About Tony
Personal greeting: Greetings. I started Seiyu Institute for Health & Training, L3C to create a variety of ways for helping you find and experience joy despite the pain which naturally exists in our world. Our mind and bodies are whole, and we can experience that easier if we focus our intention on taking action toward meaningful living, with sincerity. My hope for this practice is to help people discover tools for doing so with as few barriers as possible, and to assist other therapists and helpers in facilitating this.
The approaches that I take as a psychotherapist, coach, and consultant are influenced by a lifetime of connection to nature, socioeconomic and multicultural issues, punk music and culture, artistic expression, military/first response culture, CAM & Integrative Medicine, and spirituality. I am a military veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, former ESL teacher, a college professor, member of a bi-cultural/bi-lingual family, and promoter of a Whole Person approach to wellness. I am also the originator of Therapeutic Fly Fishing & EMDR (TF-EMDR)℠ and creator of The Seiyu-Zuri Method of TF-EMDR. I believe that fitness of mind, body, and spirit equally important to a person's health and success.
I am familiar with the ups and downs of the human experience, and know so well how difficult it can be to stay focused and afloat in a chaotic world. However, in the center of all of this we have an opportunity to connect with desire and find our truest selves. When we see that self with sincerity and understanding, we are capable of handling and accomplishing so much. It is why the human race has existed for so long! Working together, we can harness this truth for you to thrive in your experience.
Bio for official purposes: Tony is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and an experienced mental health counselor. After an honorable discharge from the USAF in 2007, he began his mental health career as a volunteer crisis counselor while working as an ESL teacher in Tokyo, Japan. Tony holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science, a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a minor in Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling, and various certifications in the mental health field.
Tony specializes in treating complex and attachment trauma in adults, with a focus on religious trauma and addiction. He is also a Certified EMDR Therapist, Approved EMDR Consultant, and EMDRIA Approved Credit Provider. Tony has taught at several universities and is the owner and clinical director of the Seiyu Institute for Health & Training.
He integrates various therapeutic approaches into his practice, including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, ego state therapy, mindfulness, somatic/energy work, nervous system regulation, and adventure-based counseling theory. Tony is known for pioneering nature-based trauma therapy, combining EMDR with fly-fishing, and offers a Continuing Education course in Therapeutic Fly-fishing with EMDR (TF-EMDR)℠. He also volunteers, consults, and facilitates resiliency retreats for first responders, military, and healthcare professionals.
Tony is licensed to practice as a counselor in Iowa, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, and California.
University Credentials
Antioch University New England, Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Substance Abuse & Addiction Counseling
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Professional Certificate in Critical Incident Stress Management
Bellevue University, Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science
Community College of the Air Force, Associate of Applied Science in Information Management
EMDR qualifications at-a-glance
EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist and Approved Consultant
Published work - Parmenter, A. (2022). Treating combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder using therapeutic fly-fishing with EMDR (TF-EMDR). Journal of Military and Veterans Health, 30(1), 23–32. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.389050772307534
EMDRIA Approved Credit Provider #21015, 2021-present
Approved Continuing Education provider, Vermont Office of Professional Regulation for Allied Mental Health Professionals & Clinical Social Workers
EMDR Basic Training Facilitator-in-Training - Trauma Recovery/EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs, mentored by Dorinna Ruh, LCSW, 2023 - 2024
EMDR Consultant & Training staff - EMDR & Beyond, West Des Moines, IA, 2023-2024
EMDRIA Basic Training, EMDRIA approved (Parts 1-3, incl. Attachment-Focused EMDR) - trained by Laurel Parnell, PhD
Consultation for EMDRIA Certification in EMDR - Aaron Koba, LMFT & Kit Dowling, LCPC
Consultation for EMDRIA Consultant-inTraining - Kit Dowling, LCPC
Listed on Consultant roster as Consultant-in-Training, 2020-2022 - Parnell Institute for EMDR (during Parnell Institute EMDRIA-affiliation)
Volunteer Crisis Response Therapist with Vermont TRN - Trauma Recovery/EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs
Ego State Therapy & EMDR - trained by Robin Shapiro, LICSW
FLASH Technique & Advanced FLASH Technique - trained by Phil Manfield, PhD
Internal Family Systems-informed EMDR - Bruce Hersey, LCSW
Certificate in Holistic & Integrative Health
Continuing Education coursework including: First Responder Resiliency & EMDR; EMDR & Professional Ethics; EMDR 2.0; Ego State Therapy & Dissociative Disorders; EMDR Standard Group Protocol; Buddhist Approaches to Substance Use Disorder treatment with EMDR - MET(T)A Protocol; Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR (SAFE EMDR) for Chronic Pain.
Member: EMDR International Association, Western NY Trauma Collaborative, Western Massachusetts EMDR Network
Professional Social Media
Professional Licenses and Certifications
Iowa: LMHC
Vermont: LCMHC, LADC
Maine: LCPC
New York: LMHC
New Hampshire: LCMHC
Massachusetts: CADC-II
New Hampshire: LCMHC
California: LAADC
International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium: ICAADC
Seiyu Institute: TF-EMDR Therapist; Senior TF-EMDR Instructor
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA): EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA): Approved EMDR Consultant
Parnell Institute for EMDR: EMDR & AF-EMDR Basic Training (EMDRIA-Accredited)
Unyte/ILS - Safe & Sound Protocol Trained & Certified, Remote SSP Trained & Certified, Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) Provider
HeartMath Institute: Trauma-Sensitive HeartMath Certified Practitioner
Skylight Psychedelics: Ketamine Assisted Therapist
Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki Master Practitioner
Komyo ReikiDo Chuden
Professional Memberships
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
Vermont Outdoor Guide Association (VOGA)
American Counseling Association (ACA)
Psychedelic Society of Vermont (PSoVT)
Climate Psychology Alliance - North America
Fire Service Psychological Association
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF)
Japan Society
Appointments in Higher Education
Bellevue University, Adjunct Faculty, 2014-present
New York University, Guest Lecturer, 2023
Purdue University, Adjunct Faculty, 2019
Union Institute & University, Guest Lecturer, 2014-2018
Grand Canyon University, Adjunct Faculty, 2012-2013
Antioch University New England, Graduate Assistant, 2010-2012
Public Service
U.S. Department of Defense, Vermont ESGR, Basic Volunteer & Military Outreach Director, 2020-2021
State Government of Vermont, DAIL/DVR, EAP Specialist, 2015-2021
AmeriCorps: Students in Service, 2010 - 2012
U.S. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Enlisted, 2001-2007
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