EMDR Certification Requirements
- Deanna Doherty
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
If you've finished your EMDR basic training and felt the work start to click, you've probably wondered what it takes to make it official. The EMDR certification requirements aren't complicated, but they are specific — a set number of EMDR sessions, consultation hours with the right person, continuing education, and a couple of recommendations. This guide lays out exactly what EMDRIA asks for, how long it tends to take, what it costs, and whether it's worth pursuing at all.
First, the distinction that changes everything: being trained in EMDR and being certified in EMDR are not the same thing — and you may not need the second one to do excellent work.
EMDR Trained vs. EMDR Certified: What's the Difference?
EMDR trained means you've completed an EMDRIA-approved EMDR basic training. Once you have, you can ethically and competently use EMDR with clients. Full stop.
EMDR Certified is an additional, optional credential. Certified EMDR Therapist is a formal designation from EMDRIA that signals you've gone beyond basic training to demonstrate experience and refined skill.
So: can you practice EMDR without certification? Yes. Certification is not a license to practice — it's a mark of advanced competency. Plenty of skilled clinicians use EMDR for years without certifying. People pursue it because they want the structured growth, the credibility with clients and referrers, or the clear path toward eventually becoming a consultant or trainer themselves. If none of those motivate you, "trained" may be all you need — and that's a perfectly sound choice.
EMDR Certification Requirements: The Full Checklist
To become a Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDRIA generally asks that you meet each of the following. (Requirements are set by EMDRIA and can change — always confirm the current criteria on EMDRIA before you start logging hours.)
1. A qualifying license. Hold a master's-level or higher degree and a current, independent license (or equivalent) as a mental health professional.
2. EMDRIA-approved basic training. Complete a full EMDR basic training approved by EMDRIA. This is the prerequisite for everything else, and it already includes a block of consultation built into the training.
3. Two years of experience. Have at least two years of experience in your licensed field.
4. Real EMDR practice. Conduct a minimum number of EMDR sessions with a minimum number of clients — commonly cited as 50 sessions across at least 25 clients — so you're certifying on lived clinical experience, not theory.
5. Consultation hours with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant. Complete 20 hours of EMDR consultation with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant, beyond the consultation included in your basic training. At least 10 of those hours must be individual (one-to-one); the remainder may be in a group. This is the heart of the process — more on it below.
6. Continuing education. Earn 12 hours of EMDRIA Credit continuing education focused specifically on EMDR.
7. Letters of recommendation. Provide letters attesting to your ethical standing and EMDR competency.
Once certified, you maintain the credential by keeping your license in good standing and completing recertification (additional EMDRIA Credits) on EMDRIA's renewal cycle.
How to Get EMDR Certified, Step by Step
Put in order, the EMDR certification process looks like this:
Finish an EMDRIA-approved basic training (if you haven't already).
Build your EMDR hours — actively use EMDR with clients until you've met the session and client minimums.
Find an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant and complete your 20 consultation hours (at least 10 individual).
Complete 12 hours of EMDRIA-credit continuing education.
Gather your letters of recommendation.
Submit your application to EMDRIA with documentation of each requirement and the application fee.
The order is flexible — most clinicians accumulate sessions, consultation, and CE in parallel rather than one after another.
How Long Does EMDR Certification Take?
For most therapists, somewhere between one and two years after basic training. The pace is set less by the paperwork and more by life: how often you're actually using EMDR with clients, and how regularly you can schedule consultation. Clinicians who see EMDR clients weekly and meet with a consultant consistently move faster; those fitting it around a full caseload take longer. There's no penalty for a slower path — the hours just need to be genuine.
How Much Does EMDR Certification Cost?
Plan for a few moving pieces rather than one flat EMDR certification cost:
The EMDRIA application fee (and EMDRIA membership, which is typically required).
Consultation — usually the largest expense, since you're paying an approved consultant for 20 hours. Group consultation is generally more affordable per hour than individual.
