1. How can you enhance your expertise and confidence? Most of us find that practicing the comprehensive EMDR Protocol requires a learning curve, because there are so many choice points along the way.
2. You can receive the assistance, guidance and mentoring of an EMDRIA Approved Consultant who has done at least 300 hours of EMDR Therapy (and often thousands of hours of EMDR). This can help you tailor your targeting sequence plan to the client’s need, and obtain optimal results for your client. You can get feedback on your plan, your clinical decisions and your practice though videotaping sessions.
Link to search our esteemed EMDRIA Approved Consultants
3. EMDRIA Certification requires ongoing advanced education in EMDR which helps you stay current in the field. Just 12 credits in EMDRIA-approved trainings are required every 2 years. These credits also qualify for your state ceu requirements. You can see trainings offered or hosted by members of this website by linking to EMDRIA.org and here:
4. It is an easy and human tendency to slip into wrong habits with a complex protocol and not even know it. I can assure you from my personal experience: by getting continuing feedback on your practice, you will KNOW you are really doing it right, or get useful corrections if you have been missing something.
I believe in the certification process because of the stories from disappointed clients. A colleague of mine who is herself an EMDR Therapist wanted to seek EMDR treatment for herself. She didn’t feel comfortable working with a Certified EMDR Therapist, because they all attended our Regional Meetings. Thus she opted for one who didn’t attend and wasn’t certified. In 8 sessions, the therapist never used EMDR with her. My friend quit in frustration.
I’ve talked to many callers over the years seeking a better experience after their disapointing or bad EMDR experience. They said they were reluctant, or scared to try it again. But they knew many who had benefitted so much. Now they were calling courageously and yet timidly, wanting to try again. When I inquired what happened before, it was clear the client had not experienced the full protocol. Some therapists plunged in and did bilateral processing (the 4th Phase of EMDR) in the first session. That is a dangerous practice. The full protocol includes a thorough history first, and then a period of preparation, including learning effective skills for self-soothing of mind and body.
I informed the caller that the therapy they received didn’t deserve the name of “EMDR Therapy,” because they didn’t receive the full 8 phase protocol.
I always ask if the therapist was EMDRIA Certified, and the answer is either “no” or “I don’t know.” For this reason, we educate the public about the importance of finding an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist. See a video by Sara Gilman, LMFT, EAC (one of our members) about this subject:
This is why I have the highest standards for inclusion of any EMDR website directory. I want to offer the most trustworthy possible experience to the public.
If you have a Certificate of Completion from and EMDRIA-Approved Basic Training, you are eligible to begin the Certification process. To learn more about the process you are welcome to contact on of the EMDRIA-Approved Consultants on this directory.
Once you have your Certificate as an EMDRIA Certified EMDR therapist, you are most welcome to join Comprehensive Therapy Approach.com
Best wishes to you in your growth as a highly competent and confident EMDR Therapist!
To learn more about the Benefits of Joining cta.com,
Dana Terrell, LCSW, EAC
©2014 Dana Terrell
