EMDR is a type of therapy that focuses on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to help patients get over things like PTSD, depression, anxiety, or trauma-related mental illness. While EMDR is controversial in some therapy circles, for the most part, it is accepted and used regularly to help patients recover.
Now, becoming an EMDR therapist will require extra training after becoming a certified therapist, but it usually comes with a bit of a pay raise given that the average EMDR therapist makes around $84,900 a year depending on where you live.
Now, most of the time EMDR therapy can be included and used in many different types of healing processes and mental illness diagnoses depending on what a therapist thinks the patient needs. This is why a therapist needs extra training and continuing education hours to help expand their knowledge, therefore helping their patients more.
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Is Being An EMDR Therapist A Good Career?
While being trained in Eye movement therapy can be incredibly helpful to your patients, it’s recommended that you allow more patients into your workload than just those who need EMDR therapy. While EMDR is accepted is widely accepted, it can still be controversial among certain groups and people so you may have trouble finding places to hire you or work with you if this is your sole patient load.
What Makes A Good EMDR Therapist?
A great EMDR therapist will not only take you through the practice of EMDR and help you heal, but they will also be capable of explaining the how and why behind EMDR. For many patients, they can’t fully heal without understanding how and why what they are doing works, so a therapist that will take the time to fully explain and answer questions is considered a good therapist.
Part of explaining the how and why behind EMDR is also ensuring that the patient believes they can handle it. If a patient is unsure they can handle the results of EMDR before the healing process starts, they should not be rushed into things. The therapist should take the time to walk through every scenario with the patient until they feel like they can handle it fully.
How Much Does An EMDR Therapist Make?
The national average for an EMDR salary is around $84,900, however, every state is different and it could be up to $10,000 lower or higher depending on where you live. You can check your local average pay through ZipRecruiter which will give you the average pay by year, month, week, and hour.
The top 5 highest paying states for EMDR therapist are:
| State | Yearly Average | Monthly Average | Weekly Average | Hourly Average |
| New York | $94,500 | $7,800 | $1,800 | $45.00 |
| New Hampshire | $91,000 | $7,600 | $1,700 | $44.00 |
| California | $90,000 | $7,500 | $1,700 | $43.00 |
| Vermont | $86,000 | $7,200 | $1,600 | $41.00 |
| Idaho | $85,000 | $7,100 | $1,600 | $41.00 |
Of course these salaries vary most due to cost of living and how prestige the therapy services are, but in reality how much training and experience is what impacts your income the most.
What Kind Of Training Does It Take To Be An EMDR Therapist?
The training for EMDR therapy is pretty basic compared to the classes you took to get your degree, which you have to have to become certified in EMDR. So, in order to become an EMDR Therapist you can find many locations, organizations, and associations that offer EMDR training ranging from a 2-day intensive program to a multiweek online program that lets you work at your own pace.
NO matter what type of training you choose, as long as it matched or exceeds the expectations of EMDIRA, you will be fully certified and capable of practicing EMDR. The requirements of EMDIRA are as follows:
- Earn a degree in Mental health wellness
- Enroll in EMDIRA certified training program
- 20 hours of training and consultation from a certified trainer
- Letter of recommendation for EMDR
- 12 hours of EMDR continuing education
- Professional practice letters of recommendation
Once you have completed the course and are certified, you have to do 12 hours of continued education every year and renew your certification every 2 years to continue practicing.
How Do I Get Started In EMDR Therapy Training?
To be able to be certified in EMDR you must have a degree in one of the following mental health options:
- Marriage Family Therapy
- Counseling
- Psychology
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Psychiatry
- Social Work
- Any other related mental health discipline degree
ONce you have your degree and begin practicing as a licensed therapist or counselor of any type, you can start your EMDR training. EMDR training is done through certain institutions, programs, and associations that are all dedicated to mental health and wellness training. A few places you can find EMDR training are:
- EMDIRA (see here)
- EMDR Institute (see here)
- EMDR Consulting (see hee)
- Focus Integrative Centers (see here)
ALl of these locations and sites match or exceed EMDIRA’s requirements and expectations for certification and training. You want EMDIRA’s requirements to be the ones you followed and adhered to because that is the most accepted form of training across the board. No matter where you go to practice your therapy, you will be accepted when following the expectations of EMDIRA.
Final Thoughts On EMDR Salary And Career Info
EMDR therapy is a fantastic career to go into if you want to help people heal from trauma and mental health issues that affect their daily life. While you may hear that it is controversial, it is a widely used and accepted form of therapy in most parts of the nation.
No matter where you live, you will be able to find competitive salaries and large amounts of support and education surrounding EMDR and all that it can do. EMDR can change lives and create healthy habits in people that renew relationships and fix problems. Being part of the solution is worth it.
