Training: becoming an EMDR therapist

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:

Mental Health Professionals

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.

Counsellors/Psychotherapists

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

  1. Cognitive behavioural therapy Ireland (CBTI)
  2. The Irish Constructivists Psychotherapy Association (ICPA)
  3. The Association for Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy in Ireland (APPI)
  4. Irish Analytical Psychology Association (IAPA)
  5. Irish Forum for Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (IFCAPP)
  6. Irish Forum for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (IFPP)
  7. Irish Group Analytic Society (IGAS)
  8. Irish Psycho-Analytical Association (IPPA)
  9. Northern Ireland Institute of Human Relations (NIIHR)
  10. Family Therapy Association of Ireland (FTAI)
  11. The Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP)

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)

General Practitioners

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.

Clinical & Counselling Psychologists

In final year of training are acceptable with letter of recommendation from their supervisor.

Arts Psychotherapists & Occupational Therapists who are

  • Registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or IACAT (Irish Association Creative Arts Therapies) or Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI)
  • Have mental health training, can identify and assess common mental health problems and have experience of working in a mental health setting.
  • Have training and a minimum of two years’ experience of providing one-to-one psychotherapy, either as part of their professional training or in addition to it.
  • Have provided a reference from their clinical supervisor confirming the above.

The training process

There are several different levels of EMDR training, starting with the standard accredited training course.

  • Standard Accredited Training. Usually a seven day course. Basic training can be described as Parts 1-3 or Parts 1-4. It used to also be known as Levels 1 and 2. To complete the course, you must use EMDR therapy with at least three clients in your clinical practice during the training.
  • Practise EMDR under supervision. After enough supervision from an accredited EMDR Europe Consultant and further experience (at least 25 clients), you can apply to become an Accredited Practitioner.
  • Consultant training. Usually a three day course.  Dates will be added to Accreditation tab when published.
  • After at least three years of EMDR practise, sufficient clinical and supervision experience, further training and additional specialist supervision you can apply to become an Accredited Consultant.
  • Specialised training, e.g. EMDR with children and adolescents. Alongside mainstream EMDR training, you may wish to specialise. Levels 1 and 2 of the specialist child training usually consists of two training courses, each two days in length, with separate eligibility criteria. After this you may work towards becoming an accredited specialist, such as a Child & Adolescent Accredited Practitioner or Child & Adolescent Accredited Consultant.