Austin Police Offer Free EMDR Trauma Therapy Training for Local Counselors

The $50,000 initiative aims to expand access to specialized mental health services for survivors.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:52am

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The Austin Police Department is launching a free program to train local mental health counselors in the trauma therapy technique of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Participating counselors will receive the training at no cost in exchange for completing 50 pro bono counseling sessions for trauma survivors referred by APD's Victim Services staff.

Why it matters

EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that has been shown to be highly effective in treating trauma, but the training is typically quite expensive, costing between $2,000-$4,000. This initiative aims to make this specialized service more accessible to the Austin community by covering the training costs for local counselors.

The details

The APD has allocated $50,000 to fund the EMDR training program. Counselors who are selected to participate will receive the full training, which consists of two weekends and a series of consultation sessions. In exchange, they must complete 50 pro bono counseling sessions for trauma survivors referred by the APD's Victim Services staff within three years. Counselors with experience working with a variety of clients and communities are encouraged to apply, and they will also receive ongoing access to the EMDR trainers and staff for consultation purposes.

  • The application deadline is April 24, 2026 at 5 p.m.

The players

Austin Police Department

The local law enforcement agency in Austin, Texas that is launching the free EMDR training program for local mental health counselors.

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What’s next

Interested counselors must submit their application materials to APDemdrApplication@gmail.com by the April 24th deadline.

The takeaway

This free EMDR training program represents an important effort by the Austin Police Department to expand access to specialized trauma therapy services for the local community, removing the financial barrier that has historically limited participation in this type of treatment.