Your consultant will see more of your clinical thinking than almost anyone else in your professional life. Over 20 required hours, they review your cases, question your target sequencing, and shape how you handle difficult sessions. That makes the choice more than a scheduling decision. A strong match accelerates your growth and keeps certification on track. A poor match can slow both, and it can cost you months you did not plan to spend. Many clinicians choose quickly because the hours feel like a box to check. Read on to learn what a consultant does, how consultation hours are structured, and what to look for before you commit.
An EMDRIA Approved Consultant reviews your work with real clients and helps you apply EMDR therapy with precision. Sessions typically involve case presentation, protocol review, target sequencing, and structured feedback on how you moved through the eight phases.
This is distinct from personal therapy or general supervision. The focus stays on your clinical reasoning and technique. You bring a case, explain your decisions, and receive guidance on what to refine.
For a closer look at the session format, see what happens during an EMDR consultation session.
EMDRIA certification requires 20 consultation hours. How you complete them depends on the format you choose. Group consultation can account for up to 10 of those hours, while individual consultation can account for the full 20.
|
Format |
Hours That Can Count |
Best For |
|
Individual consultation |
Up to 20 |
Complex cases, focused feedback |
|
Group consultation |
Up to 10 |
Peer learning, broader case exposure |
Many clinicians combine both. Individual sessions give you concentrated attention on your own cases. Group sessions expose you to presentations you would never see in your own caseload, which broadens your clinical judgment.
Approval status is the baseline. Beyond that, fit determines how much you gain. Consider each of the following:
Experience with your population is often the deciding factor. A consultant who regularly treats clients like yours can answer practical questions faster and anticipate where your cases may stall.
A short introductory conversation reveals more than a profile page. Come prepared with questions such as:
Listen for specificity. A consultant who describes their process clearly is likely to bring the same clarity to your cases. Pay attention to how they respond when you describe a difficulty, because that response is a preview of the feedback you will receive.
If you carry complex cases or tend to second-guess your target selection, individual consultation gives you room to slow down and examine your reasoning. You control the pace, and every minute focuses on your work.
Group consultation suits clinicians who learn well from watching others. Hearing how peers handle a stalled session or a difficult client often prompts ideas you would not generate alone. It also reduces the pressure of presenting every session yourself.
Because group hours cap at 10, most clinicians start with the format that matches their biggest need, then use the other to fill in the remaining hours.
Your consultation needs will change as your caseload does. Early on, you may want help with basic protocol decisions and target selection. Later, you may bring complex presentations that call for deeper case conceptualization.
Pairing consultation with advanced EMDR courses lets each reinforce the other. A course introduces a skill. Consultation shows you how to apply it with a real client and corrects it when it drifts.
Clinicians who treat a specific population can also use consultation to deepen that focus. If most of your clients present with addiction, for example, say so at the outset and ask how the consultant approaches those cases.
You should leave sessions with clear next steps. Feedback should be specific, not general. You should feel challenged without feeling judged.
If sessions leave you more confused than before, raise it early. A good consultant welcomes that conversation, and a mismatch is far easier to correct in the first few sessions than in the last few.
Starting early also gives you room to adjust. That is why we encourage clinicians to begin their certification journey sooner rather than later.
Your 20 hours should build skill, not just fill a requirement. EMDR Professional Training offers consultation packages for EMDRIA certification with EMDRIA Approved Consultants, in individual and group formats.
View the certification consultation packages or reach out to our team to talk through which mix suits your caseload.
