EMDR Cleveland LLC / Archer Therapy

This is a demonstration course for review by EMDRIA.  Do not sign up for it.  

EMDR therapy was developed by Francine Shapiro and is one of the most researched and practiced approaches to trauma work. We are delighted that you are considering us as your EMDR training partner. 

This EMDR Therapy Training program curriculum, David Archer, PSW, MFT, MSW, and Thomas Zimmerman, Ms.Ed., LPCC are approved by the EMDR International Association, the standards of which require that students engage in a minimum of:  20 hours of lecture, 20 hours of practicum, 10 hours of consultation, required reading (below), and taking an ungraded open-book learner assessment at the end of the process. This full training includes 21 hours of lecture, 21 hours of practicum, and 10 hours of consultation. 

10 Hours of Consultation Are Included as Part of this Training

Ten hours of consultation are a requirement for completing the entire training cycle.  Five two-hour groups (10 total hours) are included in the cost of participating in this training.  These are special groups organized by the trainer or select pre-approved consultants.  Additional information about consultation for this training is available at: https://emdrcleveland.com/consultationaz/

Required Readings: 

• Shapiro, F. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition: Basic Principles, Protocols and Procedures. (2018). New York: The Guilford Press., 
• Go With That Magazine Fall 2020, Volume 25, Issue 3 (found online at https://www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GWT.2020.Vol_.25.Issue_.3.RacialTrauma.ALL_.pdf), and
• Guidelines for Virtual EMDR Therapy which can be found online at https://www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/virtual_tg_report_for_member.pdf.Links to an external site.

Required Supplemental Materials: 

• The EMDRIA definition of EMDR therapy (found online at https://www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/EMDRIADefinitionofEMDR.pdfLinks to an external site.), 
• Current list of EMDR related research citations found online through the following:
  • EMDRIA Library (https://www.emdria.org/library/Links to an external site.),
  • the EMDR Research Foundation's Research Lists (https://emdrfoundation.org/emdr-info/research-lists/Links to an external site.), and
  • the EMDR Research Foundation's EMDR Therapy Research Bibliography (https://emdrresearchfoundation.org/resources/emdr-therapy-research-bibliography/Links to an external site.).  
• The Journal of EMDR Research Practice and Research Volume 13 Issue 4 (found online at https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgremdr/13/4Links to an external site.), 
• Information regarding membership and programming of EMDRIA (found online at https://www.emdria.org/about-emdria/emdria-membership/Links to an external site.), and
• Becoming an EMDR Therapist video (found online at https://youtu.be/1Ek27CriWyM?si=ukPTsohh963HJ9hCLinks to an external site. and shown below).  

Safer Space Guidelines

In recognition that there is never any safe space but only safer spaces, this training recognizes that there is always a possibility of miscommunication and/or discord that can arise between different individuals. For these reasons the following guidelines are meant to promote a safer space in our trainings.

Participant Safety and Response Protocol

During our trainings, we prioritize the emotional and psychological safety of all participants. If you experience distress or adverse reactions related to the training content, please immediately inform the facilitator or training assistant. If you have concerns that during practicum you might have done something wrong or that your “client” may have had a negative outcome, let us work together, talk about it so that we can provide appropriate support to all who are involved.

We can provide a designated “quiet room” for immediate decompression and recovery, staffed with a trained EMDR therapist who can help to provide care for a period of time.

Follow-up for additional mental health support services after training will be the participants responsibility, but a scheduled conversation with the trainer can also take place.

Disclaimers

We anticipate that participants may experience unanticipated difficulties in the practicum portion. We cannot take responsibility for what may come up or what may continue to come up subsequent to the practicum or residual experiences, but these are the supports and accommodations to make sure you have as safe as possible experience in EMDR training. We will have breakout rooms, facilitators that can give guidance for what target to work on, you will have support in reprocessing if you have difficulty, but someone may need to communicate.

Grievance and Complaint Resolution Procedure

We aim to address any grievances or complaints fairly and with minimal delay. If you have a concern regarding the training, its content, or interactions with staff or fellow co-facilitators, please submit your grievance by email to the training coordinator at [email protected] (David Archer) or [email protected] (Thomas Zimmerman). With the email subject “GRIEVANCE” so we can respond to it promptly.

