EMDR Consultation Contract Template (Free PDF)
A fill-in-the-blank consultation agreement for EMDR consultants and consultees — scope, fees, cancellation, confidentiality, recordings, and EMDRIA hour attestation on a single 7-page PDF, aligned with the 2026 EMDRIA Consultation Guidelines.
Free PDF for EMDR clinicians. Get it by email.
What the consultation contract covers
A ready-to-adapt written agreement between an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant (or Consultant-in-Training) and a consultee. The template covers the fourteen elements that consistently show up in EMDRIA complaints and licensing-board consultation disputes: parties and purpose, scope, consultant qualifications and disclosures, consultee responsibilities, fees and payment, cancellation and no-show policy, confidentiality of client material, recordings and case material, EMDRIA hour attestation, ethics and dual relationships, termination, limitation of liability, dispute resolution, and signatures. Two appendices provide recommended client-release language for sharing recordings and a session-checklist for the consultee.
Every bracketed field — [DATE], [CONSULTANT NAME], [STATE], dollar amounts, notice windows — is a placeholder to replace before signing. The template is designed to be adapted, not signed as-is.
Who it's for
EMDRIA-Approved Consultants who take paying consultees, Consultants-in-Training under a Consultant-of-Consultants, and group-consultation leads. Also useful for consultees preparing to enter consultation — reading a well-drafted contract before you sign one is the fastest way to know what to ask a prospective consultant about scope, fees, hour attestation, and confidentiality of recordings.
This is a template, not legal advice. Adapt to your jurisdiction, license board, and malpractice carrier requirements, and have a licensed attorney review it before use with paying consultees.
Why a written contract matters for EMDR consultation
A common source of consultation disputes is a mismatch of expectations around hour attestation: the consultee expects a signed EMDRIA letter and log at the end, the consultant discovers late that fidelity concerns should have blocked attestation. A written contract that names the attestation standard — and the consultant's right to withhold attestation with a written remediation plan — prevents the dispute at the point of signing rather than at the point of the EMDRIA application.
The second most common source is unclear confidentiality of client material. Consultees sometimes share screenshots, audio clips, or transcripts without a client release. The contract sets an explicit standard: de-identified material by default, written client release required for recordings, defined retention and deletion windows for anything shared.
The third is fees and cancellation. A published cancellation window and late-payment policy protects the consultation relationship from resentment and awkward conversations.
How to adapt the contract
1. Fill in every bracketed field. Do not sign a contract that still contains placeholders — the placeholders exist so the contract is unmistakably unfinished.
2. Confirm the EMDRIA reference matches the current guideline. This template is written to the 2026 EMDRIA Consultation Guidelines. Verify the current standard at emdria.org before use.
3. Have a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction review the confidentiality, limitation-of-liability, dispute resolution, and governing-law sections before use with paying consultees.
4. Confirm with your malpractice carrier that providing consultation is covered under your policy and that the disclosures in Section 3 match your coverage.
5. Present the contract to the consultee before the first paid session. Give them time to read and ask questions. If your consultation practice is billed monthly or as a prepaid package, note this in Section 5 rather than adding it verbally later.
6. Sign two copies. Provide the consultee a signed copy. Store your copy with your consultation records for the same retention period as your clinical records.
What's inside the PDF
- Section 1: Parties and purpose
- Section 2: Scope of consultation (type, format, frequency, hours)
- Section 3: Consultant qualifications and disclosures (licence, EMDRIA #, malpractice carrier)
- Section 4: Consultee responsibilities (licensure, de-identification, preparation)
- Section 5: Fees and payment table (individual, group, CIT surcharge, attestation letters)
- Section 6: Cancellation, no-show, and rescheduling
- Section 7: Confidentiality of client material (HIPAA-aligned)
- Section 8: Recordings and case material (release, transfer, deletion window)
- Section 9: EMDRIA hour attestation (2026 Consultation Guidelines)
- Section 10: Ethics, scope, and dual relationships
- Section 11: Termination
- Section 12: Limitation of liability
- Section 13: Dispute resolution and governing law
- Section 14: Signature blocks
- Appendix A: Recommended client release language for recordings
- Appendix B: Consultee session checklist
- References (EMDRIA Approved Consultant Standards, effective January 2026; EMDRIA Professional Standards; Shapiro 2018; Bernard & Goodyear 2019; Falender & Shafranske 2020)
Common questions about EMDR consultation contracts
Do I really need a written contract for consultation? Yes. EMDRIA's Professional Standards expect a documented consultation agreement, and licensing boards in most U.S. states treat consultation without a written scope-of-work as a risk factor in complaints. A written contract also makes attestation cleaner because the standard is agreed in advance.
Can the consultant refuse to sign attestation? Yes — and the contract should say so explicitly. Section 9 preserves the consultant's right to decline attestation with a written remediation plan when fidelity or ethical concerns remain unresolved. This is the industry standard and protects the consultant's own EMDRIA-Approved Consultant status.
Do I need a separate release for recordings? Yes. The consultation contract governs the relationship between the consultant and the consultee. Client recordings, transcripts, or identifying information also require a written release from the client naming the consultant and the purpose. Appendix A of the PDF provides recommended language.
What if I'm a Consultant-in-Training? Adapt Section 3 to disclose your CIT status and the name and EMDRIA number of your Consultant-of-Consultants. Adapt Section 9 to note that CIT hours count under the current EMDRIA formula.
Can this be used for group consultation? Yes — check the group-consultation box in Section 2, list the group size, and adjust fees in Section 5. Some consultants prefer a separate group-participation agreement per member — either structure works.
Related on the EMDR guide
Frequently asked questions
Is this legal advice?
No. This is an educational template drafted from common EMDRIA and licensing-board expectations. Have a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction review and adapt it before use with paying consultees.
Does this replace the EMDRIA consultation log?
No — pair it with the free EMDR Consultation Hours Log. The contract sets the terms of the relationship; the log documents each session and hours accrued toward Basic Training or Certification.
Can I use this for CIT hours under a Consultant-of-Consultants?
Yes, with edits to Section 3 (disclose CIT status plus your Consultant-of-Consultants) and Section 9 (note the current EMDRIA formula for CIT-supervised hours).
How is this different from a supervision contract?
EMDR consultation is education, not licensure supervision. Section 2 and Section 12 make that distinction explicit — the consultee retains sole clinical and legal responsibility for treatment decisions.
References
- EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). Definition of EMDR Therapy, Basic Training and Certification standards. emdria.org (verify the current edition).
- American Psychological Association (2017, amended 2019). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
- Leeds, A. M. (2016). A Guide to the Standard EMDR Therapy Protocols for Clinicians, Supervisors, and Consultants (2nd ed.). Springer.