When clinicians weigh enrollment in EMDR basic training, the format question almost always comes up: “Is online really as good as in-person? Will my certification carry the same weight? Will I leave practicum actually able to do this work with a client on Monday morning?”
These are not soft questions. EMDR is a complex, eight-phase protocol that demands more than passive content absorption โ it requires supervised behavioral rehearsal, real-time correction, and integration of case conceptualization. The concern that virtual delivery might dilute any of those components is reasonable. It is also, at this point, empirically answerable. The data, the EMDRIA policy framework, and our own training cohorts all point to the same conclusion: format is not the variable that determines clinical readiness. Rigor, faculty quality, consultation depth, and the trainee’s own engagement are.
The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) is the credentialing body that governs what counts as legitimate EMDR basic training in North America. In 2021, EMDRIA published formal standards for virtual basic training, establishing the curriculum requirements that govern approved programs today (EMDRIA Domain 2 Standards, 2021).
What those standards make explicit is that the curriculum is identical. Virtual and in-person trainings must both deliver:
EMDRIA also imposes virtual-specific safeguards: cameras must be on so faculty can monitor attendance and visual cues, virtual cohorts are capped at 100 trainees, and the training cannot be delivered on demand โ it must be live and synchronous (EMDRIA Basic Training Policies & Requirements). The Certificate of Completion that follows is the same document, with the same standing for advanced trainings and EMDRIA Certification.
In other words: a clinician who completes a properly approved virtual basic training is not on a parallel, lower track. They are on the only track.
Of all the concerns raised about virtual training, the most clinically substantive is whether practicum โ the hands-on rehearsal of EMDR with peers under faculty supervision โ can be delivered with fidelity over Zoom. This is the right concern to interrogate, because EMDR competence is built in the body, not the slide deck.
The structural answer is that virtual practicum mirrors in-person practicum on every meaningful dimension. Trainees work in small breakout groups, rotating through the roles of clinician, client, and observer. EMDRIA-Approved Consultants and faculty assistants move between breakouts the way they would move between tables in a conference room, providing real-time correction on protocol fidelity, bilateral stimulation pacing, and case conceptualization. The chat function allows for immediate questions without interrupting the flow. Trainees use validated visual and auditory bilateral stimulation tools โ the same tools many will use in their telehealth practices.
There are also some quieter advantages to the virtual format that practicing trainers consistently observe. Trainees rehearse the protocol in the same environment where they will likely deliver telehealth EMDR to real clients, which strengthens transfer of learning. They are not contending with the acoustic bleed of six other practicum dyads working through their own targets in the same room. And clinicians from rural areas, those with caregiving responsibilities, and those without travel budgets gain access to training that would otherwise be geographically or financially out of reach.
None of this means virtual practicum is uniformly superior. Some trainees genuinely learn better with in-person co-regulation and the embodied cues of a shared physical space. That is exactly why the question is not which format is “better” in the abstract, but which format fits the trainee โ a question we’ll return to below.
Two literatures are relevant here, and both have matured considerably since 2020.
The first is the broader evidence base on e-learning in psychotherapy training. A 2024 PRISMA-compliant systematic review in the Journal of Medical Internet Research synthesized studies comparing e-learning and conventional psychotherapy training methods and found that learning outcomes were generally comparable, with the strongest results occurring when synchronous interaction with trainers was preserved and learners moved beyond passive content into active rehearsal โ exactly the structure EMDRIA mandates (Sippel et al., 2024, JMIR). A separate systematic review of CBT training reached a parallel conclusion: instructor-led training and online training combined with supervision moderately improve therapist competence, particularly for highly structured protocols (Frank et al., 2020).
