Online EMDR Therapy Training

When you choose our EMDR trainings, you are gaining a unique perspective on the EMDR process. My approach emphasizes:

• Mastery of the Eight Phase Protocol: We will teach you the eight phases of the standard EMDR therapy protocol using the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. Through practicum and didactic teaching we will teach what you need to meet with the clients you meet with.

• Working with challenging cases: Zimmerman and I are both complex trauma specialists. We also have a consideration for the spectrum of dissociation and have developed ways to work with difficult cases when other approaches fall short.

• Anti-Racist & Anti-Oppressive Frameworks: We will integrate social justice and an understanding of social identity in clinical psychotherapy.

• Practical Application: Bringing real world examples beyond the manual to help the clients you actually meet in your office.

• Professional Community: Access to ongoing consultation and a network of like-minded down to earth clinicians. 

To be a part of any EMDRIA-approved training program, you must meet one of the following criteria: 

• Have a master’s or doctoral degree in a clinical mental health-related field . This includes counselling, couple and family therapy, social work, psychology.
• We recommend that you are in active clinical practice and working with clients seeking mental health services.
• Master’s level students are permitted to take the course but we need a letter of recommendation from faculty or  a clinical supervisor before you complete your registration. 
• Master’s level medical professionals  which include nurses and physicians are also permitted to participate in this training if they possess a graduate degree with a focus on the mental health.
• Professionals who work with substance abuse or addictions with master’s degree s or above are also eligible.
• If there are any other special circumstances  not listed, contact us and if it is within EMDRIA guidelines, and with supporting documentation you should be eligible.
• Please note you can only be confirmed for our training once you meet EMDRIA’s criteria. You can find more information here.

 Note for Canadian Participants: 

This course is APA Approved, which means it is recognized across Canada for Continuing Education (CE) credits.

• Psychologists have direct reciprocity with CPA.

• Counsellors (CCPA) & Psychotherapists (CRPO) see APA CEs as accepted as valid professional development/self-directed learning hours.

• For Social Workers APA meets the criteria for continuing competence logs for OCSWSSW, ACSW, and other provincial colleges.

Certificates of completion will display the APA approval status for your records.

Day One

• Provide a working definition of trauma by exploring symptomology, diagnosis, and comorbidity
• Explain, generally, the neurobiology of trauma
• Describe the evolution of EMDR therapy from a chance discovery to an approach to psychotherapy
• Describe how a demonstration of the Eight-Phases of EMDR therapy is similar and different from other therapies
• Identify two options for conducting client history and treatment planning
• Identify two advantages to adequately preparing clients for EMDR therapy reprocessing
• List at least two common Phase Two resources used by EMDR therapists

Day Two

• Summarize the purpose of Phase One of EMDR therapy
• Summarize the purpose of Phase Two of EMDR therapy
• Explain why Phase Three includes questions about beliefs
• Identify at least two options for selecting appropriate memories to target in EMDR therapy
• Describe the process to promote client stability and safety if a client needs to stop processing during a session
• Describe at least two questions that can be used in Phase One to assess for complex trauma
• List the tasks of closure (Phase Seven) for an EMDR session

Day Three

• Explain the purpose and tasks of Phase Eight
• Explain the Three-Prong Protocol
• Identify ways to work in the future prong of EMDR therapy
• Identify ways to resume work on a resolved and unresolved memory
• Identify at least two therapist characteristics that may interfere with EMDR therapy
• List the role and purpose of consultation in EMDR therapy
• Identify strategies to get the required consultation for this training
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Day One Training Agenda (All times are in EST)

• 9:00 AM – 9:10 AM, Course Introduction (10 min)
• 9:10 AM – 9:25 AM, Introduction to Trauma (15 min)
• 9:25 AM – 9:45 AM, Neurobiology of Trauma (20 min)
• 9:45 AM – 10:03 AM, The Evolution of EMDR Therapy (18 min)
• 10:03 AM – 10:23 AM, Overview of the Eight Phases (20 min)
• 10:23 AM – 11:10 AM, The Adaptive Information Processing Model (47 min)
• 11:10 – 11:25 (15 min) Break
• 11:25 AM – 11:35 AM, Model, Methodology, and Mechanism (overview) (10 min)
• 11:35 AM – 12:45 PM, EMDR Therapy Demonstration (70 min)
• 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM Lunch (60 min) 
• 1:45 PM – 2:55 PM, Phase One: Client History and Treatment Planning (70 min)
• 2:55 PM – 3:20 PM, Review Phase One Practicum (25 min)
• 3:20 PM – 3:35 PM Break (15 min) 
• 3:35 PM – 4:40 PM, Phase Two: Preparation (65 min) 
• 4:40 PM – 5:30 PM, Review Phase Two Practicum (50 min)

Day Two Training Agenda

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM, Practicum Preparation: Review Worksheets (15 min)
• 9:15 AM – 9:25 AM, Suggestions for a “Safe” and Tolerable Practicum Experience (10 min)
• 9:25 AM – 10:55 AM, Phase One and Two Practicum (90 min)
• 10:55 AM – 11:10 AM, Phase One and Two Practicum Debrief (15 min)
• 11:10 AM – 11:25 AM, Break (15 min)
• 11:25 AM – 1:00 PM, Orientation to Phases Three to Seven (95 min)
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Lunch (60 min) 
• 2:00 PM – 2:10 PM, Orientation to Phases Three to Seven Practicum (10 min)
• 2:10 PM – 5:30 PM, Phases Three to Seven Practicum (185 min) (take 15-minute break halfway when switching roles)

