EMDRSA

For Practitioners

Basic Accredited EMDR Therapy Training

  • Basic Accredited EMDR Trainings can only be conducted by official EMDR South Africa / EMDR Africa Accredited Trainers.
  • If a Clinician attends a non-accredited basic training course, they will not be eligible to join the EMDR SA Association or become an EMDR SA Certified Practitioner.
  • This training is structured into Level 1 and Level 2 or Parts 1, 2 and 3, depending on the trainer’s format. All levels or parts must be completed to qualify for the Certificate of Basic Training in EMDR Therapy.
  • Upon completing the Basic Training, practitioners may advance their qualifications by becoming a Certified EMDR SA Practitioner (See requirements under Certification below). Further progression includes becoming a Consultant in Training, an Approved EMDR SA Consultant, and ultimately an Approved EMDR SA Trainer.
  • EMDR SA, with EMDR Africa, accredits and monitors the standards of all EMDR Trainers and training courses provided in SA. Anyone wishing to conduct basic training in SA needs to contact the EMDR SA Association.

Membership

Full Membership Criteria

  • Full Membership is open to those with a Master’s degree in Clinical, Counselling or Educational Psychology, Clinical Social Work, and to Psychiatrists, all of whom must be registered with the HPCSA or the SACSSP.
  • This requires the completion of Level 1 and Level 2 Institute-approved Trainings (with ten hours of additional Consultation/Supervision). Alternatively, it requires completion of Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of a Europe and EMDRIA-approved Training. All these Trainings must be approved by EMDR SA. Currently, Reyhana Seedat and Sandi Richman are the only EMDR SA Accredited Trainers.
  • Clinicians living outside of SA who fulfil criteria for full membership and are currently registered with the HPCSA or SACSSP in SA may become full members of EMDR SA.
  • Requires payment of an annual fee, decided each year by the Executive Committee.

The Association expects you to complete a minimum of 5 hours of Supervision per annum with an approved Consultant/Trainer and/or to attend 5 hours of EMDR Therapy Workshops or Trainings per annum. When renewing membership, you are required to attach copies of the confirmation letter from your Consultant and/or CPD Certificates as proof.

Associate Membership Criteria

  • Associate Membership is open to Clinical, Counselling and Educational Interns or those completing community service, as well as to those with a Master’s degree in Clinical, Counselling or Educational Psychology, Social Work or Psychiatrists, all of whom must be registered with the HPSCA or the SACSSP.
  • This requires the completion of Level 1 Institute-Approved Training (with 5 hours of additional Consultation/Supervision). Alternatively, it requires completion of Part 1 and Part 2 of a Europe and EMDRIA-approved Training. All these Trainings must be approved by EMDR SA. Currently, Reyhana Seedat and Sandi Richman are the only EMDR SA Accredited Trainers.
  • Requires payment of an annual fee, decided each year by the Executive Committee.

Retired Members

  • Members of the Association who have retired from practice may choose to remain Full Members or to become Associate Members.
  • Retired members are not required to submit proof of supervision and/or CPD points upon renewing their membership.
To apply for leave of absence from your membership, please email your request to [email protected]

Membership Benefits

  • Free or discounted access to Training.
  • Listings on the “Find a Certified EMDR Practitioner or an Approved EMDR Consultant”.
  • Automatic Membership with EMDR Africa and EMDR Global Alliance.
  • Being part of a growing professional community which can support your EMDR practice and clinical work.
  • Future possibilities to become part of EMDR research in South Africa.

To apply for or renew your Membership, please email us a completed Application for Membership form at [email protected]

Download Membership Form

Consultation

Once a Therapist/Practitioner has completed the basic training, they are encouraged to seek Consultation (Supervision) with an EMDR SA-Approved Consultant. Consultation supports the Consultee’s clinical practice and educates the Consultee in areas where they need additional development. Consultees can also choose to become a Certified EMDR SA Practitioner by fulfilling requirements laid out by EMDR SA in line with the African and Global Alliance standards.

Certification

Certified EMDR Practitioners
Certified EMDR Practitioners

Certified EMDR Practitioners

Becoming a Certified EMDR Practitioner is a further step in the EMDR training process. This follows after completion of the EMDR Basic Training. EMDR Certification is crucial to ensure that therapists reach a more advanced competency level of EMDR practice, where they can safely and efficiently treat a wide range of clinical problems. EMDR Certification is also important to enable patients to find a competent and skilled therapist who is of a recognised standard of competence. Competency is evaluated by the EMDR South Africa Association Standards and Accreditation Committee.

