EMDR is an advanced psychotherapy requiring a high level of skill. A mental health clinical background is an essential prerequisite for the effective application of EMDR treatment. All training providers must adhere to the same entry criteria listed below, as set out by EMDR Europe. You will need to provide evidence that you are accredited with one of the professional associations deemed acceptable by EMDR Europe.
If you train with a provider but do not meet the entry criteria below, you will not be eligible for Accreditation.
Accredited EMDR therapy training is strictly limited to:
Clinical Psychologists ( Registered with HCPC or Psychological Society Ireland [PSI] or Clinical psychologists employed by Health Service Executive (HSE)
Counselling Psychologists (Registered with HCPC or PSI)
Educational Psychologists (Registered with HCPC or PSI)
Forensic Psychologists (Registered with HCPC or PSI)
Psychiatrists (Consultant Psychiatrist, StR / SpR Psychiatry or registered with the Irish Medical Council)
Registered Mental Health Nurses (Nursing & Midwifery Council [NMC] or Nursing and Midwifery board of Ireland (NMBI)
Registered Mental Health Social Workers with experience of working clinically in a mental health setting (HCPC or CORU)
NB: Mental health professionals from countries outside Ireland are requested to submit a letter from their national EMDR Association agreeing to them undertaking their training in Ireland and that they fulfill the eligibility criteria for their country of origin.
Applicants from countries with no national EMDR Association are scrutinized on a case-by-case basis and need to broadly follow our own eligibility criteria, i.e. a mental health professional accredited/registered with a governing body in their own country.
MUST hold accreditation OR have submitted proof that they have had their application approved for provisional accreditation for one of the following professional bodies:
Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (APCP)
Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) constituent professional associations
Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP)
Association of Christian Counsellors (Accredited Counsellor [AC])
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
FDAP Members who have become accredited with the National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (NCAC)
National Counselling Society (NCS) members who hold the grade of Accredited Professional, (MNCS Accred Prof)
United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) who are experienced in psychotherapy and psychological trauma and are an accredited counsellor or psychotherapist or working towards a psychotherapy accreditation.
In final year of training are acceptable with letter of recommendation from their supervisor.
There are several different levels of EMDR training, starting with the standard accredited training course.