How do I get EMDR certified? EMDRIA requirements explained (2026)
To become an EMDRIA Certified Therapist you need to be fully licensed for at least 2 years, finish an EMDRIA approved basic training, do at least 50 EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients, get 20 hours of consultation, earn 12 EMDRIA credits, and send in 3 letters of recommendation. The application fee is $150 if you're an EMDRIA member and $350 if you're not. That's the short answer, and the rest of this post walks through each piece and the parts people usually get confused about.
The most confusing part for me was right after Basic Training. you have to do 10 hours of consultation before you are officially “EMDR Trained” and the basic training I went through didn’t schedule that for us. We had to reach out to the trainer in order to schedule those 10 hours of consultation!
What are the EMDRIA certification requirements?
EMDRIA lists all of this on their certification page:
A full license to practice independently in your state, and at least 2 years of experience in your field
An EMDRIA approved basic training, finished all the way
At least 50 EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients (you sign a notarized statement for this, you don't send in session notes)
20 hours of consultation after basic training
12 EMDRIA credits earned after basic training (your basic training hours don't count toward this)
1 letter from an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and 2 letters from colleagues
Your current license and agreeing to EMDRIA's policies
Once you're approved, certification lasts 2 years and then you renew. EMDRIA says approval usually takes 3 to 5 weeks.
How do the 20 consultation hours work?
The consultation hours have the most little rules, so I want to break them down.
At least 10 of the 20 hours have to be individual consultation
The other 10 can be individual, group, or a mix of both
Groups can have up to 8 people
A Consultant in Training (CIT) can give you up to 15 of your hours, and at least 5 have to come from an Approved Consultant
The hours have to be within the 5 years before you apply
One thing that trips people up is that the 10 consultation hours that are part of basic training are separate. Those don't count toward your 20 for certification. Only consultation you do after basic training is done counts.
And the CIT piece is a big deal if cost is a concern for you, because CITs often charge less than Approved Consultants. I keep a CIT Directory of CITs I recommend for exactly this reason.
Who writes the letters of recommendation?
You need one letter from an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Usually that's the consultant you did most of your hours with, since they actually know your work. The other 2 letters come from colleagues or peers who can speak to your EMDR practice and your ethics. Letters from consultants or CITs don't count as one of your peer letters.
For my own consultees, I write a letter once we've done at least 5 hours of group consultation and at least 1 individual consultation together, because I want to have really seen how you use EMDR before I recommend you.
How long does it take to get EMDR certified?
It depends mostly on how fast you get to 50 sessions with 25 clients, and that depends on your caseload. The consultation hours and the 12 credits can happen at the same time as you're building your sessions, so you don't have to do them one after the other.
Is EMDR certification worth it?
Certification is not required to practice EMDR. You can use EMDR with clients once you finish basic training. But my personal answer is YES, it is definitely worth it. It’s especially worth getting certified if you are in private practice. It's also the first step if you ever want to become a consultant yourself, since you have to be certified before you can become a CIT.
How I can help with certification hours
I made my EMDR Certification Cohort for therapists that want structure and the same group every month while they work toward certification. It's 5 months, with five 2-hour group calls (10 hours) and 2 individual hours, so 12 hours total, plus a Slack community between calls and step by step help with your EMDRIA requirements. The groups are capped at 8. The 2026 cohort is full but the waitlist is open for the next one.
If you'd rather just knock out individual hours, I also have a 5-hour individual package for $1,250 that includes a letter of recommendation when you finish.
FAQ
Do basic training consultation hours count toward EMDR certification?
No. The 10 consultation hours inside basic training are part of finishing the training. Your 20 certification hours have to happen after basic training is complete.
Can all 20 consultation hours be group consultation?
No. At least 10 of the 20 hours have to be individual. The other 10 can be group.
Can I get certification hours from a Consultant in Training?
Yes. A CIT can provide up to 15 of your 20 hours. At least 5 have to come from an EMDRIA Approved Consultant.
How much does EMDR certification cost?
The EMDRIA application fee is $150 for members and $350 for non-members. Consultation is the bigger cost, and rates vary by consultant.
Do I need to be certified to use EMDR with clients?
No. You can practice EMDR after you finish an EMDRIA approved basic training. Certification is an extra credential that shows you've gone further.
How long does EMDR certification last?
2 years. Then you renew with EMDRIA.