To be eligible to apply to be recognized as a Certified Practitioner, the following criteria must be met:

  1. You are a member of the EMDR SA Association.
  2. You are registered as a mental health professional recognised by the EMDR SA Association.
  3. You have completed a minimum of two years’ experience in your field post-qualification.
  4. You have a minimum of one year’s experience of using EMDR after completing your EMDR Basic Training.
  5. You have conducted a minimum of 50 hours of EMDR Therapy after completing your Basic Training.
  6. You have treated at least 25 clients after completing your Basic Training.
  7. You have received a minimum of 20 hours of Consultation beyond the 10 hours required to be included with the Basic Training. This needs to have been provided by an EMDR Consultant approved by the EMDR SA Association. In order for a Consultant to write a report towards certification, they need to have consulted with the consultee for a minimum of 10 hours.
  8. The EMDR Consultant supervising your application has directly witnessed your EMDR work on video or in vivo.
  9. You need to show a video (including Phases 3 – 7) of your work to be reviewed by the Standards and Accreditation Committee of the EMDR SA Association.
  10. You have obtained the necessary consent from your client to show this video.
  11. You need two letters of reference from colleagues who vouch for your professionalism, ethical standards and competence as a clinician.
  12. You need a report from your Consultant verifying the minimum number of consultation hours, clients and sessions as well as competency required to become Certified in EMDR therapy.
  13. In order to retain your EMDR SA Certification, you will need to obtain 6 CPD points for EMDR related activities per annum. These need to be submitted to the EMDR SA Standards Committee every 2 years. This will require documentation of CPD (continuing professional development) activities.
DOWNLOAD CERTIFIED PRACTITIONER ACCREDITATION FORM

Approved EMDR Consultants

EMDR South Africa Approved Consultants have a key responsibility in maintaining quality assurance and high standards of practice in EMDR by guiding and providing Consultation to EMDR Practitioners. In order to become an EMDR SA Approved Consultant, one first becomes a Consultant in Training and presents their Consultation work to their Approved Consultant.

This process is called Consultation-of-Consultation. This is a collaborative relationship between mental health clinicians in which an EMDR SA Approved Consultant provides feedback and guidance to an EMDR SA Consultant in Training (CIT). The feedback is focused on the CIT’s skills and ability to provide Consultation to other clinicians based on material presented by the CIT, direct observation, or recorded observation. The CIT must receive 20 hours of consultation-of-consultation from an EMDR South Africa Approved Consultant. The consultation-of-consultation should be structured in format and the CIT is expected to provide examples of their ability to provide consultation to others.

To be eligible to apply to be recognized as an EMDR Approved Consultant, the following criteria must be met:

  1. Must have completed an EMDR Basic Training Approved by the EMDR South Africa Association.
  2. Must be an EMDR SA Certified Practitioner before beginning training as an EMDR South Africa Approved Consultant
  3. Must write to the EMDR South Africa Standards Committee informing them of their intention to become a Consultant in Training (CIT) and which Consultant/s will be providing them with Consultation of Consultation.
  4. Must have three years of experience as a Consultant-in-Training before applying to become an EMDR South Africa Approved Consultant.
  5. Must have completed a Consultant Training program approved by their National or Regional Association when such programme is available.
  6. Have conducted at least 300 EMDR sessions with no less than 75 clients by the time of completion of requirements to apply as an Approved Consultant.
  7. Have received a minimum of 20 hours of consultation-of-consultation by an EMDR South Africa Approved Consultant.
  8. Must have received a letter documenting competency in consultation skills.
  9. Must demonstrate their consultation skills either in vivo or via video recording of a minimum of three sessions. These must include an EMDR clinical session, an Individual EMDR consultation session and a group EMDR consultation session.
  10. Must complete six hours of continuing education in EMDR per annum (12 points over two years) in order to retain EMDR Approved Consultant status. These points must be submitted to the EMDR Standards Committee every two years.
Approved EMDR Consultants
Approved EMDR Consultants
For EMDR Practitioners

Approved EMDR Trainers in South Africa

In order to become an EMDR SA Approved Trainer, Approved Consultants need to have completed a Training programme approved by the EMDR Africa Association. Alternatively, if they are already Trainers, they need to be accredited by the EMDR SA and EMDR Africa Associations.

Currently, there are two Approved EMDR SA Trainers: Reyhana Seedat and Sandi Richman. There is currently a cohort of eleven EMDR Consultants being trained to become Trainers on the African continent.

EMDR Events in South Africa

To get in touch with a Certified EMDR SA Trainer, you can contact EMDR SA Trainer Reyhana Seedat via [email protected].

You can also contact EMDR SA Trainer Sandi Richman at [email protected].

EMDR SA Annual General Meeting

28 October 2026

Time: 18h30

Where: Online

For Members of EMDR SA

Upcoming EMDR Trainings

EMDR Level One Training by Reyhana Seedat

21, 22, 23 October 2026

7, 8, 9 December 2026

Time: 08h00 to 17h30

Where: Online via Zoom Meetings provided there are 10 or more participants

Cost: R10 000 once-off, non-refundable. All payments to be made 2 weeks before the Training.

For more info on Registration, visit Reyhana’s website. All communications to be done via email: [email protected]

EMDR Level Two Training by Reyhana Seedat

2, 3, 4 December 2026

Time: 08h00 to 17h30

Where: Online via Zoom Meetings provided there are 10 or more participants

Cost: R10 000 once-off, non-refundable. All payments to be made 2 weeks before the Training.

For more info on Registration, visit Reyhana’s website. All communications to be done via email: [email protected]

EMDR SA Trainings Gallery