How to Choose an EMDR Therapist
There are important aspects to consider when choosing an EMDR therapist. I hope some of you find this helpful when selecting an EMDR therapist in Ahwatukee, AZ or wherever you live.
Training: EMDRIA is the international organization where education originates for those therapist who pursue EMDRIA approved training. If a therapist is part of the organization then they will pay dues, agree to a certain amount of continuing education and have a profile on their website directory. There is basic level training and also high levels such as certified therapists and consultants. As the levels get higher, there are more stringent requirements and continuing education to keep up with.
Practice: I believe the amount of practice or use of EMDR in a practice is important in my opinion as the number of clients hours I use EMDR the more competent I become in handling various issues. If I only used it sporadically, I wouldn’t have the confidence to tackle some tough cases.
In person vs Online: During Covid, I did a lot of online EMDR. Looking back it was a necessity but there weren’t as many successes as there are now doing it all in-person. I am not saying EMDR isn’t effective virtually but there are more challenges doing it on-line especially not being in the same room sharing the energy and emotions and not being able to read all body language.
Comfort and Trust: Most important is to feel comfortable and have a certain amount of trust in the therapist. Without this, EMDR will not be effective and most likely will become a frustration. There also needs to be trust in the process of EMDR and letting it happen. When this is an issue, please try out other therapists to see if there is a better fit. We all have different styles and there is nothing wrong when the fit doesn’t feel “right”.
Competent in the issues needing processed: EMDR can be applied to a myriad of issues and some of us get more practice with certain problems or specialized populations. For example, I am more competent in helping adult survivors of childhood trauma, abusive relationships and sexual traumas but do not have much exposure to helping first responders. Therefore, I am honest up front to communicate my lack of experience if a police officer, for example, wants EMDR therapy.
In summary, I hope this helps to highlight various areas of consideration when choosing an EMDR therapist. Please contact me with any questions.