Become an EMDR Therapist!

This EMDR Therapist Training is Online Only

This training is open to mental health professionals, provisionally licensed clinicians, and university students in approved programs across the US and Canada. The times for the training will be in the Central Time Zone. CompassionWorks, LLC is an EMDRIA-approved training provider. You can find the requirements for eligibility <here>.

There are minimal requirements for the online training: You will need to be able to have a quiet space for participation with your fully functioning computer connected to the internet. Your computer must have full audio and video capabilities. Using a Chrome browser is preferred. For the practicums you must be able to offer your partner the same privacy you would provide an actual client. Go <here> for more information.

This is the Complete EMDR Therapist Training, which consists of two 3-day sections and 10 hours of online group consultation. It is an EMDRIA-approved program and upon completion, you are a fully trained EMDR therapist. This is the foundational step on the pathway to becoming Certified in EMDR.

In addition to the two weekends, which are attended online in a synchronous video training format, each trainee must attend five 2-hour group consultations. These are completed through video calls between and after the training weekends.

This training is designed to explain, demonstrate, and apply the practical experience you will need to use EMDR effectively with your clients. Even after the first weekend, you will be encouraged to use it with appropriate clients and begin preparing the others who aren’t ready.

EMDR gets at the source of maladaptive behaviors by providing sub-cortical resolution to free up stuck or frozen intrusive thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. This training is focused on teaching you the basics of EMDR and the most effective way to incorporate it into your practice.

All trainees will be asked to participate in practicum exercises as part of the training. You will be encouraged to work on personal issues that are appropriate for the training environment.

There will be demonstrations with individual attendees throughout the 6 days, and you are encouraged to consider being a volunteer. In addition, all participants will be paired to practice the protocols and procedures that are explained in the class. This will be done in a safe, supportive environment in which confidentially will be maintained.

*Early registration cutoff date is two weeks prior to the first day of training. Participants will be let into the Zoom room at 8:50 CT on each day of training. The training site is online.

40 hours of continuing education hours are available. Please see the Continuing Education tab for more details.

The Following are the Learning Objectives for the CompassionWorks EMDR Therapist Training.

EMDR Therapist Training Learning Objectives for Weekend 1

• Identify how to integrate the standard EMDR therapy to psychotherapy
• Use the standard EMDR Procedure to feel competent
• Explain the development of EMDR therapy
• Recognize the current inclusion of EMDR therapy in treatment guidelines
• Distinguish, identify and explain the concepts of the AIP model
• Compare and summarize how to differentiate EMDR therapy and the AIP model from other psychotherapy approaches
• Identify the EMDR’s Eight phase treatment procedure
• Analyze how to describe EMDR’s Three-pronged approach
• Integrate EMDR safeguards.
• Rank the effects of “Big—T” and “Little-T” Trauma
• Summarize how to distinguish how EMDR helps with impairments in social, occupational, health, relational, and other areas of functioning
• Recognize the implicit and explicit memory functioning
• Identify and summarize memory linkage and association
• Recognize how EMDR processing causes an adaptive shift in all components of the memory, including sense of time and age, symptoms, reactive behaviors, and sense of self
• Compare and summarize EMDR from psychodynamic, CBT, experiential, and other therapy models

EMDR Therapist Training Learning Objectives for Weekend 2

• Identify and summarize the 8-Phases of EMDR therapy
• Demonstrate Resource Development & Installation (RDI)
• Recognize how to handle Abreactions
• Explain and identify Strategies for Blocked Processing
• Explain how to recognize Types of Blocked Processing
• Demonstrate how and analyze how to handle looping
• Explain and evaluate how to process and resolve feeder memories
• Distinguish how demonstrate the Appropriate Application of Cognitive Interweaves
• Compare how to recognize the types of feeder cognitive interweaves and how to apply them
• Demonstrate how to apply the Future Template.
• Select Advanced Methodology: Additional protocols and specific populations
• Explain how to identify and evaluate Professional and Legal Issues
• Demonstrate how RDI is used to develop positive introjects, increase affect regulation and adaptive responses
• Contrast how to practice and use the RDI procedure.
• Identify and use the Recent Event Protocol
• Explain and summarize traumatic event protocols
• Recognize how to use EMDR with Complex PTSD

EMDR Basic Training Schedule (Central Time)

Weekend 1

Day 1
9:00 am – Welcome and Introduction
10:00 am – How It All Began & AIP Concepts
11:00 am – AIP Model and Touchstone Event
12:00 pm – Affect Scan and Container Exercise
12:30 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Additional AIP Implications & Demo Video
2:50 pm – Phase 1 and Target Sequencing
3:50 pm – Phase 2
4:50 pm – Review
5:20 pm – Light Stream
5:30 pm – End

Day 2
9:00 am – Day Goals & Safe Place Demo
9:50 am – Practicum 1
10:35 am – Practicum 2
11:00 am – Discussion
11:20 am – Phases 3–7
12:30 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Standard Protocol Demo
2:30 pm – Discussion & Instruction
2:40 pm – Practicum 1
3:40 pm – Discussion
4:00 pm – Practicum 2
5:00 pm – Practicum Discussion
5:20 pm – Reverse Spiral Technique
5:30 pm – End

