Free EMDR Basic Training for Nevada Clinicians:

What You Need to Know About the Grant-Funded Program

What Is EMDR Basic Training?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based treatment approach developed by Francine Shapiro. It is used to treat a range of clinical presentations—most notably trauma and PTSD—by using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) to help the brain reprocess distressing memories. EMDR is recognized by the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other major health bodies as an effective intervention for trauma-related conditions.

What Clinicians Learn in EMDR Basic Training

EMDR Basic Training is the foundational training required to begin practicing EMDR therapy with clients. The training is structured in two parts and is governed by standards set by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). Clinicians completing an EMDRIA-approved EMDR Basic Training learn:

• The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which provides the theoretical framework for EMDR case conceptualization and treatment planning
• All 8 phases of EMDR therapy, including history taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation
• The three-pronged protocol for targeting past traumatic experiences, current triggers, and anticipated future situations
• Resourcing and grounding techniques to prepare clients for trauma reprocessing
• Modifications for working with complex PTSD, dissociation, children and adolescents, and other specialized populations

EMDRIA Training Standards

EMDRIA sets the minimum standards for EMDR Basic Training accreditation. To qualify for EMDRIA-approved status, a training must include 20 hours of instruction, 20 hours of practicum (supervised practice as both therapist and client), and 10 hours of post-training consultation with an approved consultant or consultant-in-training. Completing these 50 total hours earns a certificate of completion with 40 continuing education contact hours. Note that Basic Training does not confer EMDR Certification—certification requires additional supervised hours after training.

Why EMDR Training Is in High Demand

Growing Need for Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma is now widely recognized as a major driver of behavioral health presentations across the lifespan. Children and adolescents exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), community violence, neglect, abuse, or other chronic stressors frequently present with PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders—conditions that respond well to trauma-focused, evidence-based treatments. Behavioral health agencies and state systems have increasingly sought to expand their workforce’s capacity to deliver these treatments. EMDR is among a short list of therapies with a robust evidence base for trauma, which has driven significant demand for training among clinicians across disciplines.

EMDR Use with Complex Populations

EMDR is particularly relevant for clinicians working with children and youth who have complex clinical presentations. Research supports its use with PTSD, acute stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, grief, and trauma-related symptoms. For youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), EMDR can function as a first-line intervention when symptoms are rooted in adverse experiences. For youth with co-occurring Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), EMDR is not a treatment for the disability itself, but it can address the trauma, chronic stress, and emotionally distressing experiences that frequently occur alongside IDD—supporting improved regulation and functioning while aligning with developmental and multidisciplinary care.

Increasing Demand Among Clinicians

Despite the demand, EMDR Basic Training has historically been a significant out-of-pocket expense for individual clinicians, often ranging from $1,000–$2,000 or more when consultation hours are included. This cost creates a barrier for clinicians in community-based, state-funded, or nonprofit settings who may not have access to employer-sponsored training budgets. Grant-funded opportunities like the Nevada program directly address this gap.

Overview of the Nevada DCFS System of Care (SOC) Grant

The Partnership Between Scaling Up and Nevada DCFS

This free EMDR Basic Training is offered through a partnership between Scaling Up EMDR, an EMDRIA-approved training organization, and the Nevada Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) System of Care (SOC) Grant. Scaling Up EMDR provides the clinical training, curriculum, and consultation infrastructure; Nevada DCFS funds the program through federal grant dollars directed toward strengthening behavioral health services for Nevada’s highest-need youth populations.

This is not a certificate course or webinar series—it is a full, EMDRIA-approved EMDR Basic Training that includes Parts I and II, practicum, and the 10 required consultation hours. The program is identical in content and credential value to Scaling Up’s standard public EMDR Basic Training.

Fully Grant-Funded: No Cost to Participants

Thanks to funding through the Nevada DCFS System of Care (SOC) Grant, there is no registration fee for eligible participants. The program covers:

• Full EMDRIA-Approved EMDR Basic Training (Parts I and II)
• 10 hours of group consultation with EMDRIA-Approved Consultants or Consultants-in-Training
• Digital training materials and a comprehensive manual for Parts I and II
• Required textbook: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition by Francine Shapiro (ISBN: 978-1462532766)
• 40 continuing education contact hours upon completion

Program Goals

The program is designed to expand the clinical workforce’s capacity to deliver EMDR therapy to children and youth with SED and IDD in Nevada. It is part of a statewide initiative to strengthen community-based behavioral health services through coordinated, evidence-based care.

Who Is Eligible for the Training

Eligibility for this grant-funded program is specific. Clinicians must meet all of the following criteria:

• Nevada residency: Must reside in Nevada
• Nevada licensure: Must be licensed in Nevada or actively working toward licensure in Nevada under supervision
• Population served: Must currently serve children and youth ages 0–21 with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in Nevada
• No prior EMDR Basic Training: This program is intended for clinicians who have not previously completed an EMDRIA-approved EMDR Basic Training

Eligible license types include licensed or license-eligible mental health professionals across disciplines—therapists, social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists—as well as students in accredited graduate programs and interns on a state licensing track (students and interns require approval). Graduate students must be enrolled in a Nevada institution and actively seeing youth clients.

Addictions counselors holding only a chemical dependency or substance abuse credential are not eligible per EMDRIA requirements.

