For licensed clinicians deciding whether to train in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: what PTSD treatment guidelines say, what EMDR Basic Training is, and where training leads.
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Here is what three clinical practice guidelines say about it, with the strength each one assigns.
Strong recommendation
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD recommends three individual, manualized trauma-focused psychotherapies for the treatment of PTSD: Cognitive Processing Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or Prolonged Exposure.
Conditional recommendation
APA’s Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adults suggests EMDR therapy as one of three psychotherapies with a conditional recommendation.
Conditional recommendation
WHO’s mhGAP guideline says psychological interventions should be considered for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and lists EMDR among them.
Guidelines checked September 2026.
Clinicians become EMDR-trained by completing EMDR Basic Training. Eligibility for EMDRIA credits is limited to participants who have completed an EMDRIA-approved Basic EMDR Training.
EMDR Basic Training is delivered by EMDR Consulting, LLC, which is responsible for all aspects of the program. Kenya Rocha, MS, LMHC, NCC, teaches EMDR Basic Training. Dates, fees, and registration are on the EMDR Basic Training page.
How programs delivered by another provider work: Program disclosures
EMDR clinicians support each other’s practice, and EMDR & Beyond is proud to be part of that community.
Consultation with experienced clinicians, including consultation toward EMDRIA certification.
Live and on-demand trainings on topics including ethics and supervision, couples and families, dissociation and complex trauma, grief and loss, and culturally responsive care.
See upcoming dates, fees, and registration.
