Eligibility
Training: becoming an EMDR specialist
EMDR is an advanced psychotherapy requiring a high level of skill. A mental health clinical background is an essential prerequisite for the effective application of EMDR treatment. All training providers will also expect you to provide evidence that you are accredited with one of the professional associations deemed acceptable by EMDR Europe.
N.B. We are required to abide by the EMDR Europe eligibility criteria shown below. If you do not currently meet this you would not be able to attend.
If you are employed within NHS England there are stipulations placed upon you regarding delivering EMDR Therapy – HEE NHSE EMDR Clinical Governance Guidance
Accredited EMDR therapy training is limited to:
Mental Health Professionals
Clinical Psychologists (Registered with HCPC or Psychological Society Ireland)
Counselling Psychologists (Registered with HCPC or Psychological Society Ireland)
Educational Psychologists (Registered with HCPC)
Forensic Psychologists (Registered with HCPC)
Psychiatrists (Ireland: Consultant Psychiatrist, StR / SpR Psychiatry)
Psychiatrists (UK)
– MRCPsych or equivalent (including Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in any psychiatric speciality)
– Alternatively: a) Complete both long and short psychotherapy cases (and)
b) Equivalent of three years full time psychiatric experience (and)
c) Letter confirming above from line manager and sent to EMDR Training Provider
Registered Mental Health Nurses (NMC) or (NMBI) and Registered Social Workers (HCPC or CORU) who:
- Have mental health training, can recognise and assess common mental health problems and have experience of working in a mental health setting, and
- Have training and a minimum of two years’ experience of providing one-to-one psychotherapy, either as part of their professional training or in addition to it, and
- Have provided a reference from their clinical supervisor confirming the above.
Clinical & Counselling Psychologists in final year of training are acceptable with a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
Counsellors/Psychotherapists MUST hold accreditation OR have submitted proof that they have had their application approved for FULL accreditation (from 29.11.21 UK) for one of the following professional bodies:
Association of Christian Counsellors (Accredited Counsellor – AC),
Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP)
Association of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (APCP)
British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP)
British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)
British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT)
Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland (COSCA)
Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
National Counselling Society Accredited Professional (MNCS Accred Prof) grade
Federation of Drug and Alcohol Practitioners (FDAP) who are NCS accredited
National Association for Professional Counselling and Psychotherapy (NAPCP)
United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) constituent professional associations
- Cognitive behavioural therapy Ireland (CBTI)
- The Irish Constructivists Psychotherapy Association (ICPA)
- The Association for Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy in Ireland (APPI)
- Irish Analytical Psychology Association (IAPA)
- Irish Forum for Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (IFCAPP)
- Irish Forum for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (IFPP)
- Irish Group Analytic Society (IGAS)
- Irish Psycho-Analytical Association (IPPA)
- Northern Ireland Institute of Human Relations (NIIHR)
- Family Therapy Association of Ireland (FTAI)
- The Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP)
General Practitioners Registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) who are experienced in psychotherapy and psychological trauma and are an accredited counsellor or psychotherapist or working towards a psychotherapy accreditation.
All Arts Psychotherapists & Occupational Therapists who are Registered with HCPC. Have mental health training, can recognise and assess common mental health problems and have experience of working in a mental health setting. Have training and a minimum of two years’ experience of providing one-to-one psychotherapy, either as part of their professional training or in addition to it. Have provided a reference from their clinical supervisor confirming the above.
Mental Health professionals from countries outside of the UK and Ireland
Are requested to submit a letter from their national EMDR Association agreeing to them undertaking their training in the UK and that they fulfil the eligibility criteria for their country of origin.
Applicants from countries with no national EMDR Association are scrutinised on a case-by-case basis. They need to follow EMDR Association UK eligibility criteria broadly, ie a mental health professional who is accredited/registered with a governing body in their own country.
In either case, external applicants will not be eligible to practice in the UK unless they also meet the eligibility criteria above.