Finding the right EMDR therapist online isn’t complicated — but there are a few things worth knowing before you start.
EMDR is not like most therapies. It has a specific protocol, specific training requirements, and specific safety considerations. That means the usual advice about finding a therapist — check their qualifications, read their profile, trust your gut — applies here, with a few extra things layered on top.
This post cuts through it clearly. Here’s what to look for, what questions to ask, and what actually matters when you’re choosing an EMDR therapist to work with online.
Why finding the right EMDR therapist online matters
Let’s start with something that doesn’t always get said plainly enough.
EMDR involves processing distressing memories. Done well, it’s safe, effective, and often transformative. Done badly — by someone without proper training, who skips the preparation phases, who moves too fast, or who doesn’t have the broader therapeutic skills to hold what comes up — it can be destabilising.
That’s not a reason to be scared of EMDR. It’s a reason to be thoughtful about who you work with.
The good news is that finding a properly trained EMDR therapist online is genuinely straightforward once you know what you’re looking for. And the things that matter are fewer than you might think.
The first thing to check — EMDR training
Not everyone who offers EMDR has trained to the same level. That matters.
In the UK, EMDR training is overseen by the EMDR Association UK. Proper EMDR training involves a structured programme — typically delivered across several days, with supervised practice built in. It teaches the full eight-phase protocol, the theory behind the approach, and how to manage what comes up during processing.
When you’re looking at a therapist’s profile, you want to see that they have completed a recognised EMDR training programme. Ideally you want to see that they are working toward — or have achieved — accreditation with EMDR Association UK. Accredited status means they have met a higher bar of experience and competency, not just attended a training course.
It’s also worth checking whether their EMDR training sits within a broader therapeutic qualification. EMDR is most effective when it’s delivered by a therapist who is also trained in the relational dimensions of therapy — who knows how to build trust, how to pace the work, and how to hold someone through what arises. The post on EMDR and integrative therapy explains why that combination matters.
The second thing to check — their broader professional qualifications
Here’s something a lot of people don’t know. Counselling and psychotherapy are unregulated professions in the UK. Anyone can legally call themselves a therapist.
That means EMDR training alone isn’t enough. You also want to know that the person offering it has a solid, recognised therapeutic qualification — and that they are a member of a professional body that holds them to ethical and professional standards.
The main bodies to look for are the NCPS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society), the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), and the UKCP (UK Council for Psychotherapy). All three are recognised by the Professional Standards Authority, which means their registers have been independently assessed as meeting genuine standards of public protection.
Within those bodies, look for accredited or registered status — not just membership. Accredited status means the therapist has gone through a formal assessment process. It’s earned, not just bought with a subscription fee.
The post on what EMDR stands for and where it came from gives some useful context on why training standards in EMDR specifically developed the way they did.
What to look for in their online profile
Once you’ve established the basics — proper EMDR training, recognised professional body membership — the next step is reading their profile and website properly.
A few things are worth paying attention to.
Do they explain how they work? A good therapist’s website tells you something real about their approach — not just a list of techniques, but a sense of how they think about therapy and what working with them actually involves. If a profile feels generic, that’s information.
Do they have experience with what you’re dealing with? Most EMDR therapists work across a range of presentations — trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, phobias and more. If you’re coming with something specific, it’s worth checking that they have experience in that area. The hub post on EMDR therapy gives a clear picture of the range of things EMDR can help with.
Does their tone feel right? This sounds vague but it matters. The way a therapist writes about their work tells you something about how they’ll be in a session. Warm or clinical. Direct or evasive. Genuine or formulaic. Trust your reaction to it.
Do they offer a free consultation? Most good online EMDR therapists offer a free initial call before any commitment is made. Take it up. It’s the single best way to get a feel for whether the fit is right — and a therapist who doesn’t offer one is worth pausing over.
The thing that matters most
Here’s the honest truth about finding a good EMDR therapist online — and it applies to finding any good therapist.
Qualifications matter. Training matters. Professional body membership matters. But the thing that predicts whether therapy actually helps you more than any of those things is the quality of the relationship between you and your therapist.
Research consistently shows this. The warmth, the trust, the sense of being genuinely heard and held — these account for more of the outcome than the specific method used. A highly trained EMDR therapist you can’t open up to will help you less than a well-trained one with whom you feel genuinely at ease.
So alongside all the credential checking, ask yourself a simple question after any initial contact — whether that’s reading their website, having a consultation call, or sitting in a first session. Do I feel like I could be honest with this person?
If the answer is yes, that’s a very good sign. If it’s no, keep looking. The credentials matter. The relationship matters more.
Where to look for an EMDR therapist online
There are several places to start your search.
The EMDR Association UK maintains a directory of trained and accredited EMDR therapists in the UK. Every therapist listed there has completed recognised training. This is the most reliable starting point for finding a properly qualified EMDR therapist.
The NCPS, BACP, and UKCP all have therapist directories too. You can filter by approach — including EMDR — and by online availability. These directories tell you about the therapist’s broader professional standing.
What to ask in an initial consultation
If you’ve found someone who looks like a reasonable fit, a free initial consultation is your chance to find out more before committing.
A few questions worth asking:
What EMDR training have you completed and are you working toward accreditation with EMDR Association UK? How do you use EMDR alongside other therapeutic approaches — or do you work with EMDR only? How do you approach the preparation phases, and how do you decide when someone is ready to begin processing? What does a typical session look like in practice?
You don’t need to interrogate anyone. But a good therapist will answer these questions clearly and without defensiveness. Their answers — and how they answer them — will tell you a lot about whether this is someone you can work with.
This post on what happens in an EMDR session gives you a clear picture of what to expect, which might help you know what to ask. And this post on whether EMDR is right for you is worth reading before your consultation if you’re still weighing up whether EMDR is the right approach at all.
Working with me
I’m an EMDR-trained therapist and a Professional Accredited Member of the NCPS (PNCPS Acc.). I’m also a qualified counselling supervisor — which means I’ve not only trained in EMDR and integrative therapy, but I support other therapists in their professional development and practice.
I work online with individuals across the UK and internationally. I offer EMDR as part of a broader integrative approach — using it when it’s the right tool, not as a fixed method applied to everyone. The post on EMDR and integrative therapy explains more about how that works in practice.
If you’d like to find out whether we’re a good fit, I offer a free initial consultation. No pressure, no commitment. Just a conversation.
[Book your free consultation here] — online sessions available worldwide
Gareth Taylor is a Professional Accredited Member of the NCPS (PNCPS Acc.) and a qualified counselling supervisor. He is an EMDR-trained therapist working online with individuals across the UK and internationally, supporting people with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, low self-worth, and a wide range of other presentations.