All grievances will be reviewed within 48 hours, and you will receive an initial response within 72 hours. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible throughout the process.

Emergency Contacts and Support Resources

For immediate psychological support during the training, please send us an email or text. Additionally, a list of local mental health resources, including 24-hour crisis hotlines and counseling services, will be provided to all participants at the start of the training.

Feedback Mechanism

Your feedback is invaluable to us. We encourage all participants to provide ongoing feedback throughout the training. You can anonymously submit your thoughts and suggestions through our dedicated online feedback form at: https://EMDRCleveland.com/feedback, or by dropping your written feedback into the designated boxes located in the training venue for in-person trainings. All feedback will be reviewed daily by our training team to make immediate improvements where feasible.

Anti-Bullying and Non-Discrimination Policy

Our training is committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment free from bullying, discrimination, and microaggressions. We do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disability, or any other characteristic.

When applicable, we expect that you will use pronouns requested as other participants identify.   Deadnaming, racial slurs, or any other audio/visual form of discrimination or intimidation using words, imagery, or other forms of media will be flagged.

Any reports of such behavior will be taken seriously and may result in immediate removal from the training and potential further action. If you witness or experience harassment, please report it immediately to any staff member or through our confidential reporting form. We strive to ensure that everyone in our training feels safe, respected, and valued.

Training Objectives

Day One

• Provide a working definition of trauma by exploring symptomology, diagnosis, and comorbidity

• Explain, generally, the neurobiology of trauma

• Describe the evolution of EMDR therapy from a chance discovery to an approach to psychotherapy

• Observe and discuss a demonstration of the Eight-Phases of EMDR therapy

• Explain the purpose of Phase One and identify options for conducting client history and treatment planning

• Explain the purpose of Phase Two and identify options for adequately preparing clients for EMDR therapy reprocessing

Day Two

• Prepare, conduct, and debrief Phases One and Two practicum experience

• Explain the purpose of Phases Three through Eight

• Prepare, conduct, and debrief Phases Three through Eight practicum

• Identify three potential difficulties or obstacles in the reprocessing phases in practicum contexts

Day Three

• Explain the purpose and tasks of Phase Eight

• Explain the Three-Prong Protocol

• Identify ways to work in the future prong of EMDR therapy

• Identify ways to resume work on a resolved and unresolved memory

• Prepare, conduct, and debrief Phase Eight practicum

• Identify strategies to get consultation, start working with clients, and get CEs

Prerequisites

In order to take an EMDRIA-approved training program, you must meet one of the following requirements for eligibility: 

• A masters or doctoral degree in a clinical mental health-related field (e.g., counseling, marriage & family therapy, social work, psychology, etc.) is required.
• Although it is not required, it is strongly preferred that you are in active clinical practice and working with clients.
• Master’s level students may be permitted to take the course if EMDR Cleveland LLC receives a letter of recommendation from a faculty member or clinical site supervisor ahead of time. Requests and letters of recommendation can be sent to: [email protected].  Your registration is not considered complete/confirmed until approval is granted.
• Medical Professionals (e.g., master’s level nurses and physicians) are also eligible to take the course if they possess a clinical master’s or doctorate degree and if their primary specialty is within mental health.
• Chemical dependency professionals with a master’s degree or higher may also be eligible to take the course. All other requests for special circumstances based on degree and/or licensure must be made in writing with supporting documentation directly to EMDR Cleveland LLC. You can send your information to [email protected].  Once we receive your information, we will consult EMDRIA guidelines to see if you are eligible to participate in this training. Your registration is not considered complete/confirmed until approval is granted.

One Year Completion Timeframe

• Per EMDRIA guidelines, you have one year from the start of your in-person training to complete all requirements of your EMDR Foundational Training, including consultation.