Continuing education — 12 EMDRIA-credit hours, ranging from low-cost to premium depending on the provider.
All in, most clinicians invest somewhere in the low-to-mid four figures, with consultation driving the total. Because consultation is the biggest line item, the consultant you choose — and whether you use individual or group hours — has the most influence on cost.
Is EMDR Certification Worth It?
It depends on your goals, and it's fair to weigh it honestly.
It's often worth it if you want to deepen your EMDR skill in a structured way, stand out to clients and referral sources, or eventually pursue consultant or trainer status (certification is a stepping stone toward becoming an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant yourself). Many clinicians also find the consultation alone — regardless of the credential — is where their EMDR work truly matures.
It may not be worth it (yet) if you rarely use EMDR, you're early in your training and still consolidating the basics, or the cost and time would stretch you thin right now. You can always certify later. The credential isn't going anywhere, and good clinical work doesn't wait on it.
Consultation: The Heart of the Process
If there's one requirement that trips people up, it's the consultation — specifically, that the 20 hours must be completed with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant for them to count toward certification. Hours with a colleague, a general clinical supervisor, or a consultant-in-training (depending on their status) may not qualify, so confirm a consultant's approval status with EMDRIA before you begin. EMDRIA maintains a searchable directory of approved consultants.
When you're choosing, look beyond the credential to fit: someone whose specialties match your clients, who works in a format you can sustain (individual, group, or a mix), and whose style is supportive rather than evaluative. Consultation is where you bring the cases that scare you a little — the dissociation that won't budge, the client who floods, the prep that isn't landing — so it should feel safe enough to be honest.
It's also worth separating two things that sound alike: EMDR consultation is specific to your EMDR work and the certification path, while clinical supervision is the broader oversight tied to your license. If you simply want a steady, experienced place to think through your cases, we also offer case consultation for therapists. Some clinicians want both; many want one or the other.
Growing Your Confidence with EMDR
Certification is one path, but it isn't the only reason to seek support with your EMDR work. Whether or not you're chasing the credential, having an experienced clinician to think through your cases with is often what turns "I completed the training" into "I trust myself with this."
At Shifting Tides, Deanna Doherty, LCSW offers warm, non-shaming EMDR consultation and case support — a steady place to bring real clients, troubleshoot what's getting stuck, and grow into a confident, effective EMDR clinician. Our EMDR consultation is virtual and focused on your actual work, with depth in grief, complex and childhood trauma, and IFS-informed EMDR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for EMDR certification?
You need a qualifying license and master's-or-higher degree, completion of an EMDRIA-approved basic training, at least two years of experience, a minimum of 50 EMDR sessions with 25+ clients, 20 hours of consultation with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant (10+ individual), 12 hours of EMDRIA-credit continuing education, and letters of recommendation. Always confirm current details with EMDRIA.
Can you practice EMDR without certification?
Yes. Once you've completed an EMDRIA-approved basic training, you can use EMDR with clients. Certification is an optional, advanced credential — not a requirement to practice.
How long does it take to get EMDR certified?
Most clinicians take one to two years after basic training, depending on how frequently they use EMDR and how consistently they schedule consultation.
How much does EMDR certification cost?
Expect the EMDRIA application and membership fees, the cost of 20 consultation hours (usually the largest piece), and 12 hours of continuing education — together typically in the low-to-mid four figures. Group consultation lowers the consultation cost.
Do group consultation hours count toward certification?
Generally yes, within EMDRIA's limits — at least 10 of your 20 hours must be individual, and the rest can be group. Confirm the current split with EMDRIA.
What's the difference between EMDR consultation and clinical supervision?
EMDR consultation is specific to your EMDR practice and counts toward certification when done with an approved consultant. Clinical supervision is broader oversight tied to your license. They serve different purposes, and some clinicians pursue both.
Where can I find an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant?
EMDRIA maintains a searchable directory of approved consultants. Confirm a consultant's current approval status before starting, so your hours count.
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