Institute for Creative Mindfulness

Presented by Jamie Marich, Ph.D., LPCC-S, REAT, EMDRIA-Approved Trainer and Rev. John Michael Thornton

Location: Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center

Discussant: Kellie Kirksey, Ph.D., LPCC-S

*Lunch will be provided*

April 26, 2024

9:00am-4:30pm ET

Course Description

Six major global religions, most notably Hinduism and Buddhism, espouse teaching on the cycle of death and rebirth—colloquially known as reincarnation, totaling 1.9 billion people (or 19% of the world’s population). Recent research shows that 24% of American Christians hold a belief in some form of reincarnation, and many EMDR therapists have reported the emergence of “past lives” and similar themes in EMDR therapy sessions and other wellness work. Once considered a fringe area to study in modern psychology, having an understanding in these belief systems and how to work with them clinically is an important cultural humility/competency issue for EMDR Therapists.

This workshop is co-facilitated by master EMDR Therapy trainer and author Dr. Jamie Marich and content expert in the metaphysical arts Rev. John Michael Thornton. The first part of the workshop is for all clinical and wellness providers to review the core concepts of teaching on the cycle of death and rebirth from various global traditions and to discuss how they might show up for clients in trauma-related sessions. In the second part of the workshop, we will divide into groups of EMDR therapists and other providers to discuss cases and implementation issues specific to practice and settings. All EMDR content is compliant with the standard 8-Phase protocol of EMDR Therapy, although past lives work as a proposed “fourth prong” to the three-prong model are discussed, and issues around “staying out of the way,” and working with spiritually informed interweaves are also incorporated. 

Cost of workshop: 

$135.00 (clinical professional rate, CEs required)

$ 95.00 (professional or general interest, no CEs required)

Cost includes lunch whether you are coming to main retreat—registration required two weeks in advance to reserve a spot for lunch

Can also be taken as a pre-retreat add on ($75.00 for anyone attending the retreat, whether CEs are required or not)

Course Objectives

After this workshop participants will be able to:

(a)    To define what is meant by the cycle of death and rebirth as a spiritual/religious and cultural construct

(b)    To contextualize how major global religions (e.g., Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Shinto) explain the cycle of death and rebirth, also comparing and contrasting how similar beliefs may be held for people who belong to the Abrahamic faiths (e.g., Judaism, Islam, Christianity) and for those who practice Indigenous and tribal religions 

(c)    To discuss how the cycle of death and rebirth can be conceptualized as part of the proposed “fourth prong” (Robinson, 2016) of the three-pronged EMDR Therapy model and part work in addressing dissociation and complex trauma

(d)    To cultivate a series of spiritually-attuned resources for clients who desire to bring this aspect of their lives and selves into EMDR, other trauma therapy, and wellness services 

(e)    FOR EMDR THERAPISTS: To apply principles of “staying out of the way,” in accordance with the adaptive information processing model, while also being aware of interweave options when a client articulates beliefs about the cycle of death and rebirth and/or the afterlife

(f)    FOR EMDR THERAPISTS: To implement skillfully client disclosures about their spiritual beliefs into EMDR Therapy cases conceptualization, specifically Phase 8 re-evaluation 

(g)    FOR NON-EMDR THERAPISTS: To develop culturally-attuned treatment or service plans that skillfully work with the clients articulated spiritual or religious beliefs about the cycle death and rebirth and/or the afterlife 

(h)    To uphold the relevance of this content on the cycle of death and rebirth as legitimate content for clinical professionals to study as a cultural and clinical competency issue, especially when challenged by colleagues and their misguided and Eurocentric comments challenging its relevance for clinicians.