Interested in EMDR Training? Or, If You're a Client, Ask Your Therapist Who They Trained With!

Many therapists are becoming interested in learning EMDR, as research continues to demonstrate its effectiveness in cases where other therapies have failed--especially trauma.

The question is, where do you get trained? There are so many EMDR trainings available online and in person, that figuring out what training to take can be overwhelming.

The sad truth is that most EMDR trainings do not have international approval, including the most popular one (PESI) EMDRIA, the international accrediting body, does not give approval to trainings that do not teach the Standard Protocol--which is what the research is based on. Many trainings don't even seek approval.

Research demonstrates that the farther a therapist strays from the Standard Protocol, the worse the results. PESI's training has been flagged as possibly dangerous by the EMDR Institute of Dr. Francine Shapiro (the original developer of EMDR). Unapproved trainings can be attractive due to their low cost and low commitment level, but clearly, it's not a place to save time and effort.

NOTE: As a training facilitator for the EMDR Institute, I had a participant (a therapist) who had taken the PESI training, and she told me what she had been taught--it didn't even resemble EMDR! This therapist realized that something didn't feel right, and that's why she took the Institute training.

So, therapists should always look for an EMDRIA-Approved training which has had its program and teaching materials reviewed by the international accrediting body, EMDRIA.

So, if a therapist wants to be trained in EMDR because they've heard about the amazing results in research and practice, they should know where to go. Therapists can look on EMDRIA.org to find an approved training--and clients can search for Approved EMDR Therapists on this site.

The original EMDR training is provided by the EMDR Institute, and its charitable sister organization HAP (I took the latter, and teach for the former). Both of these organizations (and EMDRIA itself) were founded by Dr. Shapiro. But there are many other trainings that have EMDRIA Approval. Dr. Phil Manfield is widely respected in the EMDRIA community, for instance.

If you are a client, ask your therapist about their training. I have had multiple clients who came to me after having had a bad (or traumatizing) experience with a therapist who did not actually follow the Standard Protocol.

Clients can always save time by finding an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Therapist at EMDRIA.org.