Pros and Cons of Group vs. Individual EMDR Consultation

Have you wondered whether or not you should aim to get all of your hours for EMDR certification individually or get as much as you can with a group?  EMDRIA (www.emdria.org) states that you must have at least 10 of your 20 consultation hours as individual.  The other 10 can be either group or individual consultation hours.  So, which is better?  Let’s take a look:   Individual Consultation Hours Pros: -You can get individualized attention from your consultant regarding your specific EMDR client cases and case specific questions -You can work with a specialist with a particular population with which you work and get answers that are relevant to your everyday work Cons: -It can be pricey to pay often $120-200 per hour individually (often the same price as the consultant’s therapy hour with clients) -You only get the consultant’s point of view regarding cases and next steps   Group Consultation Hours Pros: -Hands down the better deal financially, often 50-75% of the typical individual rate -You can hear from others, possibly who work with different populations, to learn a variety of techniques and ways to conceptualize a case -Camaraderie: developing mutual trust and support with colleagues learning EMDR, and being able to use them to network regarding outside referrals and resources Cons: -You often have to commit to two-hour sessions at a time, which is a common amount of time for a group consultation session As you can see, depending on what your needs are regarding your EMDR progress, you can weigh these pros and cons for yourself.  Perhaps you have completed your individual hours already and are looking for a group with which to collaborate regarding cases and/or to see their client videos for good examples for yourself.  Or, perhaps you have enjoyed having the individualized attention during consultation, noting that your EMDR work is highly specialized. Whichever way you choose to go, it is my opinion that getting certified in EMDR is well worth the journey.  Not only will certification make you more marketable, it will give you invaluable training and insights into using EMDR with your challenging clients.  If you are interested in either group or individual consultation, please email or call me.  I currently have the lowest rates around (for a limited time only!) and offer video chat services all around the world.  Promise yourself more knowledge and marketability with EMDR certification!