What is EMDR Training?
…And Why Choose EMDR Educators for it?
A brief exploration into EMDR therapy, EMDRIA, EMDR training and our role in it all.
First of all,
What is EMDR Training?
Top Must-Know Essentials of EMDR Training for Therapists and Graduate Students
E. M. D. R. ?
Eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful mental health therapy that’s changing lives. The boom of its popularity is thanks to its effectiveness. EMDR is no longer just a PTSD treatment. In fact, the thought that it’s just for trauma is just so 1990s’!
Forget struggling to make progress with clients who suffer from depression, phobias, anxiety, recurring nightmares, stress and a long-and-growing list of other common psychological ailments you can do EMDR for. The positive testimonials of countless clients and patients have many therapists asking, “what is EMDR training?’.
Of course, most mental health professionals know well what EMDR is. They ask the question because they want to know what the training is like. But the quality of the EMDR training experience depends on who you choose as your EMDR training provider.
To ensure you get the highest quality EMDR training, make sure it meets EMDRIA’s standards. If you get trained by an EMDRIA-approved EMDR training provider like EMDR Educators, then you’ll be an EMDRIA-approved EMDR therapist!
Okay, now then,
What (or who) is EMDRIA?
The Top Must-Know Authority on EMDR Training Quality Every EMDR Therapist and Student Should Have Heard Of
A Brief Overview of EMDRIA’s Standards for EMDR Training
What is EMDRIA? It’s the EMDR International Association. And EMDRIA sets the standards for EMDR training, approved consultants, and EMDR certification. Founded in 1995, EMDRIA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
EMDRIA established the eligibility requirements. And they require EMDR training for therapists to consist of 20 instructional hours, 20 small group supervised practice hours and 10 hours of consultation. These are the minimum requirements.
EMDRIA also oversees the course content. The goal is to make sure EMDR therapists have the knowledge and skill necessary to use EMDR appropriately in a wide array of case scenarios. For this reason, the curriculum must cover the current explanatory model, methodology, and underlying mechanisms.
(That’s why if you’re asking, “what is EMDR training” EMDRIA best be at least mentioned in the answer.)
Although some EMDR training providers aim merely to satisfy EMDRIA’s minimum curriculum requirements, EMDRIA allows trainers to develop and submit their own enhanced curriculum for approval.
Depending on the curriculum and its author, the benefit to the EMDR trainees is the increased insight and dynamic perspective delivered in a structured way by a teacher passionate enough to customize the experience for his or her students, exceeding the minimum requirements. It benefits therapists and their patients alike, facilitating better outcomes.
At EMDR Educators, our EMDR basic training is called Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing (EMDR): Integrating EMDR Therapy Into Your Practice. It was developed by our very own Dr. Andrew Dobo, trainer, therapist, and author of the popular EMDR book Unburdening Souls at the Speed of Thought (it has a 5-star rating on Amazon!).
And finally…
Why Learn EMDR from EMDR EDUCATORS?
What EMDR Training Like at EMDR Educators:
At EMDR Educators, we pride ourselves on the quality of the training experience we’re able to provide. Student comfort is a standard Dr. Dobo has set, as he knows this can make a big difference on your absorption of the material.
And another reason your comfort is of the utmost important to us is that you are required to experience EMDR from both sides during your training. Not only do you get to practice all requisite skills of this treatment approach as a therapist, but you must also undergo it as a client.
During training, you get to analyze the discovery, history, and evolution of EMDR. You’ll be well-equipped to explain the therapy when working even with specific populations such as children, war veterans, first responders, sexual abuse victums, those with complex PTSD and dissociation, and, of course, couples.
The basic training will teach you The Adaptive Information Processing Model (AIP) and 8-Phases of EMDR therapy as developed by Francine Shapiro. You’ll get to analyze the basic hypotheses, clinical implications and applications of this model. It takes EMDR training to truly be apt at discussing the differentiation of this model from other therapeutic models.
And whether you choose to use EMDR with your clients or not after you’ve been trained, you’ll be better equipped to identify the impact of trauma. You’ll learn about client readiness and preparation for treatment, including how to develop informed consent, take history, manage affect, and plan the treatment and target sequence.
As you learn EMDR you’ll get to practice strategies that will help you and your clients get unstuck, including how to move through blocked processes, as well as utilizing interweaves, bridges, and how to manage the new material that emerges.
Dr. Dobo will even teach you how to tell when EMDR therapy might be contraindicated. You’ll know when special care should be taken. You’ll be an EMDR therapist who can practice EMDR even in the face of special circumstances such as anxiety, phobia, and grief.
These are just a few of the learning objectives. But hopefully the next time someone asks you, “What is EMDR training?”, you can tell them – and if you suspect that they may be eligible for EMDR training, be sure to send them here to EMDR Educators so you can get free consultations.