Therapeutic Fly-Fishing with EMDR (TF-EMDR)® Retreats

Launching Summer 2026 | Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Trauma work for people who don’t belong on a couch.

Built for people who think clearer in motion and settle faster outside four walls.

Chris Prebble, Licensed Professional Counselor, fly-fishing on a Pennsylvania trout stream

What Is TF-EMDR®

TF-EMDR® is the world's first integration of evidence-based psychotherapy with therapeutic fly-fishing, created by Tony Parmenter and published in the Journal of Military & Veterans' Health in January 2022.

As of 2026, there are fewer than 25 certified TF-EMDR therapists and apprentices in the United States. Tony Parmenter trains one cohort per year. I’m in the June 2026 cohort.

The modality blends structured EMDR with movement, rhythm, and time outdoors — conducted by a licensed mental health professional trained in both EMDR and TF-EMDR specifically.

No office. No staring at the clock. No pretending one approach fits everyone.

TF-EMDR is not therapeutic fly-fishing with a therapist present. It’s not wellness programming dressed up as clinical work.

It’s an evidence-based trauma modality with a specific protocol — facilitated only by clinicians who have completed the required training.

Learn more about TF-EMDR® and the Seiyu Institute at seiyuinstitute.com →.

How TF-EMDR Works®

Being outside changes the baseline. You’re not staring at a wall or watching the clock. The rhythm of casting gives your body somewhere to be while the work happens — which means you’re less in your head about being in therapy and more just doing it.

A lot of people who can’t settle in an office settle out here.

The mechanism isn’t magic. It’s deliberate:

• The water environment is steady and calming without requiring you to manufacture calm

• Movement keeps you grounded and engaged without feeling clinical

• The bilateral rhythm of casting supports trauma processing the same way eye movement does in standard EMDR

• Nature reduces intensity without pulling you away from the work

Many people — including veterans, first responders, caregivers, and those raised in high-expectation or “be strong” environments — find it easier to settle, focus, and stay in the room out here.

Bald Eagle Creek, Centre County, PA

The Clinician Behind This Work

Chris Prebble is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Behavior Specialist, and National Certified Counselor, licensed in Pennsylvania.

Chris Prebble, LPC, holding a fly rod on a Pennsylvania trout stream

I grew up with seven brothers and a lifetime of "suck it up" messaging. Strength meant silence. Crying wasn't an option.

Fishing became one of the few places things felt quieter and clearer.

This work grows out of that experience — and more than 21 years of trauma-informed mental health care. It's for people who don't want to talk everything to death, but do want things to change.

On the training side: I'm currently completing EMDR Basic Training through a Scaling Up EMDRIA-certified program. In June 2026, I'm traveling to Colorado for the first phase of TF-EMDR certification training with Tony Parmenter — the modality's creator and the only person who trains it. When I leave, I will hold the official designation of Apprentice in TF-EMDR, with ongoing consultation leading to TF-EMDR Therapist.

This retreat isn't launching before I'm ready. That's the whole point of building it slow.

Who This Is For

TF-EMDR® may be a good fit if you:

• Grew up with “suck it up” or “keep going” messaging

• Learned early to push through instead of slow down

• Are used to holding it together for everyone else

• Would rather be moving than sitting across from someone processing out loud

• Are curious about EMDR but unsure office-based therapy is the right fit

You don’t need to know how to fly fish. Instruction is included.

What This Is Not

This is not a vacation, a getaway, or a wellness retreat.

It’s not a fishing trip with therapy sprinkled on top. It’s not group sharing around a campfire. And it’s not about escaping your life for a few days and hoping things feel better when you get back.

This is also not:

• A casual introduction to trauma work without structure

• A fit for someone looking to avoid doing real work

• A one-size-fits-all solution

And it’s not about “finding your inner peace,” “healing your inner child,” or talking in circles until you’re exhausted.

This is focused, intentional trauma work — done differently, not lightly.

If you’re looking for something soft, vague, or purely experiential, this won’t be the right fit.

If you want serious work without a clinical therapy feel, it might be.

Before You Apply

This work is serious. Not everyone is in the right place for it right now.

This retreat may not be a good fit if you are:

• In active crisis or experiencing severe instability

• Currently struggling with unmanaged substance use

• Experiencing active psychosis or severe dissociation

• In need of immediate or ongoing psychiatric care

Because this work happens outside of a traditional office setting, participants must be able to engage safely in movement-based activities, including light hiking and fishing, and tolerate time outdoors.

Participants will need to be medically cleared for light hiking and fishing activities prior to participation.

All participants will complete a thorough screening and consultation process to determine fit.

Young Woman's Creek, Clinton, County, PA

This isn’t about exclusion — it’s about doing trauma work responsibly.

What’s Included in a TF-EMDR® Intensive Retreat

Planned components include:

• Pre-intensive consultation

• EMDR preparation and orientation

• Fly-fishing basics (if needed)

• EMDR woven into guided movement

• Breaks built into the day

• Integration planning and next steps

• Optional follow-up support

This is deeper work in a different setting — combining focused trauma processing with the steady rhythm of nature.

(Details may shift as the program develops. Final structure is confirmed during consultation.)

Where This Happens

Clinton County, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas

— including waters in and around Sproul State Forest and the PA Wilds.

Hyner View State Park Hanglider Overlook, Clinton County, PA

Retreats will take place on some of the best trout fishing waters in central Pennsylvania. Final locations are determined during the consultation process and are dependent on weather, water levels, and creek conditions to ensure safety and quality of experience.

I plan to partner with local businesses for meals and lodging so the experience stays rooted in the community it lives in — not outsourced or impersonal.

Planned offerings (launching summer 2026):

Individual TF-EMDR® intensives (initial offering)

Small group alumni retreats (offered after initial individual intensives)

Kettle Creek, Potter County, PA

Longer term, I'm working toward a scholarship fund for Veterans who shouldn't be locked out of this work because of money. If the retreat is the right fit and cost is the only barrier, my intention is for Veterans to attend free of charge.