Payment and Cancellation Policy

• Full payment is required prior to completing each part of the training.  Payment is accepted when you register through Thinkific or you can pay by check payable to EMDR Cleveland and mailed to:

Thomas Zimmerman, LPCC
 EMDR Cleveland LLC
 18436 Winslow Rd. Upper
 Shaker Heights, OH  44122

By Registering for this Training, You Acknowledge

• Attendance: Your presence at the entire training is required at all sessions. No partial credit can be awarded. For online trainings, you will need to be on camera for all of the training so that we can verify attendance. Online trainings will be recorded to assist with attendance verification. Trainees who miss more than 15 minutes per day of the training will need to do one of the following: repeat the full training at your cost or arrange for one of the instructors to provide one-on-one instruction of the missed content at an additional cost of $200.00/hour. The option for one-on-one instruction is not available if you miss more than one hour total for the entire training.
• EMDRIA Assessment: Please also note that by taking the training you will be required to take an open-book learner assessment following the second part of the training, per EMDRIA guidelines.  Taking the assessment is a requirement for receiving your training certificate.
• Consultation: Ten hours of group consultation delivered in five two-hour groups are included in the price of your training with Thomas Zimmerman, David Archer, or other select consultants. The included consultation must be conducted using one of the groups on the consultation page: https://EmdrCleveland.com/consultationaz/.
• You have ONE YEAR (12 months) from the time that you begin this training to complete all of the requirements, including the 10 hours of supplementary consultation that are required for you to receive your Certificate of Training in EMDR Therapy from EMDR Cleveland LLC.
• Training Information & Eligibility: You verify that you meet the eligibility requirements of being a Master’s level behavioral health clinician or are a graduate student with an appropriate recommendation, see Prerequisites section above.
• EMDR Cleveland is an EMDRIA-approved curriculum serving clinicians in the United States and Canada, only with certain limited exceptions. If you are a clinician living outside of the United States or Canada, we suggest that you contact us first or check with your regional organization (e.g., EMDR Europe, EMDR Asia, EMDR Australia). A U.S.-based training may not be accepted for accreditation in your country.
• You have read and consent to the Payment and Cancellation Policy, Safer Space Guidelines, Disclaimers, Grievance and Complaint Procedures, Anti-Bullying and Non-Discrimination Policy in the sections above.
• We strive to collect just enough of your personal information to meet the training requirements. We do not share your information beyond what is necessary to meet training obligations. To read more about our privacy policy, see here: https://EMDRCleveland.com/privacy/
• Additional Reading Requirements: Please take note of the EMDR Therapy Training Reading List (above). EMDRIA requires that you purchase and read Francine Shapiro's Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures, which is available for purchase at Amazon and other retailers.
• Professionalism: You will show up on time and be fully present for each session, acting in a professional manner. You will reach out to your faculty member or any assistants if any unexpected problems arise. You agree to refrain from all alcohol and illicit drug use during the training and agree to speak with your faculty member or an assistant if you anticipate that your impairment due to prescribed medications might pose a problem during the training. The faculty and staff reserve the right to remove trainees at any time if the trainee creates an unsafe or unprofessional environment for you or for other trainees, or for any other reason, at their sole discretion.
• Accommodations: We follow the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We ask that if you are in need of any special accommodations that will allow you to take your training with us online or in-person, please email us with any special requests thirty days before the scheduled training. If, during the training, a need for an accommodation arises, you are expected to contact your instructor and/or practicum assistant immediately and we will discuss the best possible solution. Online trainings offer closed captioning.
• Confidentiality: There is no client relationship or other privilege that would create a duty rising to the level of clinical confidentiality in this training setting. However, you are expected to respect the confidentiality of other trainees in the group, and your trainer will explain the importance of confidentiality. Trainees who observe a problem with another trainee are expected to bring the problem to the lead trainer or other training staff. Similarly, if a staff member observes an issue with professionalism, they reserve the right to discuss that issue with the lead trainer.
• Preparedness for Doing Your Own Work: Throughout the training, you will be expected to participate in a working practicum experience in the role of therapist, client, and observer. This means that you will be expected to do a small piece of your own, authentic clinical work. If you are currently in counseling or being treated for a mental health condition, it is recommended that you speak with your provider, alerting them that you are participating in the training. If you have received a major mental health diagnosis (past or present), you acknowledge that you are taking this training and engaging in this practicum at your own risk, and agree to alert faculty or training staff before or during the training if any complications arise. You acknowledge that everyone taking part in the practicum experience is new to EMDR therapy and agree to keep the space as safe as possible for all involved. If any problems arise, you agree to address them with faculty or staff members.

