Postgraduate Study in EMDR Therapy
EMDR training designed to meet the needs of New Zealand's mental health practitioners
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based psychological therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders.
It is one of only two therapeutic interventions recommended by the World Health Organisation for the treatment of PTSD, alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). EMDR therapy is increasingly also used for the treatment of other anxiety-based disorders.
Why study EMDR Therapy?
Our EMDR training is designed to meet the needs of New Zealand's mental health practitioners. It is aligned with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and tailored to New Zealand's unique culture and environment.
The teaching is delivered by EMDR staff from the Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington. It includes practical applications to enable practitioners from a range of health disciplines to achieve more meaningful clinical outcomes for users of mental health services in our society.
The comprehensive EMDR training will carry the strength of a university-accredited programme, including an assessed measure of competence through practical assignments, block course attendance, supervision, and passing of an examination.
We are proud to be offering Aotearoa New Zealand's first University-based postgraduate training in EMDR.
This training is taught by one of Aotearoa New Zealand's leading EMDR educators, MaryAnn Stevens.
In her practice, MaryAnn Stevens uses EMDR therapy widely, with clients presenting with a variety of mental health conditions in which trauma is a component. MaryAnn's knowledge of EMDR as a powerful therapy, with applications in so many different areas, is a gift she is keen to share with as many clinicians as possible.
The teaching team will also include Clinical Psychologists and Psychotherapists who have considerable experience with EMDR.
How is it taught?
Our Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences endorsed in EMDR consists of two 30-point papers. Each paper is run over one academic year.
- First year: PSME 455 Foundational Clinical Practice in EMDR Therapy (2025)
- Second year: PSME 456 Advanced Clinical Practice in EMDR Therapy (2026)
Applicants can only register for one paper each year and must complete that paper in the same year.
Our EMDR PSME 455 and PSME 456 papers are both clinical-based training courses: Attendance is compulsory for all online lectures, in-person block course teaching, the online supervision sessions, and the final exam.
Over the duration of the academic year:
- Students are required to complete 80 hours of logged EMDR therapy practice with clients
- Prior to Block 1, the first of 2 (5-week) series of weekly online lectures will commence; lecture recordings will be available in Moodle
- 2 in-person teaching blocks of 2 1/2 days are held at the Wellington campus
- 10 hours of online supervision sessions will be provided over various dates
- There are 4 assignment assessments
- Plus the online final viva exam at the end of the course
Who can apply?
This course is open to registered mental health practitioners including:
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Psychotherapists
- Nurses
- Social Workers
- Occupational Therapists
- Counsellors
- Art Therapists
EMDR is a complex, structured therapy. The training is intensive, and for acceptance into this programme you may be asked to provide a CV and transcripts of your relevant academic study.
Please check the paper pages for full eligibility criteria.
What does it cost?
2025 domestic tuition fees are set at $2,704.75.
This cost includes 30 hours of lectures, 2 block courses of 2 1/2 days, 10 hours of supervision and the final exam.
How to apply
Apply for the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences (PGCertHealSc) endorsed in EMDR Therapy.
- As you go through the application process you will also need to upload a copy of your current CV, proof of registration, and copies of your official academic transcripts relating to any qualifications you have noted in the University portal
- The Admissions team in Dunedin then check your eligibility to ensure your application meets postgraduate study level; please respond to any emails they may send you
- Important: Please email emdr.uow@otago.ac.nz to confirm that you have submitted your application, and advise us of your student ID number
Transforming trauma with EMDR
Discover how EMDR therapy is helping clinicians achieve faster, deeper results with clients. Learn about Otago’s flexible, research-backed training designed for experienced professionals working with complex trauma.
Read transcript
I’m Maryann Stevens. I’m a clinical psychologist. I work in private practice in Wellington, but I’m also part of the Otago University EMDR therapy training.
Francine Shapiro discovered there was this surprising link between moving your eyes side to side and the reduction of distress about past events and other trauma-based disorders. And many guidelines across the world now approve EMDR therapy as an evidence-based treatment of choice for post-traumatic stress disorder for adults and children.
We’ve designed this course to reflect Aotearoa New Zealand and what we need in this country. We’ve made it easy by packaging up all the different courses and things that people are doing that are necessary for becoming an expert EMDR practitioner.
The postgraduate certificate is designed for experienced clinicians. It’s designed for people who work with complex cases. You will go away from this course knowing that you’re competent.
EMDR can help you to get into a very deep place of your client’s problem.
Now I can see more people for less time, and I can really, enhance the outcomes using the learning from this course
Really understand where their traumas come from and the impact of that trauma.
This is what the research is now showing — one of the two key treatments of choice.
And ask them, would you like to try this and then see if you need medication? And that’s what most people want. So when they do that, it’s really amazing.
The course recognises that you are already working, you already have your commitments, and you’re adding this on top. And I think there’s lots of flexibility to be able to complete the course with everything else that you might need to do as well.
This is a tool that works far better than most other things that I’ve known.
Practitioners who’ve done this training before have said that even though they have a lot of expertise, even though they’ve trained in a lot of different modalities, this adds new value. This adds something different.
We are really pleased to be offering the only university-based EMDR course in Australasia. This course is really popular, so please email us as early as possible if you are interested in either the advanced or the basic training. We look forward to having you study with us.
The best part is to discharge people — they are happy, they’re well — discharge them well.
I would absolutely recommend it.
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Programme details
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Contacts
Email emdr.uow@otago.ac.nz
EMDR Course Director
MaryAnn Stevens
Department of Psychological Medicine
University of Otago, Wellington
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