MEET THE TEAM
At IRIS, our trainers aren’t just educators — we’re practicing clinicians who bring real-world therapy experience into every training. Meet the founders who guide our collective.
Anastasia Soroka
(she/they)
LPC, EMDR Certified, EMDR Consultant-in-Training
Anastasia Soroka is a therapist, educator, and author who is passionate about holding space for the complex layers of the human experience within trauma, intimacy and connection, chronic pain, and neurodivergence/identity work. Anastasia believes in a holistic approach to help other therapists and clients find their authentic selves and follow their inner voice. Growing up in the Middle East and Southeast Asia has allowed her to have a unique perspective on the world and ability to sit with others whose culture or identity differ vastly from her own.
She believes we are the experts of our own lives and need to forge our own path, using the wisdom of others to help us in that journey. In order to guide others effectively, Anastasia has expanded her therapeutic knowledge to include language from several modalities including EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Canine Assisted Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing.
Anastasia is the founder of Happy Mind Wellness Company, host of the Insights with Us Podcast, and co-author of the bestselling stigma-smashing book Pillow Talk: Real People. Real Stories. Real Awkward. She has a passion for teaching, and loves supporting and lifting up others.
When she is not working, you can find her relaxing in nature with her golden retriever, Juliet, or collecting a new hobby to add to her menagerie of interests.
Cassie Krajewski
(she/her)
CO-FOUNDER | EMDRIA Approved Consultant and 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.
Erika Yourdan
(she/her/ella)
PhD, LMFT-Supervisor, LAC, LCDC, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Approved Consultant
Erika Yourdan believes that meaningful relationships are at the heart of growth and healing. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, a Licensed Addiction Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and Approved Consultant. Erika is also an educator, serving as the Director of Clinical Training at National University and a group practice owner working in Abilene, TX. She is passionate about helping people grow—both in and outside the therapy room. She loves mentoring future therapists, creating meaningful connections, and bringing warmth, humor, and authenticity to her work. Her research and her clinical stance largely focus on generational trauma with an emphasis on inherited strengths, healing, and the biological superhero in all of us. Whether she’s supporting clients, teaching students, or cheering on her team, Erika believes that healing and growth happen best through compassion, curiosity, and a little bit of laughter.
Jessica Downs
(she/her)
CO-FOUNDER | LCSW | EMDRIA Approved Basic Trainer | EMDRIA Approved Consultant and 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.
Laurel Thornton
(she/her)
CO-FOUNDER | WV - LPC, ALPs | PA - LPC | NC - LMHC | 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.
Melissa Fisher
(she/her)
LCSW, EMDRIA Approved Consultant & Certified Therapist
Melissa Fisher, LCSW is the Clinical Director at Live Well Counseling Center in Grand Junction, CO where she supports individuals navigating trauma survivorship in addition to clinically supporting the Live Well team. Melissa specializes in treating complex trauma, dissociation, and grief through the use of EMDR and Ego States Therapy. She is certified in EMDR, an EMDRIA approved consultant, and trains advanced EMDR courses. Melissa uses her background in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics to support a neurological understanding of stress, trauma, connection, and recovery.
Melissa loves the training and consultation process; she enjoys building relationships with clinicians, creating a safe and nurturing space, and watching their skills and confidence grow. Melissa brings playfulness, warmth, and humility to training and consultation. When she's not at work, you can find her baking, watching reality TV, and listening to podcasts about that same reality TV.
Sarah Carzoli
(she/her)
Email Marketing and Automation Specialist
Sarah brings over 6 years of email marketing experience to her role as email marketing specialist at IRIS Training Collective. She specializes in email marketing and CRM strategy, finding creative ways to share the exciting work the IRIS team is doing. She thrives on collaboration and connection, and genuinely loves working alongside the people that make IRIS such a special place.
Outside of work, Sarah is a proud military wife and mom of two. Her family loves camping, movie nights, and cheering on her kids at soccer games and on the golf course. That same love of community and heart for people is what drives her work at IRIS every day.
Tiffany Peeler
(she/her)
Director of Operations
Tiffany brings nearly 20 years of administrative and operations experience to her role as Director of Operations at IRIS Training Collective. She manages the behind-the-scenes details that keep IRIS running—from maintaining the site and systems to ensuring each training flows smoothly. Tiffany is a steady source of support for both trainees and trainers, helping create a seamless learning experience.
Based in Georgia, Tiffany is a proud mom of three and stepmom of one. When she’s not working, you can find her doing crafts with her kids, lending a hand at a school event, or cooking a big Sunday dinner for her family. Blending her expertise in operations with her love of family and community, Tiffany helps bring IRIS’s mission to life: equipping therapists with accessible, high-quality EMDR training offered with warmth and compassion.