Day Three Training Agenda

• 9:00 AM – 9:20 AM, Debrief Phases Three to Seven Practicum (20 min)
• 9:20 AM – 10:20 AM, Phase Eight (60 min)
   10:20 AM – 10:35 AM, Break (15 min)
• 10:35 AM – 1:00 PM, Phase Eight Practicum (145 min)
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Lunch (60 min) 
• 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM, Debrief Phase Eight Practicum (20 min)
• 2:20 PM – 4:35 PM, Phase Eight Practicum (120 min) (take 15-minute break halfway when switching roles) 
•  4:35 PM – 4:45 PM, Debrief Phase Eight Practicum (10 min)
• 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM, Closing Materials (CEs, consultation, 45 min)
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Day Four

• Identify three potential ethical issues in the practice of EMDR therapy
• Explain two potential blocks or difficulties in the reprocessing phases and explain options to navigate them
• Identify the indicators that suggest that processing may be blocked
• Explain when therapists should intervene and when they should allow processing to continue
• Identify two considerations when working with children in EMDR therapy
• Explain at least two modifications when working with clients with complex trauma in EMDR therapy
• Identify two considerations in working with clients who have experienced racial trauma

Day Five

• Identify at least two of the potential types of processing to expect in EMDR therapy
• Demonstrate options for providing bilateral stimulation in assorted practice contexts
• Explain the purpose of Phase Eight
• Explain how to direct clients to track experiences between sessions
• Identify at least four specialty protocols and how to conduct them
• Explain options and considerations in delivering EMDR therapy through telehealth
• Explain how to check in on completed or incomplete work from prior sessions

Day Six

• Explain two of the leading proposed mechanisms of EMDR therapy
• Explain when modifications should be made to standard protocol in EMDR therapy
• Understand EMDR therapy using EMDRIA’s Definition of EMDR Therapy
• Explain in detail the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model
• Explain two of the implications of the Adaptive Information Processing Model
• Explain two ways that EMDR therapy can be adjusted to better accommodate clients with complex trauma
• Articulate how to finish your foundational training and get your training certificate
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Day Four Training Agenda  (All times are in EST)

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM, Introduction to the training (15 min)
• 9:15 AM – 9:30 AM, Explore Questions Since Part One (15 min)
• 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM, Ethics and the Practice of EMDR therapy (15 min)
• 9:45 AM – 10:25 AM, Blocks, Abreactions, and Interweaves (40 min)
• 10:25 AM – 10:45 AM, Review the Eight-Phase Protocol (20 min)
• 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM, Break (15 min)
• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min) 
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Lunch (60 min)
• 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM, Debrief Practicum (15 min)
• 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM, Special Populations (60 min)
• 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM Break (15 min)
• 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min)
  
  

Day Five Training Agenda

• 9:00 AM – 9:20 AM, Debrief Practicum (20 min)
• 9:20 AM – 9:35 AM, The Types/Channels of Processing (15 min)
• 9:35 AM – 9:40 AM, Bilateral Stimulation Details (5 min)
• 9:40 AM – 9:45 AM, The Three-Prong Protocol (5 min)
• 9:45 AM – 9:50 AM, TICES Log (5 min)
• 9:50 AM – 10:40 AM, Specialty Protocols (50 min)
• 10:40 AM – 10:45 AM, Considerations for Telehealth (5 min)
• 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM, Break (15 min)
• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min)
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Lunch (60 min)
• 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM, Debrief Practicum (20 min)
• 2:20 PM – 2:25 PM, EMDR Compared to Other Psychotherapies (5 min)
• 2:25 PM – 2:40 PM, Treatment Planning Exercise (15 min)
• 2:40 PM – 3:15 PM, Resuming a Processing Session (35 min)
• 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM Break (15 min)
• 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min)

 Day Six Training Agenda

• 9:00 AM – 9:10 AM, Debrief Practicum (10 min)
• 9:10 AM – 9:45 AM, Model, Method, and Mechanism (Detail) (35 min)
• 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM, EMDRIA Definition of EMDR Therapy (15 min)
• 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM, The AIP Model in Detail (45 min)
• 10:45 – 11:00 AM, Break (15 min)
• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min)
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Lunch (60 min)
• 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM, Debrief Practicum (20 min)
• 2:20 PM – 4:20 PM, Eight-Phase Protocol Practicum (120 min)
• 4:20 PM – 4:35 PM, Break (15 min)
• 4:35 PM – 5:30 PM, Training Debrief, EMDR Therapy Implemented, and Closing Materials (55 min)
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Payment and Cancellation Policy

• Full payment is required prior to completing each part of the training. Payment is accepted when you register through the payment links or you can pay by check payable to EMDR Cleveland and mailed to:

Thomas Zimmerman, LPCC
465 Huntmere Rd.
Bay Village, OH  44140

• Cancellation Policy: Refunds are issued less a 15% cancellation penalty for processing charges to cover cancellations received up to 9:00 AM on the first day of the training.   There is no penalty to cancel and then reschedule with another training with us if such trainings are offered, but the training can only be rescheduled once. For no-shows or people who withdraw during the training after it starts without pre-cleared cause, there is a 50% cancellation penalty when you request a refund.  Penalties do not apply if you reschedule your training with a subsequent training with us.  Email us the details of your situation if you think you may need to cancel or reschedule. We want to get you trained and we understand emergencies happen.