EMDR Therapy Certification: Does it matter?

If you have completed your basic training in EMDR therapy, and are considering the question as to whether or not you should pursue EMDR therapy certification to become an EMDRIA certified therapist, you are already well acquainted with the power and impact of this trauma processing model. The question is not whether you understand and value of EMDR therapy and its effectiveness at treating trauma, anxiety, panic, addiction, and other disorders, but rather the benefits that pursuing the EMDR therapy certification process may have for you and your practice. Today we are going to take a few moments to explore some of the benefits of pursuing EMDR therapy certification and why it matters. 

Repetition matters. As an EMDR therapy  consultant, one of the most common phrases that I hear from Consultees is “I’m not sure how I missed that in basic training“. The reality is, basic training for EMDR therapy  is an immense amount of information in a very short time. I would challenge that it is almost impossible to retain each and every step and nuance of the EMDR therapy  process in the basic training set up. This is the reason that additional consultation hours are a requirement for the completion of basic training. But for many therapists that is not enough to retain, recall, and fully implement the model with fidelity in their own practices. Pursuing further consultation hours and choosing to work towards EMDR therapy certification is a great way to increase your repetition, familiarity, and proficiency with practicing EMDR therapy correctly to increase your own proficiency and expertise in your EMDR therapy practice.

Accountability matters. A common theme for therapists who have been in the field for several years is the desire for time to study, read books, and hone their skills, but the lack of time and availability of quality resources to continue pursuing education on a regular basis. Mental health professionals and therapists are constantly busy, being stretched to their limits, and asked to fill multiple roles in agencies, run businesses, and save time for that all-important self-care. Choosing to pursue EMDR therapy certification and scheduling a consistent time with an individual EMDR thearoy consultant or a regularly occurring EMDR  therapy consultation group provides consistency and accountability in refining your skills, exposure to new resources, and learning with other professionals. Accountability and consistency are a great ways to make sure that you are truly pursuing the dreams that you desire to build the therapy skills and practices that you aspire to. Not to mention, the camaraderie, support, and expertise of other therapists are so valuable in the sustainability of quality therapy and being a healthy therapist.

Reputation matters. By choosing to become a certified EMDR therapist, you are allowing your EMDR therapy skills to be evaluated by an experienced and vetted EMDR therapy consultant. This means that your peers are endorsing your expertise, reviewing your work, and giving their vote of confidence in your ability to navigate trauma processing, treatment of clients, and the ethics with which you work in the therapy profession. If you have been in EMDR therapy practice for long, you have likely encountered a client who either had a bad experience with EMDR therapy, report an odd, or obscure , or an in accurate understanding of EMDR therapy, or even describes an experience that you would identify multiple aspects of inaccuracies or unethical qualities in the therapeutic services described. The reality is, therapist do exist who claim to practice EMDR therapy, but are not fully trained and do not know and practice the details and ethics that represent the true model that the research validates.  Becoming certified in EMDR therapy helps to set you apart from others who may attempt to practice EMDR therapy outside of approved trainings and validated practice standards. It’s also great way to build your network and obtain quality referrals or confidence from new referral sources. 

People matter. One of the most important aspects of the consultation process when seeking consultation either to refine your skills or to pursue EMDR therapy  certification is the application of EMDR therapy to the individual people that we serve as clinicians. Many clients, and I would even challenge that most clients, do not fit into the picture perfect mold of the eight step model. As human beings, challenges will arise, coping skills will interfere with processing, irregularities will occur, and as EMDR therapist, our job is to learn to navigate the human side of things while implementing an evidence-based model. Seeking consultation with an EMDR therapy consultant can be incredibly valuable in making these applications of models and theories to the nuances of individual human stories. 

 If you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy consultation, becoming an EMDR therapy consultant in training, or pursuing EMDR therapy certification, I would love to talk with you more! Click here to request more information.