How to Become EMDR Certified: My Non-Tradtional Path

Reflecting back on my journey as an EMDR therapist, I realize that I took a non-traditional path to becoming EMDR certified. This path, similar to many other ventures I have been on professionally and personally, tracks that in many ways I have to find my own way. I've always been a slight non-conformist. After I completed my basic training, my primary focus became learning how to do EMDR. I tried to learn it on my own, which led me down the pathway of more trainings and added to my book collection. It was sometime early in the pandemic that I thought I would try EMDR consultation. I was stuck with a client and couldn't seem to make headway. EMDR consultation is where I learned to case conceptualize using the AIP framework, understand attachment adaptations, and the "why" and the "what."

My Path to EMDRIA Certification

EMDRIA certification wasn't as much of a priority for me as learning how to use EMDR in an effective way that helped my clients. I stayed in consultation for 3 years, accruing over 30 hours of consultation before submitting my application for EMDRIA certification.  It changed my practice, my personal journey and I haven't left, which says something that after a total of 6 years, and counting, my ADHD brain still finds it stimulating. 

EMDRIA Certification Requirements

By EMDRIA standards, the pathway to become certified is straightforward. Once a therapist completes the EMDRIA Approved Basic Training (including the consultation hours required of the training), they then need:

• A license to practice independently and at least two years of experience in their field of license
• 20 hours of EMDR consultation
• 12 hours of EMDRIA Approved Continuing Education
• At least one letter of recommendation from an EMDRIA Approved Consultant
• Two letters of recommendation regarding their professional practice
• A notarized statement attesting to their experience in the field and that they have conducted at least 50 EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients

You can find the full details on EMDRIA's certification requirements page.

However, because I took the non-traditional route, a large chunk of my hours were conducted by a consultant in training (CIT). CITs are colleagues who are working on developing their consultation skills and have not yet submitted for full consultant status. EMDRIA will accept up to 15 consultation hours from a CIT, and at least 5 hours need to be with an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Since 20 of my hours were conducted by a CIT, I switched consultants, per their recommendation, in order to acquire the remaining hours needed with an EMDRIA Approved Consultant.

This actually turned out to be a huge benefit for my professional journey because the EMDRIA Approved Consultant had more experience and was running more advanced consultation groups. Looking back, I was really on the lower end of the experience continuum, but I learned so much from the colleagues in the group and the cases they shared. The EMDRIA Approved Consultant I was working with wrote my letter of recommendation for EMDRIA certification, as well as the CIT. I asked colleagues who I was in group consultation with to write letters of recommendation regarding my professional practice. And I began to grow my network of EMDR colleagues at a national level.

How Many EMDR Consultation Hours Do You Need for Certification?

The most confusing part of the journey is understanding how many hours you "need" to apply for certification. The grand total is 20 consultation hours. Up to 10 can be group consultation hours, and the remaining 10 would need to be individual consultation. As I shared in my experience, I worked with a CIT for at least half of my hours, and then I asked for her recommendation for a consultant (because here's the reality: she was being mentored by an EMDRIA Approved Consultant). These hours have to be accrued within 5 years of your application; otherwise, unless your consultant can justify it, they reset.

Group vs. Individual EMDR Consultation: Which Is Better?

The most common question I get is which one is better: group or individual? The answer is always individualized. It depends on how you best learn and what your goals are.

Group consultation often offers a rich discussion of cases and in many ways takes the responsibility off of you to present a case at each meeting. Rather, you learn from colleagues, which I shared was my experience in some of the advanced groups that I attended. Individual consultation offers you the deep dive, individualized support to be able to really learn the protocol and apply it to your practice.

Both are equally valuable in your journey as an EMDR clinician; however, I think it really depends on where you are at in your journey. What I see most often happening is consultees typically start off in an individual setting, and then they move into group consultation based on where they're at in their journey. As I mentioned earlier, group creates the space for collegial connections and networking, sometimes beyond the community you are working in.

Learn more about my individual and group EMDR consultation.

Understanding Letters of Recommendation for EMDR Certification

The EMDRIA Approved Consultant Letter

Letters are issued by the approved consultant. This approved consultant is working with you to make sure that you're able to implement the EMDR standard protocol. This is an ongoing,  discussion around what works, what doesn't work, and how they can best support you in your growth.

For example, in my consultation practice I'm continually talking with my consultees about how they are growing as EMDR clinicians, and, as they're tracking towards certification, what they need in order to demonstrate that they are able to implement the standard protocol consistently with their clients. This is a collaborative discussion.

Many consultants share that they do not immediately write a letter of recommendation after consultation. It is my policy that I need to have at least 6 months of a relationship with a consultee before I write a letter of recommendation. This allows me to experience and understand how you're implementing EMDR in your practice, as well as your growing edges.

Professional Practice Letters

The other letters of recommendation you will need are letters regarding your professional practice: your utilization of EMDR, your ethics and practice, and your professional character. This is where group consultation really comes into play and can be really helpful, because you've started to build those collegial relationships and networks with other people who are on the same journey as you.

I utilized the colleagues I had in my consultation group to write my letters of recommendation because they had seen my responses to questions and discussion in the group, as well as my case presentations, so they could speak directly to my work with EMDR. It's not always the case that folks are able to utilize colleagues from a consultation group, and so another option would be a colleague you are collaborating with on a case.

EMDRIA Continuing Education: The 12-Hour Requirement

Earlier in my journey, while trying to figure out if consultation was the right way to go or if I wanted to learn on my own, I had accumulated enough EMDRIA continuing education credits to satisfy this 12-hour requirement. You can find these through the EMDRIA website, and many trainers and training institutes offer specific EMDRIA continuing education credits. The EMDRIA Conference also provides credits for continuing education.

These 12 hours of continuing education credits are going to be a constant in your journey. If you decide to get the credential, you will need to renew your credential every two years and will need continuing education credits to support that credential.

Demystifying the EMDR Certification Process

So in summary, part of becoming certified, is to engage in EMDR consultation, which requires 20 hours of EMDR consultation. You can do all 20 hours individually, or you can do up to 10 hours in EMDR group consultation, with the remaining hours done at the individual level.

As I shared, I worked with a CIT, which helped reduce the cost of consultation. However, I did need to connect with an approved consultant for the last 5 hours of the required consultation hours. I chose to do that with a consultant who was connected to my CIT, and I continued to build my community connection with the consultants I was working with at the Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy.

Many consultants want to have an idea of how you work and an understanding of your work, and will ask you for a transcript. They often have a minimum time they need to work with you in order to be able to attest to your work as an EMDR therapist prior to certification. This is a collaborative process in terms of making sure you meet the metrics to be able to apply the standard protocol and use it with fidelity. It is not meant to be a barrier; rather, it is a way to help you structure your learning journey.

Ready to Start Your Path to EMDR Certification?

If you're looking for more support with becoming an EMDR certified therapist, please reach out. I offer group and individual EMDR consultation to support you in your learning journey, as well as a scholarship program to help manage the cost of consultation, because I don't want finances to be get in the way of your journey