Free Live Webinar | Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 1:00 PM Central Time

Working With First Responders Today:

WHEN YOUR CLINICAL TOOLKIT NEEDS MORE

Join EMDR Institute clinicians April Minjarez, PhD, Lynn Smith, LCSW, and Ted Olejnik, LICSW for a free, case-driven conversation about working with first responders (law enforcement, fire, EMS, paramedics, dispatchers, and military service members) and what changes clinically when EMDR therapy enters the picture.

About This Webinar

What You'll Learn

  • Why first responder trauma (cumulative exposure, moral injury, hypervigilance) often stalls in traditional talk therapy

  • How EMDR therapy fits alongside the clinical approaches you already use as an additive tool, not a replacement

  • Real case discussion from clinicians actively working with law enforcement, fire/EMS, and military populations

  • How the EMDR Institute’s Gold Standard protocol, rooted in Dr. Francine Shapiro’s original work, applies to stoic, high-functioning, trauma-exposed clients

  • What clinical decision-making looks like when avoidance, identity, and first responder culture are in the room

  • A practical look at the EMDR therapy Basic Training as a next professional step

Who This Webinar is For

This session is built for licensed mental health clinicians who:

  • Currently work with firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS providers, paramedics, dispatchers, veterans, or active-duty military

  • Feel “stuck” applying traditional approaches with high-stress, trauma-exposed clients

  • Are curious about EMDR therapy but unsure whether (or how) it fits into their existing practice

  • Supervise or consult with other clinicians serving these populations

If you have colleagues who work with first responders and have been EMDR-curious but unsure which training path fits,
Please send them this link.

MEET THE PANEL

April Minjarez, PhD
(Moderator)

Trauma specialist and EMDR consultant with clinical experience across first responder and military populations.

Lynn Smith, LCSW
(Panelist)

Works clinically with fire service, EMS, and peer support populations.

Ted Olejnik, LICSW
(Panelist)

Works clinically with law enforcement, veterans, and the fire service.

A NOTE ON FORMAT

This is a clinical conversation, not a protocol walkthrough. Panelists will share real (de-identified) case work, then talk through the clinical decision-making out loud.

RESERVE MY SEAT

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EMDR Institute is approved by EMDRIA as an EMDRIA-Approved Training Provider.