This grant-funded EMDR Basic Training is designed for eligible mental health professionals living in and serving clients in the State of Montana. Priority is given to providers serving rural, frontier, tribal, veteran, and underserved communities.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is an evidence-based treatment approach for a range of client presenting issues (particularly trauma-related). It incorporates somatic, emotional, cognitive, and narrative elements, and it facilitates accelerated reduction of clients’ symptoms due to adverse experiences.
EMDR Basic Training includes Part I and Part II, as well as 10 hours of consultation on EMDR Therapy, and reading an EMDR Therapy book by Francine Shapiro. This EMDR Basic Training is EMDRIA-Approved.
Clinicians are expected to begin using EMDR therapy with clients after completion of Part I and using group consultation to review these cases. The entire training must be completed within a 12-month period. Trainings include lecture, discussion, experiential exercises, demonstrations, and small group practice – all live, online or in-person! EMDR Basic Training is available to licensed mental health professionals or people working toward licensure and under the supervision of a licensed professional.
Overview
Training Overview:
The EMDR Basic Training Course includes both Part 1 and 2, as well as 10 consultation hours. It is an EMDRIA-Approved Training.
In this course, clinicians will learn how to conceptualize cases and conduct treatment plans from the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model. Clinicians will learn all 8 phases of EMDR therapy and how to conduct this therapeutic approach with clients experiencing anxiety, PTSD, depression, addictions, attachment-wounds and various other diagnoses and distressing symptoms.
Therapists will utilize the 3-pronged approach to reprocess clients past traumas, as well as present triggers and visualizing the ideal future for one’s self. Therapists will learn how to properly prepare client’s for the EMDR experience through resourcing and grounding techniques.
After this course, clinicians will be able to identify strategies to use with dissociative clients, various different cultural practices and awareness, along with working with clients with complex PTSD. This course takes an attachment-friendly and relational approach infused into the entire course. Lastly, clinicians will enhance their ability to conduct EMDR therapy with various populations, including adults, children, adolescents, immigrants and refugees, first responders, and more.
The training includes didactic learning, demonstration, live consultation and supervised online practicum.
Objectives
PART 1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Identify 3 elements of the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model.
2. Describe how the AIP Model guides case conceptualization & treatment planning.
3. Identify how dual attention stimulation can activate the working memory theory to explain EMDR therapy’s mechanism of action.
4. List 3 or more Negative Cognitions that are common for clients to list when experiencing EMDR therapy.
5. Explain how to utilize the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) Scale.
6. Explain how to utilize the Validity of Cognition (VOC) Scale.
7. Identify three options for Dual Attention Stimulus (DAS).
8. Name and describe the 8 phases of EMDR therapy.
9. Provide 2 possible resources to use when preparing a client for EMDR therapy.
10. Determine how to access client readiness for EMDR trauma processing.
11. Describe the 3-Pronged Approach to EMDR therapy.
12. Explain the purpose of the container exercise in the preparation stage.
13. Identify ways to identify potential targets with the client.
14. Describe how to close down an incomplete target session during an EMDR therapy session.PART 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
15. Utilize the client readiness checklist to determine readiness for trauma processing.
16. Apply the 3-pronged approach to prioritize targets for reprocessing.
17. Identify 2 examples of grounding the client when they are experiencing dissociation.
18. Provide options to increase the charge during Desensitization.
19. Provide options to decrease the charge during Desensitization.
20. Implement 3 strategies to assist with blocked processing.
21. Implement the protocol for closing down incomplete target sessions.
22. Describe strategies to use EMDR for clients with Complex PTSD.
23. Explain modifications in using EMDR therapy with children.
24. Describe strategies to use with clients who are dissociative.
25. Apply utilizing the Future Template during EMDR sessions with clients.
26. Apply EMDR with client present day symptoms and future concerns.Itinerary
EMDR Basic Training: What You’ll Learn & What to Expect
Click here to view the full schedule.
Part I: Foundations of EMDR Therapy
In Part I, you’ll learn the core foundations needed to begin using EMDR Therapy with clients. This includes an introduction to the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, the 8-phase EMDR protocol, and Resource Development and Installation (RDI).
By the end of Part I, you will be able to:
- Understand how EMDR works, including how dual attention stimulation supports memory processing
- Identify and describe all 8 phases of EMDR Therapy
- Assess client readiness for trauma processing
- Confidently use multiple forms of dual attention stimulation (DAS)
After Part I, you’ll begin using EMDR Therapy with clients and participate in consultation groups led by Scaling Up EMDR’s EMDRIA-Approved Consultants. Consultation dates are scheduled in advance so you can plan ahead. If you miss a scheduled consultation, you may join another approved consultation group for an additional fee.
