EMDR Therapy Chicago: Your Complete Guide to Find an EMDR Therapist
What is EMDR Therapy?
As a certified EMDR therapist, I am often asked to explain the origins of EMDR, and what makes it different from other therapy approaches.
EMDR therapy is a brain-and-body-based approach developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the 1980s. EMDR treats trauma, anxiety, depression, burnout, and other symptoms that result from past experiences being “stuck ”in the mind and body, waiting to be reactivated.
EMDR differs from therapies that rely only on talking. EMDR uses 8 phases of treatment to engage the body and brain to explore connections between past and present-day reactions. In EMDR, guided eye movements or other input is used to stimulate both hemispheres of the brain. Involving the whole brain and not just areas involved in spoken language allows neural connections to be explored more thoroughly and efficiently. This helps memories become fully processed and integrated. Completing the processing of impactful memories helps painful, stuck experiences get unstuck and supports their healing.
How to Find an EMDR Therapist in Chicago or Online EMDR Therapist?
If EMDR therapy is something that you would like to try, you need to find an EMDR therapist to work with. There are a number of ways to find EMDR therapists who might work for you.
Personal Referrals for EMDR Therapy
It can be helpful to ask friends, family, doctors, or other therapists for suggestions. Talking to someone about their personal experiences with EMDR or with a specific EMDR therapist can be especially useful. This gives a chance to learn about a therapist’s style and approach to EMDR therapy, as well as what it might be like to work with that therapist.
Online EMDR Therapist Directories
If you don't know someone who can provide personal referrals to an EMDR therapist near you, online directories can be a useful tool. The two primary EMDR training institutions offer online directories to help people locate EMDR therapists. The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and The EMDR Institute therapist directories let you search based on geographical region and level of training. They also allow you to learn more about therapists who might interest you.
What to Look for When Seeking EMDR Therapy in Chicago or EMDR Therapy Near You?
There are a number of important factors to consider when looking for the right EMDR therapist, including:
Therapist Licensure and Credentials
One thing that you want to consider when seeking an EMDR therapist is the therapist's licensure and credentials. Whether they are a psychologist, social worker, counselor, or another type of licensed psychotherapist, you want to make sure that they have received appropriate education and training as a therapist. Conforming that a clinician completed an accredited program is important to support confidence and trust in the therapy work.
A therapist should also say if they are licensed and able to practice independently, or if they are still in training and working under the license and supervision of another provider. If a therapist is not licensed, you may want to ask questions about whether their supervisor is trained in EMDR.
Your insurance may not cover any of the cost of therapy for unlicensed therapists in training. It is recommended that you confirm your insurance benefits, especially if you choose to work with an unlicensed EMDR therapist.
Quality and Comprehensiveness of EMDR Therapy Training
You also want to think about the therapist’s EMDR training and experience when selecting a provider. With the growing popularity of EMDR in recent years, options for learning about EMDR have expanded. Many professional training institutions have added information about EMDR therapy to their general training offerings. General EMDR trainings can be a great way for professional counselors and therapists to be introduced to EMDR therapy and become familiar with the theory and structure of EMDR therapy. These trainings are rarely comprehensive enough to support EMDR therapy work.
The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and the EMDR Institute are the two foremost EMDR training institutions. They offer quality, comprehensive training in EMDR. Basic training is provided by dedicated EMDR trainers and includes requirements for applied practice with ongoing consultation by credentialed EMDR consultants.
Level of EMDR Training
After confirming that an EMDR therapist was trained by a dedicated, high-quality EMDR training institution, it's also helpful to learn about the level of training that they received.
There are different training requirements for EMDR-trained therapists and EMDR-certified therapists. Understanding these differences may help you feel confident about your choice of therapist. It might also be good to know if the therapist participates in continuing education in the field of EMDR.
EMDR-Trained Therapists
EMDR-trained clinicians have completed the basic training hours and consultation hours required to practice EMDR. They may also pursue advanced training in emerging EMDR techniques or different areas of specialization, but they do not need to. EMDR-trained therapists aren't required to do any continuing or advanced training beyond the initial EMDR basic training.
EMDR-Certified Therapists
Therapists who are EMDR certified have completed additional requirements beyond basic EMDR training. EMDR certified therapists complete advanced training in emerging EMDR techniques or different areas of specialization such as EMDR for dissociation, EMDR for prenatal and perinatal trauma, EMDR with children, or EMDR for Complex Trauma. They also participate in at least double the number of consultation hours to further develop their EMDR knowledge and skills prior to becoming certified.
EMDR therapists have to meet minimum requirements for the number of people they have worked with using EMDR and the number of hours they have spent providing EMDR therapy before they can be certified. Certified EMDR clinicians are also required to engage in continuing education in EMDR for as long as they maintain EMDR certification.
