Consultation as Community: Why EMDR Therapists in Private Practice Need More Than Training
Most EMDR therapists don’t go into private practice anticipating the loneliness that can follow. We’re drawn to this work because it’s meaningful, relational, and deeply human. We value autonomy and depth, and many of us leave group settings or agencies hoping for more alignment and freedom.
What often surprises people is how quietly isolating private practice can become.
There’s no team meeting to process a heavy session.
No colleague down the hall to ask, “Have you seen this before?”
No shared container for holding the emotional weight of trauma work.
For a while, continuing education and advanced trainings can fill that gap. Learning something new can feel energizing and grounding. But eventually, many therapists realize that what’s missing isn’t more information or techniques or protocols - it’s community.
Consultation Is More than Case Collaboration
EMDR consultation is often framed as a place to get answers, guidance, or reassurance about clinical decisions. And it is totally that - and - when consultation happens with the same group of people over time, it becomes something else entirely.
It becomes relational.
You don’t have to reintroduce yourself each month.
You don’t have to explain your practice context from scratch.
You get to follow up on cases without completely introducing it as new.
You get to know other clinicians on a deeper level.
Over time, trust builds. The conversations deepen. The group develops a shared language. Consultation shifts from “What should I do?” to “How do I want to practice, and who do I want to be while doing this work?”
That’s EMDR consultation as community.
Why Community Matters
EMDR therapy, and trauma work in general, asks a lot of clinicians. We keep track of multiple cases that are all in different phases, maybe using different protocols. Many of us are integrating other modalities and tracking parts, relationship dynamics, childhood memories.
We hold intense material. We witness suffering and transformation. We sit with uncertainty.
Doing that work in isolation increases the risk of burnout, self-doubt, and over-responsibility. Not because therapists aren’t capable — but because this work was never meant to be done alone.
A consistent EMDR consultation community helps distribute the weight.
It offers:
A place to normalize stuckness
A container for uncertainty and ethical nuance
Support for the therapist’s nervous system, not just their skillset
A reminder that you are part of something larger than your solo office
A place to celebrate WINS in community
My EMDR Consultation Cohort
When I started these EMDR cohorts, it was primarily to simplify the certification process and offer an affordable path to certification. As I’ve run the groups over the last two years they have grown into something so surprising and beautiful - a community of colleagues who helped each other, laughed together, and helped one another grow.
This is a small, consistent EMDR consultation cohort for therapists in private practice that meets monthly over the course of six months (with the option to join for the year!) It’s designed for EMDR therapists in private practice who want:
Ongoing relational support
A stable group of peers
Space to think together, not perform
A place where clinical growth and sustainability are equally important
Yes, this cohort can count toward EMDR certification hours. But that isn’t the heart of it. The heart is connection — building a community where EMDR therapists don’t have to carry their work alone.
What has helped you stay connected in private practice? Share in the comments!
If you’ve been craving something more relational, more consistent, and more human than one-off trainings, consultation as community may be exactly what you’re looking for - reserve your spot today!