How to Integrate a New Therapeutic Modality: The Importance of Education and Support

Laurie Belanger, LCSWR, EMDRIA Approved EMDR Consultant is a Clinical Social Worker & Trauma Therapist providing in-person and remote services to children, adults, and families in New York State. She is passionate about serving the needs of families coping with multi-layered, complicated concerns. Over a career of 20+ years Laurie has developed a strong interest and background in trauma, sensory development, chronic pain, adoption, mental health and neurodiversity. She is an EMDRIA approved EMDR Consultant through EMDRIA, and was professionally trained in TBRI ®  (Trust Based Relational Interventions) by the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. Laurie deeply integrates and includes access to some of the most up to date trauma therapies and supports in her practice.  Included in this is The SSP (Safe and Sound Protocol), a Polyvagal informed, evidence-based therapeutic tool designed to reset the nervous system and return it to safety. Her passion for safely combining deeply sensory oriented, trauma informed materials and supports into diverse settings successfully has led to an increased focus in Mentorship, Consulting, and Training.

Laurie has been using the SSP for multiple years in private practice, eventually integrating this valuable aid into the core of  how she provides EMDR Therapy and other trauma informed modalities with clients of all ages. She has significant personal experience using the SSP for self care and resilience as well. Dedicated to providing cross discipline education to the community, Laurie enjoys providing both Experiential SSP Mentorship to colleagues as well as SSP Coaching Mentorship focused on practical & clinical  integration. 

Kate Appleton, LPC, SEP, TEB, is a seasoned psychotherapist with over 40 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate the complexities of healing and personal growth. Her multidisciplinary approach integrates Somatic Experiencing®, Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), Body-Mind Centering, Transforming Touch®, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Attachment, creating a comprehensive framework for treating complex trauma. She specializes in integrating these innovative models. A contributing author to the recent guidelines on combining SE and SSP in clinical practice, Kate is deeply invested in how chronic stress and trauma manifest in the body and in our attachment-based relationships which shape our capacity for connection and overall well-being.

Her career spans roles as a Special Education Teacher, Community Counselor, Creative Coach, and Family Consultant, and she now dedicates her expertise to teaching practitioners and coaches worldwide. Kate offers immersive intensives, virtual coaching, consulting and international training, with recent work in South Africa pioneering research on sound protocols for healing.

Based in Virginia, Kate continues to expand her impact through global consulting and online courses, blending sensory integration, creative expressive arts, and attachment-informed approaches to foster deeper connections and holistic well-being.

Kelly Beins, BA, BHSc OTR, Unyte’s Clinical Solutions Manager is a seasoned Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience, including 20 years with certification in sensory integration. Kelly specializes in Sensory Integrative Processing and applications of Polyvagal Theory in OT, she is an international speaker, has published two children’s books and was named, Autism Parenting Magazine’s “Top OT” for two consecutive years. Kelly is now the Clinical Solutions Manager for Unyte supporting large organizations and teams of therapists to integrate Unyte programs.