EMDR Basic Training

Yes! The EMDR International Association is our membership organization and credentialing body and sets strict standards for every step of the EMDR Basic Training and Consultation process.

Connect faculty are all members of EMDRIA and Connect is proud to be an EMDRIA-Approved Training Provider for both in person and virtual trainings.

That means our materials and teaching/consultation methodology have been carefully reviewed and endorsed as meeting the highest standards.

Each of our Trainers has also been approved by EMDRIA to provide EMDR Basic Training both in person and virtually.

EMDRIA sets the guidelines for who can attend an EMDR Basic Training. You are eligible if you are a:

• Graduate Student in Internship with active caseloads (not 1st yr. students)
• Registered Intern
• Social Worker
• Mental Health Counselor
• Marriage and Family Therapist
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist
• Psychiatric ARNP

Unfortunately, EMDRIA does not allow professionals with Masters’ degrees who are not pursuing licensure with their state board to attend Basic Training. We regret that this precludes some expert but unlicensed addiction professionals from training with us.

You can view EMDRIA’s Eligibility Requirements here.

We cover CEs for most states and license types. If you are a licensed clinician (Psychologist, Social Worker, Counselor, Marriage & Family Therapist) and choose to purchase CEs when you register for your training, you may be eligible to receive 40 CES upon completion of all training days.

Our APA-approved, national CE provider is CE-Classes. Please carefully review the CE Credit information on their website to ensure that your license type and state is covered.

In EMDR vocabulary, the term “Certification” is reserved for an additional, optional process of consultation and review that can only take place AFTER you have completed a full EMDR Basic Training. Therefore, no Basic Training program will make you automatically “Certified” in EMDR.

Our Basic Training program includes all required lecture, practicum, and consultation for training completion and sets the stage for you to take EMDRIA-Approved advanced trainings and pursue Certification as desired.

Once you have completed our program, you can proudly call yourself an EMDR Therapist! For full information on EMDRIA Certification, look here.

Per the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) all components of the training, including 10 consultation hours, must be completed within 12 months of the start of the training for virtual trainings, and within 24 months for in person trainings.

Yes! We recognize the sacrifice that students and non-profit clinicians make and want to make EMDR Basic Training accessible to you.

We consider non-profit clinicians to be those who work primarily in a non-profit setting. Graduate students and Registered Interns or other pre-licensed clinicians who are on a licensure track are considered non-profit clinicians.

Please check the registration page of your preferred training to see the current student/non-profit rate.

We are happy to offer a deposit option that will allow you to pay a portion of the total training fee up front and the remainder at least two weeks prior to the start of the training.

The earlier you register, the more time you have to complete your payment. This is less rigid than a formal monthly payment plan…you decide how to save and when to pay the remainder prior to the training.

We understand that life can be unpredictable. We provide a full refund minus credit card processing fees for cancellations up to 2 weeks prior to start of training. Check the event registration page for exact refund cutoff dates for each training.

Whether you register for a virtual or in-person training, you will receive access to an online learning management platform where you’ll find important information about the training process, as well as some supplemental digital materials.

Each trainee is also provided with a printed copy of our comprehensive, 300+ page training manual. For in-person trainings, you will receive the manual when you arrive at the training. If you are attending a virtual training the manual will be mailed to you approximately two weeks prior to the start of the training, so make sure you enter your preferred and complete mailing address at registration.

In addition to the manual, EMDRIA requires that you purchase and read Francine Shapiro’s text Eye Movement and Desensitization, 3rd Edition prior to the training. You can find this book for sale online from a number of sellers.

You will find links to some additional brief, required reading assignments and a required introductory video within your online course. And, of course you’ll also have access to a number of supplemental videos illustrating EMDR with real clients, as well as downloadable forms, scripts, and handouts.

Connect Basic Training includes all 10 Consultation Hours required by EMDRIA for course completion.

Why? Because we know how frustrating it can be to have to scramble to find affordable consultation with an expert Consultant; This can be a huge barrier to completing your training and feeling confident in your practice of this new model.

Each member of our faculty is an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant with years of experience. We are dedicated to ensuring that you receive the support, encouragement, and answers you need to start using EMDR with appropriate clients right away.

How Consultation works:
Consultation meetings are held via zoom in a small—group format. Most groups meet five times in 2-hour blocks on a designated day of the week and time (i.e., Wednesdays from 9-11AM).

Several weeks prior to the start of your training, you’ll receive a list of group options for your training cohort and a link to register for the group of your choice. For most trainings there are at least two different group options to choose from.

Once you register, you’ll be provided with your Zoom meeting link for the Consultation series as well as some guidance/best practices for how to make the most of Consultation.

Your Consultant will record your attendance at each meeting to ensure that we have a record of your completion.

EMDR Basic Training starts by providing a foundation in the model and methodology with the Standard Protocol which is the basis for all advanced and specialized EMDR protocols.

As the training progresses, you’ll be introduced to the basics of case conceptualization and treatment of special populations and presenting issues such as:

• Children & Adolescents
• Combat trauma and first responders
• Sexual Trauma
• Dissociation
• Grief and Loss
• Anxiety and phobias
• Somatic disorders
• Early Intervention for natural and man-made disasters
• Couple’s therapy
• Trauma caused by racism, discrimination, and social location

We’ll also share best practices for working within a range of treatment settings and service delivery parameters, from private practice, to schools, to EAPs, to inpatient, PHP, and IOP hospital and treatment center settings.

During Consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to ask more specific questions about how to approach specific cases in your setting and area of specialization.

Beyond Basic training, Connect provides many advanced trainings for specialized protocols and approaches. We are also happy to recommend other trainings and resources to foster your development.

As Trainers, Facilitators, and Consultants, we are committed to continuing our training and development related to cultural competence, collective trauma, and culturally-based trauma.

Our trainees and consultees can expect us to proactively address and teach to these issues during every phase of Basic Training and ongoing professional development. We invite questions, conversations, and honest feedback each step of the way.

We are also proud to offer training and consultation scholarships to BIPOC Clinicians. Please see our full Statement of Proactive Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity and learn more about scholarships here.

The short answer? Our team!

A good trainer is able to bring information to life in a fun – yet professional manner. All of our trainers are EMDRIA-Approved, have many years of clinical experience, and have completed rigorous training to ensure they will provide you with the best EMDR training experience!

We also pride ourselves on creating inclusive, supportive training groups – and many of our clients make friends for life during our events.

We want you to walk away from EMDR Basic Training feeling inspired by a transformative new perspective on how healing happens, powerful tools for implementing change, with clients, and a strong sense of connection to other dedicated clinicians.

We hope to see you soon!