To review EMDRIA eligibility requirements, click here: https://www.emdria.org/emdr-training/eligibility-requirements-for-emdr-training/

What the Training Includes

Scaling Up’s EMDR Basic Training follows EMDRIA standards and is structured as follows:

• 20 hours of instruction across Parts I and II, covering EMDR theory, the AIP model, all 8 phases of EMDR therapy, and advanced topics including complex PTSD, dissociation, and working with children and adolescents
• 20 hours of practicum, including experiential exercises, live demonstrations, and small group practice where participants practice as both therapist and client
• 10 hours of group consultation with EMDRIA-Approved Consultants or Consultants-in-Training, conducted in pre-scheduled groups between and after the two training parts
• Digital training manual for both Parts I and II
• Required textbook by Francine Shapiro (provided as part of the grant)
• 40 continuing education contact hours upon completion, approved through APA, NBCC, and ASWB

CE Credit Approvals

• NBCC: Scaling Up, LLC is an NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7065). Participants receive 40 CEs.
• ASWB: Scaling Up (provider number 1834) is approved through the ASWB ACE program. Social workers receive 40 synchronous continuing education credits.
• APA: Scaling Up, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psychologists receive 40 CEs.

Consultation Hours

The 10 consultation hours are pre-scheduled before each cohort begins. Participants are expected to begin using EMDR with their youth clients after completing Part I, then bring those cases to consultation. If a participant cannot attend a scheduled group, they may join a consultation group outside their cohort for an additional fee. All consultation is facilitated by EMDRIA-Approved Consultants or Consultants-in-Training affiliated with Scaling Up.

Training Format and Cohort Options

The 2026 Nevada cohorts offer both fully virtual and hybrid formats. Hybrid cohorts have Part I delivered in person in Reno or Las Vegas, with Part II completed live online via Zoom. All sessions are live—this training is not available on demand.

Stipend Opportunity for Participants

Select eligible participants may qualify for a training stipend, provided through the federal grant funding governing this program. Stipend eligibility is determined by how a clinician is compensated:

• Clinicians paid per billable service who do not receive pay when not seeing clients may be eligible for stipends for allowable training hours, because attending training directly affects their earnings.
• Salaried clinicians are not eligible for stipends, as federal funds cannot be used to replace existing salary or agency compensation.
• Students are not eligible for stipends.

Participants who have questions about their stipend eligibility can review the details on the program page or contact Scaling Up directly.

Why This Program Matters for Nevada

Workforce Development for High-Need Populations

Children and youth with SED and IDD are among the most underserved populations in behavioral health. They often have complex trauma histories, multiple co-occurring diagnoses, and limited access to clinicians trained in specialized, evidence-based approaches. This EMDR Basic Training program directly targets this gap by training clinicians who are already embedded in the communities and systems serving these youth.

Expanding Trauma-Informed Care Statewide

Nevada’s System of Care framework emphasizes coordinated, community-based services that are family-driven and trauma-informed. By funding EMDR training at no cost to clinicians, the SOC grant enables behavioral health agencies across Nevada to integrate evidence-based trauma treatment into their service delivery without requiring clinicians or agencies to absorb training costs. Agencies that send staff to this training also gain access to organizational-level support through a structured Learning Collaborative.

Building a Sustainable Clinical Infrastructure

Clinicians who complete EMDR Basic Training are positioned to continue developing their EMDR practice through consultation, advanced training, and eventually EMDR Certification. This creates a longer-term clinical infrastructure in Nevada—not just a one-time training event. For clinicians working toward licensure, the consultation hours completed during this program can also support their broader professional development.

Additional Evidence-based Clinical Training Programs

The Nevada DCFS System of Care Grant funds EMDR Basic Training alongside three additional evidence-based clinical training programs available to eligible Nevada providers in 2026. These include MATCH (Modular Approach to Therapy for Children), a flexible, evidence-based treatment framework that allows clinicians to tailor interventions to a child’s specific presenting problems; TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), a structured, short-term model for addressing trauma symptoms in children and adolescents that integrates cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-sensitive approaches; and PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy), a behavioral treatment for young children with disruptive behavior disorders that focuses on improving the parent-child relationship and parenting skills in real time.

Like the EMDR training, all three programs are offered at no cost to eligible providers and are part of Nevada’s statewide effort to build a coordinated, trauma-informed behavioral health workforce. Providers interested in any of these trainings can contact the Nevada DCFS System of Care at SOC@dcfs.nv.gov for information on eligibility and availability.

How to Apply

Application Deadline: March 13, 2026

Clinicians who believe they meet the eligibility criteria should submit the interest form as soon as possible. Seats are limited, and priority is given to providers whose roles and client populations align directly with the SED and IDD focus of the grant.

To apply:

• Complete the Eligibility Form at scalingupemdr.com/nevada-emdr-basic-training/
• If approved, you will receive a private registration link via email to select your preferred cohort date
• Pre-work must be completed at least two weeks before the first day of training

The interest form can also be accessed via the QR code on the Nevada DCFS System of Care flyer. If you missed the application deadline, you can join our waitlist to express continued interest and help demonstrate demand for additional program funding.

Share This Opportunity with Colleagues

If you work with other licensed or license-eligible clinicians in Nevada who serve youth with SED or IDD, this program may be relevant to them as well. The training is open to therapists, social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists who meet the eligibility criteria—and to graduate students in accredited Nevada programs actively seeing qualifying youth clients.

Agencies interested in sending multiple staff members should note the Learning Collaborative component, which offers organizational-level implementation support alongside individual training.

Clinicians with questions about eligibility or the training format can contact Scaling Up at info@scalingupemdr.com or visit www.scalingupemdr.com/nevada-emdr-basic-training/ for the complete program details.

 

This program is offered through the Nevada DCFS System of Care (SOC) Grant and administered by Scaling Up EMDR, an EMDRIA-approved training organization.