Continuing Education Credit Hours

CE credit hours for this training are offered through EMDR Cleveland LLC. This course is approved for 21 CE credit hours by the following approval agencies:

State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board

EMDR Cleveland an approved provider of continuing education by the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for counselors, social workers, and marriage/family therapists. Approval: PROVIDE HERE

This training is not approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

This training is not approved by the Association of Social Worker Boards (ASWB).  Updated 2/28/2024

EMDRIA

This course curriculum and trainers are APPROVED by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)

EMDRIA is not a provider of continuing education, although they do authorize training providers in EMDR therapy after a rigorous approval process. Completion of Part I & Part II constitutes partial training in EMDR Therapy. Completion of required consultation and the learner assessment is needed to receive a full certificate of training.. 

Terms and Conditions

This training is offered through EMDR Cleveland LLC, who maintains responsibility for the operations of the training, including training delivery, registration, and staffing of the training.

About the Trainers

David Archer, MSW, MFT, is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant from Montreal, Canada. He founded Archer Therapy, where he created the Rhythm and Processing (RAP) therapeutic framework and pioneered anti-racist psychotherapy using EMDR therapy. Holding advanced degrees in social work and couple and family therapy, David combines his software engineering background to enhance his global virtual practice, integrating technology, creativity, and clinical effectiveness. His work is inspired by diverse Indigenous cultures and focuses on recovery from multigenerational trauma in the African Diaspora and other oppressed groups.

David is a leading voice in social justice-inspired psychotherapies and advanced interventions for complex trauma. He has been a keynote and plenary speaker at significant events, including the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, EMDRIA's 2020 virtual conference, and the University of Michigan’s Martin Luther King Jr. Allied Health Conference. His therapeutic approaches, blending mindfulness, memory reconsolidation, and critical race theory, address complex clinical cases involving complex PTSD, dissociation, addiction, eating disorders, and identity-based stresses.

David has authored several books, including Anti-Racist Psychotherapy, Racial Trauma Recovery, and Transforming Complex Trauma: Reflections on Anti-Racist Psychotherapy. He also was a featured contributor to the Fall 2020 issue of EMDRIA’s Go With That Magazine, which is a required reading for new EMDR therapy trainees. An advocate for marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and racially diverse individuals, David's career is devoted to systemic change and racial-trauma-informed recovery. His objectives are to reduce mental health taboos, increase the number of Black therapists, train diverse anti-racist therapists, and inspire revolutionary therapists across all fields to transform mental health service delivery for the next generation.

Thomas Zimmerman, Ms.Ed., LPCC, is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant who lives, practices, and conducts EMDR therapy training in Cleveland, Ohio, through EMDR Cleveland LLC. He is the author of EMDR With Complex Trauma, a book that helps therapists transition more effectively from foundational trauma trainings to treating clients with pervasively traumatized nervous systems. Thomas is known in the EMDR community as a moderator of some the largest social media communities of EMDR therapists globally, including the group of nearly 30,000 members of EMDR Therapist Resources on Facebook. He has one of the most popular podcasts for EMDR therapists, The EMDR Podcast (EmdrPodcast.com), which focuses on doing EMDR therapy with clients with extreme trauma well, safely, and in ways grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing Model (AIP).  He runs a community of over 4,000 EMDR therapists at EMDR Third Weekend (EmdrThirdWeekend.com) that focuses on AIP-consistent EMDR therapy interventions and resources for complex trauma. Thomas has been active in developing a version of the Flash technique that is specifically developed for complex trauma and has trained many thousands of trauma therapists globally in this approach for free, including the use of Flash as a crisis intervention and self-administered versions.