Working with an EMDR-certified counselor or therapist likely means that the provider has chosen to specialize in EMDR. EMDR certification also means that a therapist maintains their education in EMDR therapy to be aware of continued advancements and more specialized EMDR therapy techniques.
Extent of EMDR Therapy Experience
It’s important to learn about a clinician's EMDR therapy experience when selecting an EMDR therapist. Asking questions about how long a therapist has been practicing EMDR therapy, how many clients they have worked with using EMDR, or how regularly they use EMDR in their current practice can provide useful information.
Clinicians who have been trained in EMDR recently may bring fresh understanding, enthusiasm, and curiosity to their work. Seasoned EMDR therapists may be able to offer more refined techniques, greater expertise, or experience using EMDR with specific conditions or types of people such as first responders, veterans, victims of terrorist acts, or mass traumas.
EMDR Therapist Availability and Location
If you are looking for in-office EMDR therapy, you want to make sure that the therapist is located near where you, live, work, or, travel regularly. Consider whether the office meets your needs for transportation, parking, or otherwise getting to your appointments. You may also want to think about whether the office setup is comfortable for you and conducive to EMDR processing. Finding a therapist who has availability during hours that are convenient for you is also important when looking for an EMDR therapist.
EMDR Therapist Personality and Communication Style
Finally, you will want to assess whether the therapist is someone who feels comfortable to you. Research consistently shows that the therapeutic relationship is the most important factor influencing overall gains made during therapeutic treatment. A consultation call with a therapist before selecting a clinician to work with can be a helpful step for considering whether the therapist’s personality and communication style are a good fit for you. If you’re not sure what to ask during a consultation call, this guide for questions to ask before choosing a therapist can help.
What if I Can’t Find EMDR Therapy in Chicago or Near Me?
What should you do if you’ve gone through the steps but you can't find an EMDR therapist near you who feels like the right fit for your needs? EMDR therapy online is another great option for helping you find the right EMDR therapist for you.
EMDR Online Therapy Chicago & EMDR Online Therapy Illinois
Any therapist who is licensed in your state and provides EMDR therapy online can be a great option. Whether you are sitting on campus in Urbana-Champaign, working in the Loop, living on the Gold Coast, or settled right on Michigan Avenue, any online EMDR therapist in the entire state of Illinois can be a possibility to explore.
EMDR Online Therapy From Anywhere
Additionally, clinicians who live or work in other states and are licensed to provide telehealth services to people in your state can also be options for your EMDR therapist. This means that it may be possible to expand your EMDR therapist search beyond state lines to find a great therapist for your needs.
PSYPACT psychologists have met requirements that allow them to work online with people in over 35 participating PSYPACT states. PSYPACT psychologists and other remote therapists licensed in your state may be worth considering if you have struggled to find an EMDR therapist in Chicago or near you. This means that it may be possible to expand your EMDR therapist search beyond state lines to find a great therapist for your needs.
There is more to explore if you are wondering about how to do EMDR therapy online or what to consider when deciding if online therapy is right for you.
Take the Next Step to Find EMDR Therapy Chicago or EMDR Therapy Online
Now that you know some important things to consider to help you find an EMDR therapist, it is time to take the next step for your mental health and healing. With this guide, you know how to connect you with an EMDR therapist whether they are just down the street or across the country.
Remember that it is okay if you don’t find the right therapist with your first Google search or initial phone call. There is no need to compromise or settle for a therapist who does not have the training, expertise, or personality that fits your needs. It is worth taking a little extra time to find an EMDR therapist who feels right to you because they are out there.
Contact an EMDR Therapist Today
If you think that I might be a good fit for you to provide EMDR therapy around Chicago or in your state, contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I'm EMDRIA trained and a certified EMDR therapist, as well as the founder of Shore Therapy Center for Wellness. I am a psychologist licensed to provide EMDR therapy online in any participating PSYPACT state. I have extensive experience providing EMDR therapy face-to-face and online to hundreds of people struggling with anxiety, PTSD, complex trauma, and trauma resulting from life events, accidents, assaults, injuries, traumatic losses, mass traumas, and more. You can find more information about me here.
I provide affirming therapy for marginalized adults including affirmative LGBT and neurodiversity affirming therapy; therapy for parent burnout and caregiver burnout; PTSD and trauma therapy online; online therapy and EMDR therapy online to support the needs of people in Chicago, across Illinois, and in over 35 states across the U.S. I look forward to connecting with you.
For more help finding the right therapist to meet your needs, check out the rest of the How to Find a Therapist blog series.
