Meet Iris Training Collective
We’re three trauma specialists committed to reshaping how therapists learn, grow, and show up in their work.
Jessica Downs
Co-Founder
EMDRIA Approved Basic Trainer
EMDRIA Approved Consultant & Certified Therapist
Jessica Downs is an experienced psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma and dissociation. Before transitioning into mental health, she was a high school teacher in Houston, TX, where she worked closely with students who had experienced trauma. This experience ignited her passion for supporting individuals beyond the classroom.
Jessica holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Denver. She is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and integrates Ego State Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and the Theory of Structural Dissociation into her practice. Her approach is characterized by a warm, grounded presence and a touch of playfulness, even when navigating challenging therapeutic work.
In 2018, Jessica co-founded Live Well Counseling Center in Grand Junction, Colorado, with her husband, Josh Downs. Their mission is to address the roots of trauma, distress, and disconnection, providing pathways for healing and hope.
Beyond her clinical work, Jessica has a passion for training clinicians to practice EMDR, prior to founding the Iris Training Collective she worked to help train over 600 clinicians in EMDR. In this role, she trained clinicians of all levels of experience.
Outside the therapy room, Jessica finds joy and rejuvenation on her mountain bike, embracing the outdoors as a source of inspiration and balance.
Cassie Krajewski
Co-Founder
MDRIA Approved Consultant & Certified Therapist
AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
Body Trust Certified Practitioner
Clinical Hypnosis Level 2
Cassie Krajewski is a therapist, educator, and speaker whose work sits at the intersection of complex trauma, eating disorders and body image, addiction, sexuality, and relationships. As the founder of Inner Atlas Therapy, Cassie leads with an embodied, anti-oppressive approach rooted in mind-body-spirit integration. She guides clients toward reclaiming their inherent resilience using evidence-informed modalities including EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Body Trust®, attachment theory, and liberation-based frameworks. Whether working with clients, fellow EMDR practitioners, or engaging in meaningful conversations on her podcast, Cassie’s approach centers depth, curiosity, and autonomy.
Cassie is a passionate educator dedicated to clinician development. She facilitates EMDR Basic Trainings and advanced specialty trainings—including EMDR for Eating Disorders and Addictions—through both Inner Atlas and as co-founder of Iris Training Collective. She also offers group and individual EMDR consultation, providing a supportive, collaborative space for therapists navigating complex cases and deepening their clinical work.
Cassie is the host of the Taking Up Space Podcast, a passion project that amplifies conversations on embodiment, healing, and body liberation. As a speaker and educator, she regularly addresses themes of self-healing, the impact of systemic oppression on mental health and identity, and what it means to live in alignment with one’s body, voice, and values.
Cassie believes, “We’re guides, not gurus”—holding space for both clients and clinicians to reconnect with their inner wisdom and reclaim their bodies, voices, and lives.
Publications:
Krajewski, C. (2023, November). An AIP Approach to Disordered Eating. Go With That Magazine, 28(4), 10-16.
Laurel Thornton
Co-Founder
Licensed Professional Counselor (WV & PA)
Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor (WV)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (NC)
EMDRIA Approved Consultant
Laurel Thornton is a licensed counselor, clinical supervisor, and EMDRIA-approved consultant known for her ability to make complex concepts both clear and actionable. As a neuro-psychotherapist, she brings a deep understanding of brain-based healing to her work with complex trauma, neurodivergence, and high-performing individuals. Laurel owns a group practice, Whole Brain Solutions, specializing in EMDR for stress- and trauma-based disorders and blends clinical excellence with whole-person care.
As a passionate educator and co-founder of the Whole Brain Institute and the Iris Training Collective, Laurel helps professional helpers and healers deepen their skills with clarity, creativity, and compassion. She brings a love of the AIP model and a respect for each brain’s unique wiring into every training space—empowering clinicians to trust themselves, embrace nuance, and lead with purpose.
Laurel’s teaching brings a belief in the learner’s unique brain, clarifying insight, humor, and a steady commitment to cultivating spaces where learning is both rigorous and deeply human.
Publications:
Thornton, J.L. “Using EMDR to Treat PTSD Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury – Navigating a Changed Brain and Sense of Self.” Go With That, Winter 2025, 35-45.
Edwards, D.A., O'Neal, J.L. (2009). Oral contraceptives decrease saliva testosterone but do not affect the rise in testosterone associated with athletic competition. Hormones and Behavior 56, 195-198.
Trainings
Find out when our next live training is, or choose from a our library of on-demand trainings
Philosophy
Learn more about our values and what sets us apart as a therapy resource.