The second is the rapidly growing literature on EMDR delivered remotely, which speaks indirectly but powerfully to training. If virtually trained therapists are graduating into a world where roughly half their EMDR work will happen via telehealth, then the question of whether EMDR itself works online is part of the training-efficacy conversation. The McGowan et al. (2021) UK service evaluation collected efficacy data on 93 patients treated by 33 EMDR therapists working online during the pandemic and found statistically significant, clinically meaningful reductions across all four standardized outcome measures (IES-R, GAD-7, PHQ-9, PCL-5) in both adult and pediatric populations (McGowan et al., 2021, BMC Psychiatry). A larger Bristol service evaluation later concluded that online EMDR is an acceptable, safe, and effective alternative to in-person EMDR for PTSD (Sansom et al., 2024, PMC). Multiple subsequent studies have reported no significant outcome differences between virtual and in-person EMDR delivery for PTSD and adjacent presentations.
The research caveats are worth stating plainly. Most of the comparative work to date is observational rather than randomized, sample sizes are modest, and head-to-head RCTs of virtual versus in-person training (as opposed to therapy delivery) are still scarce. What the evidence does not yet support is a confident claim of equivalence; what it does support is the absence of any signal that virtual delivery is inferior when the structural elements โ synchronicity, supervised practicum, post-training consultation โ are preserved.
| Component | In-Person Basic Training | Virtual Basic Training (EMDRIA-Approved) |
| Didactic Hours | 20 hours, live instruction | 20 hours, live synchronous instruction |
| Supervised Practicum | 20 hours in small groups | 20 hours in synchronous Zoom breakouts; faculty rotate through groups |
| Consultation Hours | 10 hours with EMDRIA-Approved Consultant | 10 hours with EMDRIA-Approved Consultant (typically by Zoom) |
| Required Text | Shapiro, 3rd ed. | Shapiro, 3rd ed. |
| Eligibility | Identical | Identical |
| Certificate of Completion | Identical | Identical |
| Class Size | Set by trainer | Capped at 100 by EMDRIA policy |
| Pathway to EMDRIA Certification | Yes | Yes |
The honest answer is that the right format depends on you, not on a hierarchy of legitimacy. Trainees who travel well, who learn best with embodied co-presence, and who can clear three full days twice over for in-person attendance often thrive in our in-person cohorts. Trainees managing caseloads, caregiving, geographic distance, or sensory-load fatigue often thrive in our virtual cohorts and report being more present in their own home environment than they would be in a hotel conference room. Hybrid options โ one weekend in person, one weekend virtual โ exist precisely because the answer for many clinicians is “both.”
What does not vary across our formats is the curriculum, the faculty caliber, the practicum supervision, or the standard you’ll be held to before you walk away calling yourself an EMDR-trained therapist.
Since 2011, CompassionWorks has trained over 2,400 therapists worldwide, equipping them with the skills and confidence to deliver effective, research-backed trauma care. Our mission is to help professionals grow with clarity and compassion so more clients can heal and thrive. Led by a team of highly dedicated, EMDRIA-Approved trainers and consultants โ including experts in complex trauma and equine-assisted therapy โ we uphold the highest standards in every training. We offer rigorous education in multiple formats (online, in-person, and hybrid) to create safe, supportive learning spaces where all clinicians are valued.
Whether you learn best in person, online, or in a hybrid blend, our 2026 cohorts are open and EMDRIA-approved across every format. Your certification, your practicum experience, and your readiness to begin EMDR work with clients will be the same โ what changes is how the training fits into your life.
Browse our upcoming EMDR Basic Training cohorts โ online, in-person, and hybrid.
Yes, when delivered under EMDRIA’s 2021 virtual training standards. The curriculum, hours, required text, and Certificate of Completion are identical to in-person training.
Yes. EMDRIA Certification is a separate, optional credential that requires additional consultation hours and clinical work after basic training. The basic training format โ virtual, in-person, or hybrid โ has no bearing on Certification eligibility.
Practicum takes place in synchronous Zoom breakout rooms in small groups, where trainees rotate through the clinician, client, and observer roles. EMDRIA-Approved Consultants and faculty assistants move between breakouts to provide real-time supervision, correction, and feedback โ the same support trainees receive in an in-person practicum room.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelorโs and masterโs degrees in social work and a masterโs in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.ย
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.ย
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelorโs and masterโs degrees in social work and a masterโs in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
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