What We Wish Therapists Knew About Scaling Up

 

 

 

Transcript

Hi there, and welcome back to Scaling Up Your Impact—the podcast for trauma-informed therapists who want to grow their skills, confidence, and reach—without burning out.

I’m Kelly Smyth-Dent, founder of Scaling Up, and today we’re pulling back the curtain a little bit and giving you some real talk about who we are, what drives us, and what we wish more therapists knew about Scaling Up.

Whether you’ve taken a training with us, followed us online, or just recently found us, this episode will give you a deeper look at the heart behind what we do—and clear up some of the most common misconceptions we hear.

Let’s start with a little backstory.

Scaling Up started because we saw a gap in the trauma training world. I was working in humanitarian settings, with first responders, and with communities experiencing ongoing traumatic stress—both in the U.S. and internationally. And I noticed that while EMDR is an incredible tool, the traditional training models didn’t always address the realities that many clinicians face:

• Clients living in ongoing danger or instability
• High caseloads with limited session time
• Populations with little to no access to specialized trauma care
• Clinicians themselves feeling burned out, under-resourced, or under-supported

So the idea behind Scaling Up wasn’t just to train more therapists in EMDR. It was to equip clinicians with practical, real-world tools they could actually use—across different settings, client populations, and stages of their careers. This would allow the larger mental health community to alleviate human suffering one session at a time – which is ultimately, Scaling Up’s mission.

And accessibility has been a core value from day one—whether that’s financial accessibility, cultural relevance, or offering online training formats that meet people where they are.

At the heart of Scaling Up, we believe in three main things:

1. Trauma care should be accessible—and accessibility is more than just financial.

We know that EMDR and other evidence-based trauma treatments have the power to change lives. But too often, access to this kind of training is limited by cost, geography, or rigid training models that don’t fit every therapist’s reality.

That’s why we offer:

✅ Scholarships
✅ Payment plans
✅ Group discounts
✅ And grant-funded programs—like the free EMDR Basic Training we’ve been running for Arizona clinicians serving veterans

But accessibility isn’t just about money.

It’s also about making sure our trainings are culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and grounded in anti-oppression values.
We care deeply about racial justice, disability justice, gender/sexuality justice and creating training spaces where marginalized clinicians feel welcomed, represented, and supported.

That means we actively work to:

✅ Acknowledge systemic barriers that impact both therapists and clients
✅ Challenge white-centered, ableist norms in clinical training spaces
✅ Incorporate diverse faculty perspectives
✅ And design content that recognizes the impact of systemic oppression on trauma and healing

We’re not perfect, and we’re always learning—but this is a core part of our mission.

Because trauma doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Neither does healing.

2. Real-world practicality matters.

Our trainings aren’t about overwhelming you with theory and then leaving you wondering how to actually apply it.
We focus on:

✅ Case examples from real clients
✅ Practical tools you can implement right away
✅ Protocol adaptations for complex and high-need cases

We don’t believe in gatekeeping clinical knowledge. We believe in making it usable.

3. Therapists deserve support, not shame.

You won’t find perfectionism here. We know therapists are carrying heavy caseloads, showing up for clients while managing their own life stressors, and trying to keep up with best practices in an ever-changing field.

That’s why we prioritize language that’s encouraging, non-shaming, and supportive. You’re already doing important work. We’re just here to help you do it with more confidence and fewer sleepless nights.

Now… let’s talk about a few misconceptions we hear about Scaling Up.

Misconception #1: “Scaling Up is just about EMDR Intensives.”

Yes, we teach EMDR Intensives—but that’s only one piece of what we do.

We also offer:

✅ EMDR Basic Training
✅ Advanced EMDR courses like EMDR GAP Training and the EMDR Therapy Refresher
✅ EMDR Certification support
✅ On-demand webinars
✅ And free resources like this podcast

We’re here to support clinicians across the entire EMDR learning journey—from first training to advanced practice.

Misconception #2: “Scaling Up is only for therapists working in private practice.”

Not true at all.

We’ve trained:

✅ Community mental health providers
✅ School-based clinicians
✅ Nonprofit counselors
✅ Hospital & recovery center therapists
✅ Military and first responder behavioral health teams
✅ International humanitarian workers

Our tools and trainings are designed for both agency and private practice settings—because trauma doesn’t only show up in one kind of office.

Misconception #3: “You have to be super advanced or specialized to benefit from Scaling Up trainings.”

Definitely not.

Our trainings are intentionally structured for therapists at all stages:

✅ If you’re brand new to EMDR… we’ve got you covered with Basic Training.

✅If you’re not interested in EMDR but want a tool to respond to crisis and help prevent the onset of PTSD after an adverse event…the ASSYST is here for you.

✅ If you’ve been trained but feel a little rusty… the EMDR Refresher course is for you.

✅ If you’re ready to go deeper and serve more complex or underserved populations… that’s where our EMDR GAP Training, Certification Program, and other advanced offerings come in.

Misconception #4: “Scaling Up is just another big training company.”

We’re a small, mission-driven team—built by clinicians, for clinicians. We’re intentional about keeping our trainings engaging, interactive, and grounded in lived clinical experience—not just PowerPoint slides and textbook definitions.

If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you care about providing excellent trauma care—and you want to feel more equipped and supported in doing it.

Here are a few ways you can stay connected with us:

✅ Check out our website: scalingupemdr.com. That’s where you’ll find all our upcoming trainings, on-demand courses, and scholarship info.
✅ Join the Scaling Up Collective: This is our membership community for ongoing support, CE opportunities, clinical tools, and connection with other like-minded therapists.
✅ Follow us on social: We’re on Instagram and Facebook—sharing free tips, podcast updates, and real-time resources.
✅ Stay subscribed to this podcast: We’re here every week with practical, bite-sized episodes designed to keep you learning without adding more to your plate.

Thanks for being here—and thanks for being part of a community of clinicians working to scale up your impact… one client, one training, and one step at a time.

Until next time.