Completing an EMDR basic training is a significant clinical milestone—but it is not the same as achieving EMDR certification. The path from trained therapist to certified EMDR clinician involves additional clinical experience, documented consultation hours, and a formal application process through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). For many therapists, the consultation hours requirement is the most confusing part of that journey.
Questions come up often: How many EMDR consultation hours are actually required? Do the consultation hours completed during basic training count toward certification? What types of consultation qualify, and with whom? Does it matter whether consultation is individual or group?
This article breaks down the EMDR certification requirements with clarity, addresses the most common misconceptions, and provides practical guidance on planning your consultation hours efficiently—so you can move through the certification process without unnecessary delays or surprises.
What Is EMDR Certification?
EMDR certification is a formal credential offered through EMDRIA that recognizes a clinician’s demonstrated competency in EMDR therapy—beyond the foundational knowledge acquired in basic training. It is a voluntary credential, meaning therapists can legally and ethically practice EMDR without it. However, certification signals a meaningful level of clinical experience and supervised practice to clients, referral sources, and employers.
Trained vs. Certified: An Important Distinction
Being EMDR-trained means you have completed an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR basic training program. This qualifies you to begin using EMDR in your clinical work and is the prerequisite for pursuing certification. Being EMDR-certified means you have met EMDRIA’s additional post-training requirements, including clinical hours, consultation hours, and a formal review process.
The distinction matters because clients, employers, and insurance credentialing bodies may ask about certification specifically. Understanding the difference—and being able to communicate it accurately—is part of representing your credentials appropriately.
The Role of EMDRIA
EMDRIA is the primary professional membership organization for EMDR practitioners in the United States and serves as the credentialing body for EMDR certification. EMDRIA sets the standards for basic training approval, consultant approval, and certification eligibility. Their requirements are periodically updated, so verifying current standards directly through the EMDRIA website is always advisable before beginning or submitting a certification application.
How Many EMDR Consultation Hours Are Required?
As of current EMDRIA standards, EMDR certification requires a minimum of 20 consultation hours completed with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™ or an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™-in-Training. These EMDR consultation hours must be accrued after completing your basic training and must be specifically directed toward your EMDR clinical work.
The 20-hour requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of individual and group consultation, within parameters EMDRIA specifies. Understanding how those formats can be combined—and what restrictions apply—is essential to planning your hours correctly.
Basic Training Consultation Hours vs. Certification Consultation Hours
This is the most common source of confusion among therapists working toward EMDR certification, and it is worth addressing directly.
Most EMDRIA-Approved EMDR basic training programs include consultation hours as part of the training itself. These are typically delivered by trainers or their approved assistants during or immediately following the training weekend(s). They serve an important function—helping you begin applying the EMDR protocol with guided support—but they are counted toward the completion of your basic training, not toward your EMDR certification application.
In plain terms: the consultation you received during your basic training does not count toward the 20 hours required for certification. Certification consultation hours are a separate, post-training requirement that begins after you have completed your basic training program.
This surprises many clinicians who assumed they were building toward certification during training. Understanding this distinction early allows you to plan appropriately and avoid delays when you are ready to apply.
What Counts Toward EMDR Consultation Hours?
Not all professional contact with an EMDR consultant qualifies as EMDR consultation hours for certification purposes. The hours that count must meet specific criteria related to the consultant’s credentials and the nature of the consultation activity.
Individual vs. Group Consultation
Both individual and group consultation can contribute to the 20-hour requirement, but EMDRIA specifies how these formats may be combined. Individual consultation involves one-on-one work with your consultant and typically allows for more direct, personalized feedback on your specific cases. Group consultation involves multiple consultees meeting with a single consultant and tends to offer peer learning alongside the consultant’s guidance.
EMDRIA’s current guidelines specify the maximum number of group consultation hours that can be applied toward the certification total. Confirming these proportions with your consultant or directly through EMDRIA before you begin ensures your hours will be counted correctly in your application.
Working with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™
For consultation hours to count toward EMDR certification, they must be provided by an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™ or an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™-in-Training. Consultation received from a colleague who is EMDR-trained but not EMDRIA-approved does not qualify—regardless of their level of clinical experience or expertise.
Verifying your consultant’s approval status before beginning is essential. You can confirm EMDRIA approval through the consultant directory on the EMDRIA website. Your consultant should also be willing to provide documentation of the hours they oversee, which you will need for your certification application.
What Happens During Qualifying Consultation?
Qualifying EMDR consultation hours are typically structured around case presentation and clinical review. During a consultation session, you present active EMDR cases, discuss your clinical decision-making, receive feedback on your application of the EMDR protocol, and work through clinical challenges. Common areas addressed in consultation include:
- Target sequencing and treatment planning
- Handling blocked or incomplete processing
- Managing abreactions and emotional activation
- Appropriate use of cognitive interweaves
- Case conceptualization within the adaptive information processing (AIP) model
- Navigating complex presentations, dissociative symptoms, or attachment-based challenges
The goal is not just hour accumulation—it is the clinical development that occurs through sustained, supervised reflection on your EMDR work.
Breakdown of EMDR Certification Requirements
EMDR consultation hours are one component of a multi-part certification application. Here is a summary of the full EMDRIA certification requirements as currently published:
EMDR Consultation Hours
A minimum of 20 EMDR consultation hours with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™ or Consultant-in-Training, completed after basic training, combining individual and group formats within EMDRIA-specified parameters.
Clinical Experience Requirements
Applicants must document a minimum of 50 EMDR therapy sessions completed with clients using the EMDR protocol. These sessions must involve at least 25 unique individual clients. Sessions conducted during basic training do not count toward this total.
