EMDR ALAC

We are a Regional Alliance whose national, non-profit, EMDR organizations – recognized by their respective countries- have come together to promote EMDR therapy. Currently, our Alliance includes the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Uruguay. We are approximately 2,500 members; including 10 trainers of trainers, 23 trainers, 119 consultants, and 278 practitioners.

Our mission is to promote and protect the legacy of Dr. Francine Shapiro, creator of the EMDR Psychotherapeutic Model, by promoting research and humanitarian assistance in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Our vision is to be the regional community for EMDR Therapy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

EMDR Asia

EMDR Therapy in Asia is still evolving. We, in EMDR Asia, pay tribute to the EMDR Institute &Trauma Recovery/HAP (USA), EMDR Europe, Trauma Aid Europe and HAP Europe (Europe) for their help in teaching EMDR to our members and supporting us.

Prior to the establishment of EMDR Asia, there had been a gradual introduction of EMDR therapy into several of our Asian countries, organically as well as by design. Initially, natural disasters brought EMDR assistance to some parts of Asia, however, this work also generated a great deal of interest among mental health professionals, and clinicians began asking for trainings, supervision, interventions, and follow ups. This has led to EMDR therapy’s increasing popularity and clinicians integrating this methodology into their existing practices.

EMDR Asia was informally established in 2008. In 2010, we had our first Asian conference in Bali and it led to the formation of EMDR Asia. Since the time of formation of EMDR Asia, the National EMDR Associations began working together to provide EMDR Therapy basic/standard trainings across Asia. The biggest challenge was lack of uniformity in the training curriculum, methodology and training contents, due to the lack of uniformity of educational practices. To overcome this challenge, in 2014, the training standards of the EMDR Global Alliance’ were accepted by the EMDR Asia board.

In 2017, EMDR Asia formed our own Training, Standards & Accreditation (TSA) Committee to initiate a think tank for developing a roadmap ahead to bring uniformity in EMDR Therapy Basic/Standard training. Now, EMDR Asia has the guidelines for trainers, facilitators and consultants’ training were carefully drafted following EMDR Europe, EMDR Institute and Trauma Recovery/HAP procedures and include some adaptations for cultural differences. Currently, all EMDR Asia Trainings are using the EMDR Institute’s recently updated manual and teaching aids. TSA members are in constant touch with the EMDR Institute and Trauma Recovery/HAP for their updates. All the trainings cover the information in the third edition of the Basic Principles, Protocols and Procedure of Dr. Francine Shapiro and the additional information and reference material recommended in the Appendices of the Manual.

Training organizers follow the standards for selecting their participants according to the national rules. Trainers and facilitators/consultants from the other National Organizations come to different countries by invitation only to support cross learning and mutual support. The Basic/Standard trainings in Asia are provided by the EMDR Associations, by the trainers accredited/certified by EMDR Asia. Private trainings by individual trainers outside Asia are not recognized or certified by National Associations and EMDR Asia so, that we can maintain the quality and standards set up by EMDR Asia. As all Asian country may not have their own EMDR trainers, trainers from other Asian Countries are frequently invited to conduct the local trainings and also to lend support for new consultants and trainers.

During the lockdown and COVID restrictions, several online trainings were organized; these trainings allowed for enriching experiences of cross learning among the national organizations. Some trainings have had trainers and consultants doing their portions and part fulfilment of Trainers and Consultants training, including Supervision of Supervision during these online trainings.

Currently there are 19-member countries/Special Administrative Regions in EMDR Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, (Mainland), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, S. Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. Some countries do not yet have Associations, but they are in the process and may join as members soon (Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal).

EMDR Australia

The EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA) is Australia’s leading professional organisation dedicated to advancing and promoting EMDR therapy. Based on current literature and international guidelines, EMDRAA supports members in reaching the highest levels of EMDR professionalism and provides resources for clients seeking information on EMDR therapy or for those seeking therapeutic support. The association is a valuable resource for EMDR practitioners, therapists, researchers, and educators nationwide, fostering collaboration and professional development within the EMDR community.

