Certified EMDR Consultant for Therapists

JoAnne Singh, LMHC, is an EMDRIA EMDR Certified Therapist, EMDR Approved Consultant, and Teacher’s Assistant for Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute for EMDR basic training. She has experience working with minors and adults starting in 2006 and was fully licensed by 2008. JoAnne also obtained her certificate for EMDR basic training in 2008. Since her basic training, she has regularly sought and completed additional advanced EMDR training in preparing clients for EMDR therapy through resourcing and increasing ego strength, complex trauma, dissociation, clients with military history, preverbal trauma, Early Trauma-EMDR protocol, Attachment Informed, and Intergenerational trauma. She also has trained in Ego state work and Internal Family Symptoms therapy that has assisted in helping clients work through blocking beliefs in the EMDR therapy process.

As an Approved EMDR consultant, she can provide consultation to therapists who have obtained their certificate in EMDR basic training. The consultation hours can count toward the 20 consultation hours needed to become a Certified EMDR therapist. JoAnne provides individual and group consultation sessions. During the consultation sessions, you will receive feedback on your cases, resources to help clients prepare for EMDR therapy, and guidance to effectively proceed through the 8 phases of EMDR therapy. You will be provided with a google slide that will guide you step by step through the 8 phases with instructions on the phase’s importance and what to do in each particular phase. You will be able to obtain resources and scripts for the different phases.

Gain More Confidence as a Therapist

JoAnne wants to provide the same assistance she obtained from the consultation, which led her to gain more confidence as an EMDR therapist, as many of these workpieces came together. This led JoAnne to significantly increase her usage of EMDR therapy, and she has not stopped since. After obtaining an EMDR consultation, she has noticed a significant improvement in her clients’ mental health in a shorter time frame. This has increased her confidence as a provider and eased the overall stress experienced as a therapist. She describes the difference in confidence and stress level reduction as night and day. She wants to provide this service because she enjoys watching therapists effectively implement EMDR therapy in clients with various insecure attachment concerns, including preverbal trauma, complex trauma, and dissociation. She enjoys learning about how her consultees’ clients have improved and felt that her reach is a bit broader.

What You Will Learn From Your EMDR Consultation

Through consultation, you will obtain guidance in the following areas:

• obtaining appropriate client history
• sensitivity to different client populations
• utilizing available resources for client support
• assessing the client for appropriateness for EMDR therapy
• screening the client for dissociation. (e.g., DES, MID, etc.)
• adequately explaining the EMDR therapy process to the client
• adequately preparing the client for EMDR therapy
• understanding the mechanics of EMDR
• utilizing the ‘safe/calm place’ effectively
• utilizing RDI effectively when needed
• ‘staying out of the way’ while processing with the client
• dealing effectively with the ‘looping’ and ‘stuck processing’ (e.g., change direction, speed, or amount of eye movements; change modalities; cognitive interweave)
• providing appropriate closure for incomplete sessions
• utilizing standard EMDR therapy in a comprehensive treatment plan for clients
• demonstrating proficiency and fidelity in applying standard EMDR therapy
• understanding when to use standard EMDR therapy versus when modifications are necessary to safely and effectively treat the client
• preparing adequate written case presentation material or recordings of their use of EMDR therapy with clients for consultation purpose