Why Therapists Should Accredit in EMDR Therapy
The Professional Case for Accreditation - why bother?
When I first trained in EMDR therapy in 2013, I was not interested in accreditation. I’m not even sure I knew it was an option. I was training in EMDR to help a client who was responding to my usual PTSD treatment and help them I did. It was a deeply powerful transformaiton that led me to have strong belief in the power of EMDR to address PTSD. So I got busy in my clinic, treating increasing numbers of clients as the word spread about my ability to quickly help traumatised people.
My journey to accreditation only happened 6 years later when I hit a road block with EMDR. I needed more specialised supervision to support me to work with a client. At this point, I did not even realise that supervision for EMDR was generally referred to as Consultation. I still had no interest in accreditation but several sessions in to receiving EMDR consultation, I changed my mind. Several years later I was accredited not only as an EMDR therapist but also as an EMDR Consultant (Consultant is the title given to those recognised to support training EMDR therapists and accredit them).
Here’s what I learned in that journey.
Accrediting in EMDR therapy strengthens clinical confidence, elevates professional credibility, and ensures therapists deliver EMDR to the highest recognised standard in Australia. It’s not just a credential, it’s a structured pathway that deepens skill, safeguards clients, and expands your therapeutic impact.
In my journey, accreditation allowed me to review my practice with video, iron out errors that had crept in and take my knowledge of EMDR to the next level. It broadened my capacity to assist my clients well beyond PTSD and also feel confident I was doing it well and to internationally recognised standards, instead of my own guess work.
Accreditation through the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA) is more than a certificate to put on your wall. It is a formal recognition that a therapist has moved beyond basic training into advanced, supervised, standards‑aligned EMDR practice. It also recognises clinicians who demonstrate proficiency, ethical practice, and commitment to excellence.
What Accreditation as an EMDR Therapist Confirms
Completion of EMDRAA‑accredited EMDR basic training
Ongoing consultation with an EMDRAA Accredited Consultant
At least one year of EMDR clinical experience post‑training
A minimum of 50 EMDR sessions with at least 25 clients, including successful delivery of all eight phases of the standard protocol
This structured pathway ensures therapists are not just using EMDR, but using it well.
Why This Matters
EMDR is a powerful modality that requires precision.
Accreditation ensures fidelity to the eight‑phase protocol.
Therapists gain clarity, confidence, and consistency in their approach.
Clients receive safer, more effective trauma treatment.
It Strengthens Ethical and Safe Practice
EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy designed to address the root causes of trauma. WIth the growing awareness of EMDR therapy in the community, EMDR therapists tend to attract increasingly complex clients. Through accreditation, therapists can ensure that they are serving their clients safely and effectively with support from their consultant for supporting clients with more complex presentations.
This is especially important for clinicians working with complex trauma, dissociation, or high‑risk presentations. Accreditation provides:
Advanced supervision
A competency‑based framework
Accountability to professional standards
A clear structure for ongoing development
Professional Credibility & Community
Accredited EMDR practitioners stand out in a crowded therapeutic landscape. Membership with EMDRAA connects therapists to a strong, supportive national community and provides access to exclusive resources, professional learning, and a widely used “Find a Therapist” directory. The EMDRAA community is a vibrant and connected community with the common goal of helping clients to our best ability and developing EMDR therapy to be accessible and effective.
For clients and referrers, accreditation signals:
Verified competence
Commitment to best practice
Alignment with national standards
A trustworthy, skilled EMDR provider
It Supports Long‑Term Career Growth
Accreditation is not required to practise EMDR—but it is the gateway to advanced roles such as Accredited Consultant or Trainer. My accreditations allowed me to gain professional recognition in the EMDR therapy community as evidenced by increased supervision bookings and invitations to present at the EMDR Consultant’s Day and selection to present at the EMDRAA 2025 Conference in Adelaide.
For therapists who want to:
specialise in trauma,
supervise others,
teach EMDR,
build a niche practice,
accreditation is the essential next step.
It also ensures your training remains recognised within the broader EMDR community, as EMDRAA is the registering body for EMDR practitioners in Australia.
Final Thoughts
Accrediting in EMDR therapy is an investment in your clinical excellence, your clients’ safety, and your professional future. It provides structure, support, and recognition while deepening your mastery of one of the most effective trauma therapies available.
Yours in thriving,
Nadene
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