Certification in EMDR Therapy

Master Trainer Deany Laliotis

What is EMDR therapy certification and why should I pursue it?   

The term “certification” is used to signify that a clinician has completed a course of study in a clinical method, approach, or therapy.  In years past, certification required intensive study and successful demonstration of a knowledge and skill base in the application of therapy methods with specific treatment populations.  Certifications were offered in family therapy, sex therapy, hypnotherapy, dynamic psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and IFS – all of which required two or more years of intensive study and practice.   

Well, times have changed and certifications are now being offered for clinical techniques which can be learned in as few as 10 hours.  Most likely, you have been receiving brochures advertising these trainings and certifications on a regular basis.  So, is EMDR therapy certification one of these quickie informal sales tools?  Not at all!   

EMDR therapy certification requires the completion of a basic training approved by the EMDR International Association, a non-profit devoted to establishing and maintaining standards of EMDR training and practice.  An EMDRIA-approved training must include at least 20 hours of didactic material which conforms to EMDRIA curriculum requirements and 20 hours of supervised EMDR practice which allows trainees the opportunity to practice EMDR methods and to have the subjective experience of memory reprocessing much as their clients will.  To acquire a certificate of completion of the basic training, the clinician must acquire 10 hours of EMDR case consultation with an EMDRIA-approved consultant to help the clinician begin to integrate EMDR into their clinical practice. 

To qualify for EMDR Therapy certification by EMDRIA, the clinician must obtain a certificate of completion of basic training and then at least 20 hours of additional EMDR case consultation in order to develop more advanced skills in EMDR case conceptualization and EMDR methods.  The clinician must demonstrate the ability to work with a variety of clinical situations and to apply EMDR theory and practice methods consistently and effectively.  EMDR certification also requires the clinician to take 12 hours of advanced EMDR training every two years. 

Some EMDR trainings are not EMDRIA-approved and will not lead to EMDRIA certification.  Other EMDR trainings do not offer the 10 hours of basic training consultation and require that trainees find their own EMDRIA-approved consultants at their own expense. The EMDR online training offered by The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy offers the complete basic training over 3 weekends and includes the required 10 hours of case consultation.  The Center Director, Deany Laliotis, was for many years the Director of Training of the EMDR Institute founded by Dr. Francine Shapiro who developed EMDR in 1989.  During those years, Deany provided basic and advanced trainings that she had developed for the Institute.  Following Dr. Shapiro’s passing in 2020, Deany started her own comprehensive EMDR training program- The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy – offering both basic and advanced trainings.  Visit The Center’s website to learn more about the training opportunities offered.  Deany is truly a master EMDR therapist and she can mentor you as you embark on this amazing path towards becoming a true healer.  Earn your EMDR certification as you travel with her!