Part II: Applying EMDR to More Complex Clinical Presentations
Part II takes place approximately 6–10 weeks after Part I and focuses on applying EMDR Therapy to more complex cases, including Complex PTSD, anxiety disorders, chronic pain/illness, dissociation, and work with children and adolescents.
In Part II, you’ll learn how to:
- Ground and stabilize clients experiencing dissociation
- Adapt EMDR for Complex PTSD and anxiety-related presentations
- Modify EMDR protocols for children and adolescents
- Use the 3-pronged approach to prioritize targets for reprocessing
Following Part II, you’ll complete the remaining consultation hours required for EMDR Basic Training. The full training—Part I, Part II, and all consultation hours—must be completed within 12 months to receive your Certificate of Completion.
How the Training Is Structured
The EMDR Basic Training is highly interactive and experiential. You’ll learn through:
- Clear, engaging lectures and demonstrations
- Experiential exercises and guided practice
- Small-group breakout sessions, where you’ll rotate through therapist, client, and observer roles
You’ll also receive comprehensive digital manuals for both Part I and Part II to support your learning during and after the training.
Hours, Credits & Certification Pathway
The complete EMDR Basic Training includes:
- 20 hours of instruction
- 20 hours of practicum
- 10 hours of consultation
Upon completion, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion with 40 continuing education credits. This training prepares you to use EMDR Therapy with clients.
Please note: Upon completing this training, you will be considered an EMDRIA-approved EMDR Therapist. After finishing the training, you may choose to pursue EMDRIA Certification, a voluntary advanced credential that typically takes 1–2 years to complete.
Click here to learn more about the EMDRIA Certification process.
Registration Fees
Thanks to grant funding, there is no registration fee for therapists who qualify for this EMDR Basic Training opportunity.
Eligible participants will receive:
- Full EMDRIA-Approved Basic Training (Part 1 & 2)
- 10 hours of consultation
- Digital training materials
The only out-of-pocket cost for participants is the required textbook:
📘 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures by Francine Shapiro (ISBN: 978-1462532766).
We recommend purchasing this book in advance of the training.Trainers
Course Trainers
TrainerSadie Smith
Testimonials
I really loved the training, I felt like it was so packed with knowledge but my learning never felt rushed, and the facilitators and instructor were all very knowledgeable and offered feedback in a great and supportive environment.
Although I was extremely nervous about practicing in groups, the support of the facilitators during the practices, and the awesome trainee’s patience with me as I was learning, made the experience a very positive one.
Very well planned and organized and the trainer and facilitators are all masters in EMDR. I really appreciate their responsiveness to participants’ questions and nuances of the practice with rich examples from their own.
This training was life changing as a therapist. I am SO very grateful to have had this experience. Thank you for being so warm and strengths based. I will be recommending this training to ALL of my therapist friends 🙂
The training was rigorous and intense. Today’s session really honed in the experience – and truly felt life changing, from a personal perspective (client) and as an in-training EMDR therapist.
Excellent organization. Kind, compassionate, passionate, and knowledgeable instructors! Wonderful and warm online environment.
We have found Scaling Up to be a wonderful company to work with. Eight of our employees have taken their trainings and we have found them responsive to our needs and easy to work with.
We have engaged in many clinic wide trainings over the past 30 years and this was across the board and by far one of the highest quality and most useful trainings we have had. Scaling Up was professional, timely, well-informed and able to address issues that arose in real time to make sure that everyone involved was comfortable. As a non-profit organization, we never would have been able to afford this critical training without Scaling Up and are so grateful for their commitment to lower resourced populations.
2026 Schedule
The following EMDR Basic Training cohorts are part of a statewide, grant-funded initiative supporting trauma-informed care across Montana. Trainings are offered live online via Zoom and through select in-person options to expand access for eligible mental health professionals serving clients throughout the state. This initiative prioritizes providers serving rural, frontier, tribal, veteran, and underserved communities.
LOCATION
TRAINING DATES
CONSULTATION GROUPS
Bozeman, MT
Part 1: April 21 – 23
Part 2: June 22 & 23
Fridays, 9am – 11am MT
May 8, May 22, June 12, July 10, July 31
SOLD OUT – Join the waiting list.
Billings, MT
Part 1: April 24 – 26
Part 2: June 22 & 23
Fridays, 9am – 11am MT
May 8, May 22, June 12, July 10, July 31
SOLD OUT – Join the waiting list.
Missoula, MT
Part 1: April 28 – 30
Part 2: June 22 & 23
Fridays, 9am – 11am MT
May 8, May 22, June 12, July 10, July 31
SOLD OUT – Join the waiting list.
Live, Online via Zoom
Part 1: May 12 – 14
Part 2: June 22 & 23
Tuesdays, 9am – 11am MT
May 26, June 9, July 14, July 28, August 11
SOLD OUT – Join the waiting list.
