Who can undertake EMDR Accredited Training?
EMDR therapy training required advanced practice skills. Experience in assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties is essential as it provides the foundational understanding of clinical presentations, case formulation and treatment planning. Practitioners normally require two years direct clinical experience in a counselling role, which is not the same as an educational or case management role.
Click here to download the exceptional circumstances application to train
Medical Practitioners
Psychiatrists or psychiatry registrars are to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Authority (AHPRA) or the Medical Council of New Zealand. It is required that psychiatrists or psychiatry registrars have at least 2 years clinical experience working in the mental health field prior to training.
General Practitioners are required to have additional training in Psychological Medicine, and be registered with AHPRA or the Medical Council of New Zealand. It is required that GP’s have undertaken additional training and experience in mental health diagnosis, assessment, and clinical intervention/ counselling intervention before training with at least 2 years clinical experience in mental health intervention/ counselling work.
Mental Health Nurses
Mental Health Nurses are required to be credentialed by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and/or demonstrate how they meet credentialing standards of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and be registered with AHPRA or in New Zealand with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
Allied Health Professionals
Psychologists are required to be fully registered with AHPRA or the New Zealand Psychology Board.
Occupational Therapists are required to be registered with AHPRA or the New Zealand Occupational Therapy Board and to have two additional post-graduate years’ experience working in mental health and specialist training in mental health.
Social Workers must normally be registered as a Mental Health Social Worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers or in New Zealand with the Social Workers Registration Board and/or be able to demonstrate eligibility for the same. This would require two additional postgraduate years’ experience and specialist training in mental health. Other social workers may be suitable if they meet the following criteria:
· are eligible for membership of AASW, and
· have a minimum of 2-years experience in a counselling role in a mental health setting, or a publicly funded service delivering specialist counselling to clients suffering trauma, and;
· are currently employed in a specialist counselling service, or have been in the last 2 years.
Counsellors and Psychotherapists are required to be registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) as a Clinical member or as an Accredited Mental Health Practitioner or the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) as a Level 3 or 4 member.
In New Zealand Psychotherapists are required to be registered with the Psychotherapists Board. Counsellors are required to be registered with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors as a Level 8 member.
Creative Arts Therapists are required to be senior members of ANZACATA (The Australian, New Zealand & Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association), who have completed an approved mental health degree, followed by an approved Master’s degree in Arts Therapy, and 750 hours of supervised clinical placement. Only Senior members of ANZACATA who have this professional status are entitled to use the post nominals AThR.
Interns and Students
Students need to apply through Exceptional Circumstances Application to Train form below. Please complete the form and accompanying documentation and send to accred@emdraa.org
If you do not meet the above criteria, but feel you have some equivalence in your training, registration or experience and would like to apply to train, please send the completed form below, with all accompanying attachments as outlined on the form to accred@emdraa.org