Recently, a thoughtful clinician left a long comment on one of our Facebook ads about EMDR training. They raised a question many therapists quietly hold: who really decides what counts as “real” EMDR training, and is EMDR proprietary to any one organization?
I want to share the core of what they said (with identifying details removed), along with some reflections of my own as a clinical and forensic psychologist.
My goal is not to attack any organization; EMDRIA and other organizations have made important contributions to the field, but to clarify a few key points:
- EMDR is a clinical treatment modality, not a brand.
- Licensing boards, not training organizations, define your legal scope of practice.
- Multiple high-quality training pathways for licensed clinicians can exist alongside strong ethics and client safety.
This article is written for licensed (or formally supervised) mental health professionals. EMDR is a psychotherapy intervention.
It should only be practiced within one’s license, with appropriate EMDR training and good supervision.
EMDR Is a Clinical Modality, Not a Brand
So, is EMDR proprietary? No.
EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a clinical treatment modality developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s and described in peer-reviewed research, books, and treatment guidelines.
It is similar in that sense to cognitive behavioral therapy or prolonged exposure: an approach defined in the scientific and clinical literature, not owned by a private company.
Multiple professional bodies, including the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association, list EMDR as an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and related traumatic stress problems, without tying it to a single organization or brand name.
The method is defined through core principles, the 8 phase EMDR structure, bilateral stimulation, and an underlying information processing model, not through a trademark.
At the same time, “non-proprietary” does not mean “anyone can do anything and call it EMDR.” EMDR remains a structured trauma therapy that requires:
- A mental health license or supervised path to licensure
- Solid trauma foundations
- Formal EMDR training
- Appropriate consultation and ongoing continuing education
In other words, EMDR is open in concept, but it is not casual in practice.
Where Licensing Boards, EMDRIA, and Other Trainings Each Fit
A lot of confusion comes from mixing three different kinds of authority: licensing boards, professional associations, and training providers.
Licensing Boards
State and provincial licensing boards decide:
- Who can legally practice psychotherapy
- What falls within a given scope of practice
- Which ethical codes apply
If EMDR is within the scope of a clinician’s license, and they gain competence through training and consultation, it is the board, not any EMDR organization, that governs whether they may use EMDR with clients.
No EMDR training, from any provider, grants the right to practice beyond one’s license. No private organization can override a board’s decision about scope.
EMDRIA
EMDRIA is a professional association that:
- Defines its own training standards
- Approves some EMDR basic and advanced trainings
- Offers EMDRIA “trained” and “certified” pathways
- Supports research, consultation networks, and community
These are voluntary professional standards, not legal requirements. EMDRIA does not regulate the practice of psychology, counseling, or social work; boards do.
EMDRIA’s role is similar to other specialty bodies that set internal criteria for advanced practice, publish guidelines, and maintain member directories.
So, EMDRIA is not the gatekeeper of EMDR.
Other Training Providers
There are now multiple organizations that offer EMDR training for licensed clinicians, including:
- University based programs
- Hospital or agency supported trainings
- Independent CE providers
These trainings may or may not be EMDRIA-approved. What they can offer is education, skills, and CE credits. What they cannot offer is legal authority to practice beyond licensure.
A clear guiding sentence for clinicians is:
No training, EMDRIA or otherwise, replaces the authority of your licensing board.
Why Multiple High Quality Pathways Can Be Helpful
The clinician who commented on our ad pointed out that the demand for trauma treatment far exceeds the supply of trained providers. Many therapists are managing full caseloads, long waitlists, and complex presentations. For them, access to EMDR training is not a luxury; it is a way to meet client needs.
When there is only one accepted pathway, several problems tend to show up:
- Higher cost for basic EMDR training and required consultation
- Geographic limits, especially for rural or global clinicians
- Waitlists for training, delaying care for clients
- Less choice in teaching style, which matters for adult learners
When there are multiple reputable pathways that all:
- Serve licensed clinicians
- Teach the full 8-phase model
- Emphasize safety, stabilization, and ethical practice
- Encourage consultation and ongoing CE
Then the field gains:
- More accessible training for busy clinicians
- Diversity in teaching methods and clinical frameworks
- Healthy competition that can improve quality and innovation over time
This is not an argument for lowering standards. It is an argument for high standards without monopoly or excessive gate-keeping.
