What does "EMDR trained" actually mean?

Anyone can type "EMDR" into a profile, so on most platforms it means almost nothing. At Loma it means something specific: every clinician completed full EMDRIA-approved training with an EMDRIA-certified trainer, and we check before they see a client. Here is what that standard involves and how to check it anywhere else you look.

The short version

EMDR is not a protected term. Any licensed therapist can list it, and no one is required to prove they trained in it. A six-hour webinar and a full training program look identical on a directory profile.

EMDRIA — the EMDR International Association — sets the training standard we hold to. Its approved basic training is roughly 50 hours of instruction, live supervised practice, and case consultation, taught by a trainer EMDRIA itself has certified.

So the question worth asking is not whether a therapist says they do EMDR. It is where they trained, who trained them, and whether anyone verified it.

What EMDRIA-approved training actually requires

We hold to EMDRIA's standard because we believe it is the highest bar in EMDR training. It is not a weekend course. Completing it takes months, and it is taught by a trainer EMDRIA has certified to teach it:

What it involves:

  • About 20 hours of instruction in EMDR theory and the full eight-phase protocol
  • About 20 hours of supervised practicum — practicing as both therapist and client, watched and corrected in real time
  • At least 10 hours of consultation on real cases with an EMDRIA-approved consultant
  • Training delivered by an EMDRIA-certified trainer, not a self-designed curriculum

You can look up trainers, consultants, and certified therapists in the EMDRIA directory.

This matters because EMDR is trauma treatment, not a conversation technique. It can surface intense memories and body sensations without warning. The practicum and consultation hours are where a clinician learns to pace a session, keep you grounded, and close safely when something unexpected comes up.

Trained vs. certified

These are two different credentials and the difference is often misunderstood. "EMDR trained" means a clinician completed the full basic training above. "EMDRIA Certified" is a further, optional step on top of it: 50+ documented EMDR sessions, 20 more hours of consultation, continuing education, and an application.

Trained is the bar for practicing EMDR well, and it is the bar we hold every Loma clinician to. We say EMDR-trained because that is what is true — we do not claim certification on anyone's behalf.

What "EMDR" on a therapy platform actually tells you

On general therapy directories and platforms, specialties are self-reported. Nobody checks. That single checkbox could mean any of these:

  • Full EMDRIA-approved basic training with supervised practicum and case consultation
  • A one-day or six-hour workshop with no supervised practice at all
  • A few EMDR concepts picked up through continuing education
  • No EMDR training whatsoever — just an interest in it

You have no way to tell which from the profile, and you are the one who finds out in session. That gap is the reason this page exists.

How Loma handles this

We treat EMDR training as a requirement to join, not a checkbox to tick. Every clinician on Loma completed EMDRIA-approved training with an EMDRIA-certified trainer, and we verify it before they take a single client.

An EMDRIA-certified trainer in-house. Loma has its own EMDRIA-certified trainer, and most of our clinicians trained with them directly. We know exactly what our people were taught because we taught it.

EMDRIA-approved consultants on the team. Training is where EMDR starts, not where it ends. Our clinicians have standing access to EMDRIA-approved consultants for real cases — so hard sessions get expert eyes on them, not a guess.

Verified before onboarding, every time. We confirm training documentation and state licensure ourselves. Nobody self-reports their way onto this platform.

You should not have to do credential detective work when you are looking for trauma care. So we do it first.

Questions to ask any EMDR therapist

If you are looking anywhere else, three questions will tell you most of what you need to know:

  1. "Who do you consult with when a case gets complicated?" Good EMDR clinicians have someone to bring hard cases to. An answer of nobody is worth noticing.
  2. "Where did you complete your EMDR basic training, and who trained you?" A clinician with real training names the program and the trainer without hesitating. Vagueness here is the signal.
  3. "Did your training include supervised practicum and case consultation hours?" This is what separates a full training from a workshop. It is also the part that teaches safety.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between 'EMDR trained' and 'EMDRIA Certified'?
EMDR trained means a clinician completed EMDRIA-approved basic training — roughly 50 hours of instruction, supervised practicum, and case consultation. EMDRIA Certified is a further, optional credential on top of that: 50+ documented EMDR sessions, 20 additional consultation hours, continuing education, and a formal application. Trained is the bar for practicing EMDR well. Every Loma clinician is EMDR-trained; we don't claim certification on anyone's behalf.
Can anyone claim to be an EMDR therapist?
Legally, yes. Any licensed mental health professional can list EMDR. EMDRIA sets the training standard but is a professional association, not a regulatory body, so the term isn't protected the way "licensed psychologist" is. That's exactly why where someone trained is worth asking about.
Why does Loma hold to the EMDRIA standard specifically?
Because we think it's the highest bar in EMDR training. EMDRIA-approved basic training requires supervised practicum and consultation on real cases, taught by a trainer EMDRIA has certified — the parts that actually teach a clinician to keep a session safe. We'd rather be strict about who gets to do trauma work with you.
Does Loma verify EMDR training, or do therapists self-report it?
We verify it. We confirm training documentation and state licensure before a clinician can take clients, and most of our clinicians trained with Loma's own EMDRIA-certified trainer. On general therapy platforms, EMDR is a self-reported checkbox nobody checks.
What support do Loma clinicians have after training?
Standing access to EMDRIA-approved consultants on our team. EMDR cases get complicated, and consultation is how a clinician works through a hard one with an expert rather than improvising. It's a normal part of practicing here, not an escalation.

Find a verified, EMDR-trained therapist

Every clinician on Loma completed EMDRIA-approved training with an EMDRIA-certified trainer — verified before they took a single client. Find one who takes your insurance.

Get matched — with a verified, EMDR-trained therapist covered by your insurance.