Live, Online via Zoom
Part 1: May 18 – 20
Part 2: June 24 & 25
Wednesdays, 1pm – 3pm MT
June 3, June 17, July 15, July 29, August 12
2 Spots Left
CE Credits
Continuing Education (CE) Credits
Continuing Education (CE) credits are offered and included in the price of the training. After completing the EMDR Basic Training Parts I and II, participants will receive Certificates of Completion with 40 CE credits.
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Scaling Up, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7065. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Scaling Up, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Psychotherapists completing this course will receive 40 continuing education credits.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Scaling Up (provider number 1834), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provisional regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Scaling Up maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 40 synchronous continuing education credits.
American Psychological Association (APA): Scaling Up, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Scaling Up, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Psychologists completing this course receive 40 continuing education credits. New York Continuing Education (CE) Credits: Scaling Up, LLC is approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as a provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0309). Scaling Up, LLC is also approved by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as a provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0803).
Note: New York licensees who require NYS ED CE credits must request a certificate after completing the training to receive proper documentation.
Attendees must log in before or at the course begin time, attend the full training, sign out on or after the scheduled end time, and complete the course evaluation to be eligible to receive CEs. Partial credit cannot be awarded. After completion, the participant will receive an electronic certificate emailed to them at the end of the course.
*** This course is not eligible for EMDRIA continuing education units (CEUs).
Requirements & Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Eligibility is limited to individuals who live in Montana and are licensed in Montana or actively training toward licensure in Montana. Participants must also serve clients in the State of Montana.
This training is intended for those who have not previously completed an EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Basic Training.
Attendance in an EMDR Basic Training is limited to licensed mental health professionals, students in an accredited graduate program, and interns on a state licensing track. Students and interns must receive approval for attendance. For information on eligibility requirements, click here.
Addictions Counselors who only hold a chemical dependency or substance abuse license are not eligible for EMDR Basic Training.
System Requirements
To attend the online training, one must have access to a computer, internet and Zoom. It is vital that a computer is utilized for this training, instead of a mobile device or iPad.
Course Completion Requirements
According to EMDRIA requirements, the EMDR Basic Training can only be completed live online or in-person and cannot be completed on demand. Therefore, participants must be present for 100% of the training in order to complete it. This course is NOT available to take on demand. We do know that unexpected incidents, emergencies and illnesses arrive. In this case, we can transfer participants to another cohort, if needed, for an additional fee, in order to complete the course. Please see our Cancellation Policy to learn more about the fees associated with switching cohorts. Once the course is completed, participants will receive an electronic certificate emailed to them within 30 days of the course completion.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation & Transfer Policy (Grant-Funded EMDR Basic Training)
This training is fully funded through a state grant, which means your spot represents both a valuable clinical opportunity and a financial commitment. We ask that you plan ahead, honor the full training dates, and avoid last-minute cancellations or transfers whenever possible.
Cohort consistency supports emotional safety and high-quality learning. Please protect the dates of your original training cohort and complete your pre-work on time. If you anticipate scheduling conflicts, contact us as early as possible so we can support you.
Cancellation Policy
30 days or more before the first day of training: You may cancel at no cost.
Less than 30 days before the first day of training: We are unable to charge participants for canceling, and we do not receive reimbursement if you withdraw this close to the training. Please notify us as soon as possible if you’re unable to attend.Pre-work not completed at least two weeks prior to the first training day may result in loss of your spot. You may be asked to transfer to a later cohort if space allows.
Transfers
We understand that emergencies happen. If you’re unable to attend your scheduled training, we’ll do our best to transfer you into a future Montana-based grant cohort—pending space.
Please note: If you wish to transfer into a public (non-Montana grant funded) cohort instead, you will be responsible for the full public tuition rate. Grant funding can only be applied to eligible Montana-based cohorts.
On-Demand Access
Online, On-Demand Course Access
This course is not offered on demand. This course is only offered live, online. There will be resources and materials available to the trainee through our online Hub that can be accessed throughout the course, but does not supplement the live, online course.
Final Details
Final Training Details
This workshop is held in facilities which are in compliance with the Americans Disabilities Act. Please contact the Scaling Up Team at info@ScalingUpEMDR.com if special accommodations are required.
Scaling Up maintains responsibility for this program and its content in accordance with EMDRIA requirements.
Audio/Video/Photo Disclosure: Some of the trainings will be audio and/or video recorded. Additionally, photos may be taken and used for website and other promotional materials. By registering for this training you are consenting that you are in agreement of and aware of this disclosure agreement.
There are no known conflicts of interests for this workshop. All grievances must be in writing to info@scalingupemdr.com, and will be replied to within 5 – 10 business days.
EMDR Therapy is Endorsed By:
