AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department Victim Services Unit is offering free trauma training to local counselors in exchange for their expertise. 

APD has $50,000 available to train local counselors in a therapy called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in exchange for offering sessions to trauma victims. 

The therapy focuses on disturbing emotions and symptoms resulting from traumatic events and assists the brain’s information processing system in moving organically toward natural healing and positive mental health. This therapy has been shown to be effective in ameliorating distressing symptoms associated with trauma, according to a press release. 

It typically costs around $3,000 to become certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The APD victim services Unit is offering the training to some counselors for free in exchange for providing 50 sessions to trauma survivors over the next three years.

The clients will be referred to the counselors by APD Victim Services staff after the counselor completes the training, the release said.