Where To Get EMDR Therapy
If you spend any amount of time online, in wellness spaces, or around people who are engaged in therapy in some way, you have probably heard of EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing).
Although EMDR therapy has been around for decades, it has certainly become more mainstream in recent years. This is great in some ways. It means more people are aware of it and might seek it out as an option for their treatment and healing journeys.
But with more recognition, comes the opportunity for more misinformation and poor quality in treatment.
This is why I felt inspired to write this blog. Because EMDR therapy is amazing, and I hope that anyone who is seeking this path can receive the proper information to help them make the best decision for their care and to receive the best quality care possible.
I think it's equally important for mental health professionals to know more about EMDR trainings to make sure they are spending their time and money on quality trainings.
In the paragraphs below, you’ll find:
What is EMDR
Where to get EMDR therapy
How to make sure you’re receiving EMDR from a properly trained provider
What is EMDR
EMDR therapy aims to help you process and resolve the emotional distress associated with memories, experiences, thoughts, and body sensations. It doesn’t get rid of those memories, experiences, et al., but rather, it helps lessen the emotional distress tied to them, which helps lessen the hold they may have over you and your life.
EMDR is often used for treatment of trauma, anxiety, and other trauma-related conditions.
It is different from traditional “talk therapy” in that it focuses less on processing through talking and more on processing through your body.
You will use bilateral stimulation (stimulating both sides of your brain by moving your eyes back and forth, tapping alternate sides of your body, or using hand buzzers that buzz in each hand alternatively) while bringing to mind a distressing memory, experience, emotion, thought, or body sensation.
There are many theories as to how and why EMDR works.
One theory is that the bilateral stimulation helps the “stuck” memory, experience, et al. process fully. Instead of being “stuck” in one place of your body or on one side of your brain, the bilateral stimulation helps that memory, experience, et al. gain movement to flow through you and get processed in the way that other less distressing memories, experiences, et al. do.
From my personal experience with EMDR therapy, it also helps bring new perspective to those emotionally charged memories, experiences, et al.
For example, in a memory from my childhood, I used to get caught up in anger about the way I was treated by someone close to me.
When this memory came to mind during EMDR therapy, I was able to see that there was also someone else there in that same memory who tried to advocate for me. This realization didn’t change the memory, but it did allow me to have a new emotional experience associated with that memory. Less anger and more gratitude for that other person who I previously couldn’t see as clearly because that part of the memory was clouded by my anger about the rest of it.
While “talk therapy” and other forms of therapy can absolutely change your perspective too, EMDR therapy seems to do it in a different way that potentially allows for deeper healing.
Where to Get EMDR Therapy
As mentioned above, EMDR has become talked about more and more in recent years, which has made it more accessible.
EMDR therapists work in many different settings, including outpatient clinics and hospitals.
EMDR is able to be done both in-person and virtually, which helps make it even more accessible and you’re able to work with therapists who may not be in your direct area.
I offer EMDR therapy mostly virtually, with limited in-person availability in Wauwatosa, WI (Milwaukee area).
EMDR therapy is also covered by insurance, the same way any other one hour therapy session would be. This further helps make it an accessible option.
How to Find Quality EMDR Treatment
As a provider, I’ve been seeing more and more “EMDR trainings” advertised online and in my email inbox. However, many of these “trainings” are cheap, short, and not EMDRIA approved. This is a problem.
EMDRIA is a sort of governing body for the EMDR world, which helps make sure that EMDRIA approved trainings are standardized and the gold standard of EMDR trainings. These trainings require a certain curriculum that other trainings do not, including 20 hours of instructional material, 20 hours of practicum experience, and 10 hours of consultation.
These trainings also require that those in attendance are licensed mental health professionals, licensed mental health professionals in-training, or graduate students in a mental health program. This is an important note because I believe only mental health professionals should be offering EMDR. Here’s why:
Mental health professionals have additional education and training that other professions (such as coaches with no mental health professional background) do not.
Because it involves reprocessing if emotionally charged memories, experiences, et al., EMDR therapy can increase symptoms, like physical symptoms, dissociation, vivid dreams or nightmares, and emotional distress. The training mental health professionals have better prepares us to help clients work with and move through this safely.
When the provider (mental health professional or not) is not properly trained, such as they do not have the skills or they move to reprocessing before the client is ready, there is a risk of re-traumatization. Again, mental health professional will be better prepared to help someone in this situation.
As a provider, you'll want to make sure you are taking an EMDRIA approved training. Although some trainings that aren't approved may be appealing due to having a smaller price tag or a shorter time commitment, training for EMDR is not one that you'll want to compromise on.
3 Tips to Finding a EMDRIA Trained Therapist:
Head to www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/
The official EMDRIA website has a therapist directory that only allows for mental health professionals who have completed EMDRIA approved trainings to list themselves. This won’t be an all-inclusive list of every EMDRIA trained therapist, but it can be a good place to start.
During your therapist search
When you’re looking for an EMDR therapist, don’t be afraid to ask them where they took their EMDR training and or if their training was EMDRIA approved. These are valid questions to ask and a great way to advocate for yourself and the care you're receiving.
Therapist is EMDR Certified
Now, this one can be tricky. Unfortunately, people can say whatever they want online, so the same suggestion as above applies - don’t be afraid to ask for verification. But if a provider is truly EMDR Certified, this means they had to have completed EMDRIA approved training and certification. While any organization can offer an EMDR training, you can only become EMDR Certified through completing an EMDRIA approved training and the EMDRIA certification process.
I am excited to be in the process of becoming EMDR certified now and hope to have the process complete by the end of 2025.
Final Notes
EMDR therapy is a great option for anyone who is interested in seeking it out. It helps to reduce the distress associated with memories, experiences, emotions, thoughts, and body sensations, particularly for trauma, anxiety, and other trauma-related conditions.
You can find EMDR therapy online or in-person, and you may be able to find EMDR therapists who are in-network with your insurance.
When searching for an EMDR therapist, I highly recommend doing your due diligence to make sure that the therapist you choose has been properly trained. This means they have received training from an EMDRIA approved training.
You can find this information by going to EMDRIA’s therapist directory, asking your potential therapist where they received their training, and working with an EMDR certified therapist.
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Would you consider yourself a people pleaser or perfectionist? Do you have a harsh inner critic and struggle with your self-worth? Do you have a history of repeated traumas (known as cPTSD or complex trauma), such as emotional neglect, chronic bullying, or abuse? If so, you’re not alone. It can feel like you are, but I can tell you from personal and professional experience, you are not. To gain support from others who have had similar experiences, my virtual Tame Your Mind group is here to support you.
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