiz module accessible from either the main course page or the Lesson page and complete the Quiz with an 80% or better pass rate. 3.) Complete the Course Evaluation – you’ll be sent to the Evaluation automatically once you successfully pass the Quiz.
- Posttest Requirements – You must answer 80% or more of the Quiz questions correctly to pass. If you fail to pass the first time, you may attempt the quiz again until you are able to pass with a score of 80% or better. Quizzes are graded instantly and automatically by the learning management system once your attempt is submitted.
- Certificate of Completion – Certificates of Completion are automatically generated – downloadable from your Dashboard and emailed to you – once you view the Lesson Materials and complete the Quiz and the Course Evaluation.
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