Day 3 (Working Lunch)
9:00 am – Goals & Consultation Calls
10:00 am – Mechanisms of Action
11:00 am – Review of EMDR & Re-evaluation Phase
11:40 am – Working Lunch
12:00 pm – Re-evaluation Demo
1:00 pm – Practicum 1
2:00 pm – Practicum Discussion
2:10 pm – Practicum 2
3:10 pm – Takeaways & Mindful Body Scan
3:30 pm – End

Weekend 2

Day 4
9:00 am – Review & Instruction
10:00 am – Blocked Processing
11:00 am – Cognitive Interweave
12:00 pm – Case Conceptualization
12:30 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Abreactions
3:00 pm – Recent Event Protocol & Self-Use
4:00 pm – Couples, Children, & Neurodiverse Clients
5:00 pm – Review and Discussion
5:20 pm – Affect Regulation Exercise
5:30 pm – End

Day 5
9:00 am – Anxiety and Addictions
10:00 am – Grief & Cultural Awareness
10:10 am – Resource Development and Installation (RDI) and Demo
10:50 am – Discussion
11:00 am – RDI Practice Round 1
11:25 am – Discussion
11:40 am – RDI Practice Round 2
12:05 pm – Discussion
12:15 pm – Most Triggering Client Instructions
12:30 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Demo: Most Triggering Client
2:40 pm – Practicum 1
3:40 pm – Discussion
3:50 pm – Practicum 2
4:50 pm – Review, Posttest Reminder & Regulation Exercise
5:30 pm – End

Day 6 (Working Lunch)
9:00 am – Legal & Complex Cases
10:00 am – Phases 3–8 to Knipe
11:00 am – EMDR, EMDr, and EMD Demo
11:50 am – Break / Working Lunch Prep
12:10 pm – Future Template
12:20 pm – Future Template Demo
1:00 pm – Discussion & Practicum 1
1:40 pm – Discussion
2:00 pm – Practicum 2
2:30 pm – Discussion
3:00 pm – Takeaways, Posttest & Evaluations
3:15 pm – Acknowledge Training Staff
3:30 pm – End

1. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures, Third Edition, by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., EMDR Originator. *
2. Go With That Magazine Fall 2020, Volume 25, Issue 3 [EMDR & Racial Trauma]**
3. Guidelines for Virtual EMDR Therapy (Spring 2020)

*Not included in training cost and will need to be purchased prior to training.
**Included in Online Training Manual

Location: Online

The training is completed online with the schedule as listed below. You will need to have a quiet space for participation with your fully functioning computer connected to the internet. Your computer must have full audio and video capabilities. Using a Chrome browser is preferred. For the practicums you must be able to offer your partner the same privacy you would provide an actual client. Go <here> for more information.

This training is open to all qualified mental health professionals, provisionally licensed clinicians, and university students in approved mental health career path programs across the US and Canada. Go here to check for eligibility.

After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with next steps and how to best prepare for your training.

Dates and Times:

April 10, 11, 12, 2026 (First Weekend)

• Friday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time)
• Saturday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time)
• Sunday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time) (with a working lunch)

Group video/phone consultations: Consultation call information is provided in the first weekend. These calls are an integral part of learning and required by EMDRIA.

May 15, 16, 17, 2026 (Second Weekend)

• Friday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time)
• Saturday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time)
• Sunday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Central Time) (with a working lunch)

Cancellation more than 14 days prior to the training start date: Full refund after $100 administration fee.
Cancellation between 4-14 days from training start date: No refund provided. Training fee be transferred to a later training with a $100 transfer fee.
Cancellation is 3 days or less prior to the training start date: No refund provided. Training fee may be transferred to a later training with a $400 administrative transfer fee.

Policy for Changing 2nd Weekend

The charge for changing or missing (more than 3 hours of) the second weekend after attending Weekend 1 of a training: $375.00 transfer fee. Fees may be waived with extenuating circumstances.

Policy for Missing Training Hours
The charge for rescheduling to make up any missed portion of the training over 20 minutes is billed at $125 per missed hour with a minimum charge of one hour. This may not apply to computer or internet malfunction if it is quickly followed with a phone call and/or resolution.
Any missed portion of the training over 20 minutes must be approved in advance and approval may not be possible depending on time and day of the training.

Policy for Making Up a Consultation Group
If you are scheduled for a Consultation Call and no-show or late cancel (within 24 hours) you may be charged $50.00 per group or $100.00 per individual call to reschedule the consultation call.

Time Frame for Completion of Program
The online program is required to be completed within a 12-month period beginning at the time of attendance of the first weekend. (Completion involves attending Weekends 1 and 2 and the 10 hours of consultation.)

Policy for Recording Trainings
Online trainings may be recorded and used at CompassionWorks LLC’s discretion. Demonstrations may be recorded however, will only be used with signed consent of the demonstration participants. Breakout rooms and practicums are not recorded. We respect your privacy. If you are concerned with your image or voice being recorded used in any manner please, feel free to reach out and let us know.

On-site and in-person trainings may be recorded and used at CompassionWorks LLC’s discretion. Demonstrations may be recorded however, will only be used with signed consent of the demonstration participants. Dyad or Triad practicums will not be recorded. We respect your privacy. If you are concerned with your image or voice being recorded and used in any manner please, feel free to reach out and let us know.

Attendees may not record any portion of the trainings for any reason.