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What to Expect in EMDR Training: A Transformational Journey for Therapists

EMDR Training

EMDR Training

What to Expect in EMDR Basic Training: A Transformational Journey for Therapists

Updated June 2025
By: Jen Savage, LPC, EMDR Trainer

EMDR Training: More Than a Certification—It’s a Paradigm Shift

Are you ready to change the way you practice therapy forever?

Whether you’re a seasoned clinician or a newly licensed therapist, EMDR Training is one of the most transformative experiences you can have in your professional journey. At Beyond Healing Institute, we prepare you not just to use a technique—but to embody a model of healing rooted in resilience, attunement, and adaptive change.

Why EMDR Therapy Works So Fast (and So Deep)

Most therapy models focus on reframing thoughts or building new skills over time. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) goes deeper by accessing the root causes of emotional distress—unprocessed memories stored in the nervous system.

Grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, EMDR therapy helps clients reprocess those memories so that what once felt overwhelming becomes integrated and no longer disturbing.

What does that mean in practice?

  • Clients experience lasting change—often in a single session.
  • Old triggers lose their charge.
  • New ways of relating to the world emerge naturally.

 

For most clinicians in this profession, their paradigm of what constitutes change will be challenged by the EMDR model of psychotherapy.

For example, a CBT therapist thinks about the mechanisms of action and the agents of change, as the therapist who offers alternative ways of thinking and behaving to help clients with their problems. Of course, that works, but it can take time.  And for most of us, it frequently does take time.

What Makes EMDR Training Different?

Unlike many continuing education experiences, EMDR Training at Beyond Healing is immersive, relational, and experiential. You won’t just learn about the model—you’ll live it.

Here’s what to expect:

  • A 6-Month Training Journey — Two intensive weekends plus 10.5 hours of live case consultation.
  • Hands-On Practice — Roleplay sessions with peers in therapist, client, and observer roles.
  • Immediate Application — Start using EMDR with clients after Part 1, with support.
  • Integrated Consultation — Included at no extra cost, with live case discussion time.
  • Personal Growth — Opportunity to process your own material in a safe, supportive space.

The Heart of EMDR: Present Moment Awareness

Most talk therapy reflects on the past. EMDR works with the present experience of the past.

In training, you’ll learn to track moment-by-moment shifts in:

  • Body sensations
  • Emotions
  • Images and beliefs
  • Nervous system responses

Therapists are trained to attune deeply to their clients, offering not just cognitive insight, but co-regulation and neurobiological safety—a cornerstone of the healing process.

What You’ll Learn in EMDR Basic Training

During your time with us, you’ll develop:

  • A strong understanding of the 8-phase EMDR protocol
  • Confidence in identifying and targeting root memories
  • Skills to help clients build resources and stay grounded
  • Tools to manage stuck points and emotional overwhelm
  • A felt sense of how healing happens—in real time

We use a blend of lecture, video demonstrations, live discussion, and supervised practicum. Everything is grounded in trauma-informed care and deep respect for each participant’s process.

The Neuroscience Behind the Magic

The AIP model shows us that the brain has an incredible ability to heal—if given the right conditions.

When past events are inadequately processed, they get stored in a fragmented, emotional state. This leads to symptoms like anxiety, avoidance, shame, and reactivity in present-day situations that echo the original trauma.

EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess these stuck memories, restoring emotional balance and reclaiming agency.

Who Is This Training For?

We welcome therapists who are:

  • Licensed or pre-licensed mental health professionals
  • Curious about somatic and trauma-informed approaches
  • Seeking a more embodied, experiential way to do therapy
  • Ready to expand their scope of practice and effectiveness

Our training is intentionally inclusive, trauma-sensitive, and grounded in cultural humility. Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all—and your training shouldn’t be either.

Your Next Step Toward EMDR Certification

When you complete EMDR Basic Training with Beyond Healing Institute, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a certified EMDR therapist.

You’ll walk away with:

  • A deep, embodied understanding of the EMDR model
  • Confidence to begin practicing immediately
  • Connection to a supportive professional community
  • The tools to help your clients transform—not just cope

Ready to Get Started?

👉 Click here to view upcoming dates and register