FAQs – NHS-Funded Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Training Programme Starting in 2023

To provide stakeholders and partners with further clarity about the new NHS-funded Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy training programme starting in 2023 and curriculum requirements, HEE have recently produced a set of FAQs.

EMDR is a specific psychological therapy recommended by NICE for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. To support the expansion of mental health delivery in response to the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England aims to ensure a suitable level of availability of NHS EMDR practitioners across Adult IAPT, adult community and specialist perinatal mental health services in England.

As a result, a new national NHS EMDR therapy curriculum, aligned with the EMDR competence framework, was developed by HEE with a clinically led-multidisciplinary working group including input from EMDR and other clinical experts. The curriculum ensures EMDR practitioners will be trained to the highest standards and complete a period of practice under specialist supervision to deliver as recommended by NICE and achieve full accreditation in the approach. 

If you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To find out more about this training programme, visit the HEE website.