The Non Negotiables: Ethics, Competence, and Scope of Practice
The Facebook comment we received was firm on one point, which we share completely: good EMDR practice is defined by competence and ethics, not by a logo.
Across any training path, the non-negotiables for EMDR therapy include:
- Ethical practice and scope
- Working only within one’s license and competence
- Using clear informed consent about EMDR, benefits, and risks
- Trauma-informed pacing and stabilization
- Strong Phase 1 and 2 work (history, safety, resourcing)
- Ability to slow down, pause, or shift to containment when needed
- Case conceptualization and preparation
- Thinking in terms of targets, themes, and networks
- Understanding dissociation, attachment trauma, and comorbidities
- Ongoing consultation
- Regular EMDR consultation, especially with complex cases
- Space to review stuck points, abreactions, and clinical judgment calls
- Continued learning and humility
- Recognition that trauma work is deep work
- Willingness to adjust and refer out when needed
It is equally important to be explicit about what this does not support.
- EMDR is not appropriate for life coaches or unlicensed helpers to use as a “tool” with clients.
- No certificate, from any provider, can substitute for a mental health license.
- Any clinician using EMDR must be able to respond to acute distress, risk, and complex trauma, in line with board standards.
In short: EMDR is open as a modality, but not open for unlicensed practice.
Why This Matters for OnlineCECredits.com
OnlineCECredits.com holds a simple position in this conversation:
- High standards matter
- Evidence and ethics matter
- Multiple reputable training options for licensed clinicians are healthy for the field
We offer EMDR training within this frame:
- Courses are designed for licensed or supervised mental health professionals.
- Content is grounded in research and real trauma practice.
- The aim is to build safe, usable skills, not to claim exclusive authority.
For example:
- Clinicians who want foundational EMDR knowledge can explore targeted EMDR courses that introduce key concepts, and the 8-phase model, step by step. .
- Those who want structured pathways can pursue the certificate or certification in EMDR Therapy Skills or Advanced EMDR Therapy Skills, both designed to help clinicians deepen case conceptualization and protocol use while earning CEs.
FAQs
1. Is EMDR owned or controlled by EMDRIA?
No. EMDR is an evidence-based clinical modality, not a proprietary method owned by any organization. EMDRIA sets voluntary professional standards and offers certification, but it does not own EMDR or regulate who may legally practice it. Only state licensing boards have the authority to determine clinical scope of practice.
2. Who decides whether I am allowed to practice EMDR with clients?
Your state licensing board.
If EMDR falls within your professional license and you have adequate training and competence, your board, not EMDRIA or any training provider, determines your legal scope. Training organizations can enhance skills, but they cannot grant or restrict your right to practice therapy.
3. Does EMDRIA certification mean someone is a better or safer EMDR provider?
Not necessarily. EMDRIA certification signals that a clinician has completed EMDRIA’s specific training, consultation, and experience requirements. Many highly competent clinicians practice EMDR effectively without EMDRIA certification, as competence comes from clinical skill, ethical practice, supervision, and continued learning, not from one logo or organization.
4. Are EMDR trainings outside EMDRIA valid for licensed clinicians?
They can be, as long as the training is reputable, evidence-based, and taken within the clinician’s scope of practice. EMDRIA certification is optional, not required for legal practice. What matters most is the clinician’s license, foundational trauma training, ethical practice, and ongoing supervision, not the brand of the training.
5. Does this mean unlicensed individuals or life coaches can do EMDR?
Absolutely not.
EMDR is a clinical psychotherapy intervention and must only be practiced by licensed (or appropriately supervised) mental health professionals. No training, EMDRIA or otherwise, gives unlicensed people the right to practice EMDR therapy. The authority to practice always comes from licensure, not from a training certificate.
