EMDR therapy doesn’t just change the client, it changes the therapist. But before that transformation begins, there’s one very important threshold to cross: training.
Whether you’re newly licensed or seasoned in the field, choosing to train in EMDR isn’t just a credentialing decision. It’s a commitment to learn a modality that respects the deep intelligence of the mind and body, and invites healing without force, without over-explaining, and without years of looping in symptoms.
So how do you become an EMDRIA-approved EMDR therapist? And what does that path actually feel like when it’s done right?
Step 1: Choose an EMDRIA-Approved Training Program
EMDRIA, the EMDR International Association, sets the standards for what constitutes a valid and recognized EMDR training. To be eligible for certification and to safely practice, you must complete training from an EMDRIA-approved provider.
At EMDR Educators, we offer trainings that not only meet those requirements, but also go deeper—rooted in the foundational principles taught by Francine Shapiro, while helping you develop the attunement and presence necessary for Transformational EMDR™.
See our full training calendar
Step 2: Complete the Full Basic Training (Two Parts)
EMDRIA-approved basic training consists of:
- At least 20 hours of instructional content
- At least 20 hours of supervised practicum
- 10 hours of consultation with an EMDRIA-approved consultant
It’s common for this to be broken into two parts, often about 4–6 weeks apart. At EMDR Educators, our 5-day intensive format offers a rich immersion experience, allowing therapists to deeply absorb the material, practice the standard protocol, and reflect on their own healing as they experience EMDR from the client side.
Step 3: Participate in 10 Consultation Hours
These hours are often overlooked in their importance, but this is where your learning ripens.
The 10 consultation hours give you access to the wisdom of a seasoned EMDRIA-approved consultant who helps you integrate what you’ve learned into your clinical work. At EMDR Educators, our consultation is not just technical, it’s relational. We explore what’s happening within you as you facilitate sessions, because you can’t guide a client somewhere you haven’t gone.
Consultation calls are typically done in small groups, though some hours may be individual. Either way, this time becomes a container for mastery.
Step 4: Practice and Develop Competence
After you’ve completed training and consultation, you can refer to yourself as an EMDR therapist.
But becoming a truly skilled EMDR therapist is an ongoing path. It’s not about collecting interweaves or finding the most dramatic success stories. It’s about developing trust in the process and in the client’s system. That takes time. Presence. Humility.
As Dr. Dobo says, “The more you do EMDR, the less you do.”
What Makes a Therapist EMDRIA-Certified?
After basic training, you have the option to pursue EMDRIA certification. It’s a next-level credential that signifies advanced competence. To become EMDRIA-Certified, you must:
- Complete the basic training
- Provide a minimum of 50 EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients
- Engage in 20 additional hours of consultation
- Submit letters of recommendation and case documentation
Not all therapists pursue this path. It’s not required for practice. But for those who want to go further, it’s a valuable recognition.
EMDRIA certification requirements
Why the Right Training Matters
In a modality that can heal at the speed of thought, the margin for misunderstanding is wide and potentially harmful.
A good EMDR training doesn’t just teach steps. It helps therapists slow down enough to recognize the moment when the client’s system is doing the work, and to resist the urge to interfere. A great training initiates a different way of being with clients. It opens a door.
Our trainings emphasize this. At EMDR Educators, we teach the standard protocol with reverence and discipline. But we also teach you how to listen—to the eye movements, to the body, to the session’s deeper intelligence.
Ready to Begin?
Becoming an EMDR therapist isn’t just about adding a modality to your toolkit. It’s about stepping into a way of working that honors healing as something that already knows how to happen.
And that changes everything.
0 Comments