Course Professional Diploma in Integrative Trauma Therapy & EMDR Practice

The Professional Diploma in Integrative Trauma Therapy & EMDR Practice is designed for practitioners who wish to work more confidently and effectively with clients affected by trauma, using a flexible, evidence-informed approach. The course brings together key principles of integrative psychotherapy with the structured, phase-based model of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), supporting you to develop a coherent, trauma-focused way of working.

You will explore the neuroscience of trauma, the impact of overwhelming experiences on the brain and nervous system, and how symptoms such as hyperarousal, avoidance, flashbacks, dissociation, and relational difficulties can be understood as adaptations rather than pathology. The programme examines single-incident, complex, and developmental trauma, with attention to attachment, shame, and the role of the body in trauma memory.

A central focus of the diploma is on EMDR as a therapeutic method. You will be introduced to the theory underpinning EMDR, the eight-phase protocol, assessment and case formulation, preparation and stabilisation, target sequencing, and the use of bilateral stimulation. Emphasis is placed on safety, resourcing, pacing, and working collaboratively with clients’ strengths and capacities.

Alongside EMDR, the course integrates elements from person-centred, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and somatic approaches, helping you to tailor interventions to the needs, preferences, and readiness of each client. You will also consider ethical issues, risk, complex presentations, and working with diverse populations and contexts.

Teaching methods typically include lectures, demonstrations, experiential exercises, supervised practice, and reflective discussion. You will have opportunities to practise core skills in a supported environment and to link learning directly to your own clinical or support work.

This diploma is particularly suited to counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, mental health professionals, and experienced practitioners in related fields. By the end of the course, you will have a stronger theoretical and practical grounding in integrative trauma therapy and EMDR practice, greater confidence in planning and delivering trauma-focused interventions, and an enhanced capacity to work safely, compassionately, and sustainably with trauma in your professional context.