Active Licensure and EMDRIA Membership
Applicants must hold a current, active license to practice as a mental health professional and maintain current EMDRIA membership at the time of application.
Completion of EMDRIA-Approved Basic Training
Certification requires completion of an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR basic training—not simply any EMDR-related training or workshop. Confirm that your training was delivered by an EMDRIA-Approved trainer and that you received appropriate documentation of completion.
Attestation and Application
The EMDR certification application includes attestation from your consultant confirming your consultation hours and professional conduct. Some application versions have also included professional reference requirements. Review the current EMDRIA certification application directly to confirm all documentation requirements before submitting.
Common Misconceptions About EMDR Consultation Hours
“I Already Completed Consultation During Training—Isn’t That Enough?”
This is the most frequent misunderstanding. As noted above, consultation hours provided during your EMDR basic training count toward training completion—not toward the 20 hours required for EMDR certification. If you completed your training without beginning post-training certification consultation, your EMDR consultation hours for certification purposes are still at zero. Starting them promptly after training completion is the most efficient approach.
Confusion Between Consultation Types
Some clinicians count clinical supervision received from their agency or licensing board toward their EMDR consultation hours. General clinical supervision—even if your supervisor is EMDR-trained—does not qualify. EMDR certification consultation must be specifically focused on your EMDR clinical work and must be provided by an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™ or Consultant-in-Training.
Misunderstanding Timelines
There is no minimum time requirement for completing your consultation hours—you are not required to spread 20 hours over a minimum number of months. However, rushing to accumulate hours without genuine clinical reflection undermines the purpose of consultation. Most clinicians find that regular consultation over six to twelve months after basic training produces the most meaningful clinical development, even if the raw hour count could technically be completed faster.
On the other end, there is also no official expiration on consultation hours—but it is worth confirming current EMDRIA policy on this point, as requirements can be updated.
How to Plan Your EMDR Consultation Hours Efficiently
When to Start
The single most effective thing you can do to streamline your path to EMDR certification is to begin post-training consultation as soon as possible after completing your basic training. Many therapists wait—sometimes for months or years—before connecting with a consultant. This delay pushes back certification timelines and means you are practicing EMDR during that period without the ongoing feedback that consultation provides.
Starting consultation within the first few weeks of completing basic training ensures your clinical learning continues momentum, your early EMDR cases receive qualified oversight, and your certification timeline stays on track.
Group vs. Individual Strategy
From a practical standpoint, combining group and individual consultation is typically the most efficient approach. Group consultation is generally more affordable, exposes you to diverse case presentations, and can be completed on a predictable schedule. Individual consultation provides more focused feedback on your specific clinical work and is particularly valuable when you encounter complex cases or want to develop a specific skill area.
A reasonable approach for many clinicians is to begin with a structured group consultation program to build foundational competency and accumulate hours consistently, and to supplement with individual consultation as needed for complex case support or skill development.
Staying Organized and Tracking Hours
Document your consultation hours as you go. Keep a log that records the date, duration, format (individual or group), name of the consultant, and brief description of the content covered. Your consultant should also maintain records and be prepared to sign off on your hours for your certification application. Waiting until you are ready to apply and then trying to reconstruct records is a common and avoidable headache.
Where to Find EMDR Certification Consultation
Finding a qualified consultant is straightforward once you know what to look for. Prioritize consultants who hold current EMDRIA approval, have relevant clinical experience with your client population, and offer a consultation format (individual, group, or hybrid) that fits your schedule and learning needs.
Practical options include:
- The EMDRIA consultant directory, which lists Approved Consultants searchable by location and specialty
- Referrals from your EMDR trainer or other certified colleagues in your professional network
- Structured certification programs that bundle consultation hours with peer cohort support and organized tracking
For therapists who want a structured path to certification with built-in consultation access, Scaling Up EMDR’s Certification Program provides a cohort-based format that includes the consultation hours needed for EMDR certification, organized peer learning, and clear documentation support. This kind of structured program is particularly useful for therapists who want to avoid the guesswork of assembling consultation hours independently.
Checking the Most Current EMDRIA Certification Requirements
EMDRIA updates its certification requirements periodically, and the standards described in this article reflect current published guidelines. Before beginning your certification process or submitting an application, always verify the requirements directly through EMDRIA. Their certification page provides the most up-to-date information on hour requirements, application documentation, and eligibility criteria.
You can review EMDRIA’s current EMDR certification requirements at emdria.org/emdr-training/emdr-certification-2/.
Conclusion
EMDR certification is a meaningful credential that reflects genuine clinical investment—not just training completion. The path to certification is clear, but it requires understanding exactly what is required: 20 post-training EMDR consultation hours with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant™, 50 documented EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients, active licensure and EMDRIA membership, and a complete application submitted for review.
The most important things to get right are starting your certification consultation hours promptly after basic training, working exclusively with EMDRIA-approved providers, and documenting your hours consistently throughout the process. Therapists who plan ahead and engage with structured consultation programs typically find the certification timeline much more manageable than those who piece together hours reactively.
If you are ready to move forward, do not wait. The sooner you begin your EMDR consultation hours, the sooner your clinical work deepens—and the sooner certification is within reach.
Ready to Complete Your EMDR Certification?
Join a structured certification cohort through Scaling Up EMDR’s Certification Program. The cohort format includes your required consultation hours, organized peer learning, and documentation support—giving you everything you need to meet EMDRIA’s EMDR certification requirements in one place.
