An Overview of Our EMDR Training Program
Course Requirements
Learn more about the minimum requirements to attend our EMDR Therapy Training Courses through EMDR Instruction.
This course has been approved by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). This is important as there are courses being offered which do not meet the credentialing established by EMDRIA. Consequently, those courses do not teach what has been determined to be necessary for the student to master EMDR. EMDRIA-approved courses are located on EMDRIA’s website. Go to emdria.org and look under training and certification.
In addition, when taking an EMDRIA-approved course, you are eligible to receive consultation from an approved consultant. You will also be able to work toward certification in EMDR and attend specialized training and conferences. Without an EMDRIA-approved course, you will not be eligible for these benefits. However, what is most important is that you learn EMDR in a way that will help you utilize it properly and effectively. Consequently, you will have more success with your clients which is the most important learning objective.
Students may be concerned about remembering all that is taught in the 3-day courses. The manual that you will receive as part of the course has been written in such a way that it will guide you step-by-step through each phase of the EMDR Training Course.
All students are required to obtain the textbook "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures," by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. For Part 1, chapters 1–8 should have been read before the training. For Part 2, chapters 9–11 should have been read.
The course manual will be sent electronically upon completion of registration and payment.
Course Objectives Part 1
Part 1 Outline
Basic Training Hours
This course is taught in 2 parts. Students will complete 50 hours of education while learning EMDR.
Part 1 consists of 10 hours of lecture, 10 hours of supervised practice exercises, and 5 hours of consultation. Part 2 consists of the same number of hours for a total of 50 hours.
Part 1: 20 Hours of Training
The goal of the first part is to familiarize the client with the basics of the EMDR procedural steps and protocol. Through this instruction, the student will obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to begin the use of EMDR in his/her practice.
• Introduction to the Origins and Development of EMDR.
• Instruction on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model
• Instruction on Phase 1: History of EMDR & Phase 2: Client Preparation
• Practice exercise in developing the skills for History Taking in Client Preparation.
• Approximately 4-Hours’ Lecture and 3-Hours’ Practice Training Exercises.
• Complete instruction on Phases 3-7: Assessment, Desensitization, Installation, Body Scan, & Closure.
• Practice exercises with Processing a Memory with Phases 3–7. Approximately 3.5 Hours
• Instruction on managing processing, processing current triggers, and future concerns, the protocol for the future template, EMDR with children, as well as the protocol for recent traumatic events, and additional containment skills. Approximately 3.5 Hours
• Practice exercises reevaluation of processed memory, processing additional relevant memories, current triggers, and future templates. Approximately 3.5 Hours.
Schedule for Part 1
Course Objectives Part 2
Part 2 Outline
Basic Training Hours
This course is taught in 2 parts. Students will complete 50 hours of education in learning EMDR. Part 1 consists of 10 hours of lecture, 10 hours of supervised practice exercises, and 5 hours of consultation. Part 2 consists of the same number of hours for a total of 50 hours.
Part 2: 20 Hours of Training
The goal of the second part is to review the basic EMDR protocols and procedures taught in Part 1. In addition, the second part will develop methods of treating more complex cases. This includes the development of treatment plans for complex cases, dynamics of trauma, and use of the cognitive interweave.
• Review of the 8 EMDR phases, AIP, and the 3 stages of treatment past, present, and future.
• History taking, phase 1, with complex cases as well as client preparation.
• Resource Development and Installation (RDI). Lecture approximately 4 hours.
• Practice exercises taking history, client preparation, and RDI. Approximately 3 hours.
• Approximately 4-Hours’ Lecture and 3-Hours’ Practice Training Exercises.
• Use of phases 3–8 with more complex presentations and managing abreactions as well as over and under accessing during desensitization.
• Instructions on the cognitive interweave. Lecture approximately 3.5 hours.
• Practice exercises with processing a memory using phases 3–7. Exercises approximately 4 hours.
• Instruction on obstacles related to processing, dissociation, treating specific situations such as phobias, illness and somatic disorders, self-use of eye movements, grief, adults abused as children and sexual abuse, couples, and combat and first responders. Approximately 3.5 hours.
• Practice exercises for completing EMDR treatment plan: past, present, and future. Approximately 3.5 hours.
Schedule for Part 2
Certification of Completion
Once you have completed Part 1 and Part 2 of the EMDR Instruction Course as well as your consultation, you will receive your Certificate of Completion.