With a steadily growing membership, in May 2024, EMDRAA now has more than 2200 full members, 368 accredited practitioners, 105 accredited consultants and 19 accredited trainers. This vibrant community of members reflects the increasing recognition and adoption of EMDR therapy as an effective treatment modality for trauma and other psychological disorders in Australia. EMDRAA’s annual conference, held at the beginning of May each year, has been sold out to in-person registration for the last two years. This scientific and clinical conference offers a range of professional development activities for researchers and therapists to support its members in maintaining the necessary skills and competencies in EMDR therapy practice and research. Through its advocacy efforts, EMDRAA also raises awareness about the benefits of EMDR therapy among Australia’s broader public and healthcare community.

EMDR Europe

EMDR Europe began in 1999 when a group of dedicated, EMDR-trained, European clinicians came together. These clinicians represented six EMDR National Associations from Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. They met in Amsterdam to draft the Constitution of EMDR Europe that stated the guiding principles that would set the course of this new association. The values for members echoed the original beliefs of EMDR therapy founder, Dr. Francine Shapiro and included the following guidelines:

  • Be a model of excellence
  • Promote research as a priority
  • Uphold excellent training standards for EMDR clinicians, facilitators, consultants/supervisors and trainers
  • Support ongoing education for EMDR-trained clinicians
  • Encourage clinicians, facilitators, consultant/supervisors and trainers in each nation to conduct psychotherapy, consultation and trainings in their native languages
  • Promote networking and the founding of EMDR communities leading to national associations in each European country
  • Organize humanitarian and pro bono interventions in the acute and chronic phases of man-made and natural disasters for disaster relief and early intervention
  • Promote relationships with policy-makers, institutions, healthcare services, police and military, hospitals and schools to disseminate information about EMDR therapy and encourage its acceptance and use

Over the many years since our EMDR Europe Association began, the European team of EMDR-trained clinicians, facilitators, consultants/supervisors, trainers and the EMDR Europe’s Board of Directors have worked together to uphold the above principles. As a result, by 2023, EMDR Europe has grown to include 41 countries, 37,000 members, including 2250 new members just last year.

Francine Shapiro has been our inspiration. Many of us experienced her passion, dedication and profound humanity as she presented at the CBT conferences in Cork (1998) and Naples (1999) and the EMDR European conferences in Brussels (2005), Amsterdam (2009), and the last one in Edinburgh (2014). So many of us had the opportunity to meet her and learn directly from her about the way she defined and understood EMDR therapy. She was a source of great inspiration to us and contributed to the development of EMDR therapy in Europe. We are forever in her debt and we carry the light of her vision with us as we work with our patients, teach our colleagues, and advocate for EMDR therapy’s place in the world.

Looking back over our history, EMDR Europe can be proud of our achievements. We were founded in a spirt of optimism, the hope of universal mental health care, and the importance of excellent standards for training and practice. We have united together to further the understanding of EMDR therapy throughout our countries, the European Union, and encouraged national and regional associations worldwide to build their own structures. As a result, clients and clinicians in many countries are the ones demanding EMDR therapy and looking to it as a therapy that supports healing and growth.

We join our colleagues and clinicians all over the world to share and spread Dr. Francine Shapiro’s gift and legacy to clients, clinicians, institutions and the academic and scientific worlds.

MENA Arab Countries EMDR Association (Middle East North Africa/Arab Countries)

In 2019, the MENA Arab Countries’ EMDR Association story began. This initiative was spearheaded by the only EMDR-trained Arab trainer with the support of many EMDR regional and humanitarian institutions that were working in the region to train EMDR therapists. These organizations included Trauma Recovery/HAP (USA), EMDR Institute, EMDR Europe, and Trauma Aid Europe.

The trainer asked a team of experienced EMDR Arab psychiatrists and psychologists from different Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa to form a committee to establish a regional EMDR association; they agreed. Since then, this multi-nation team worked to form a local regional association for EMDR. This Committee is composed of the heads of different national associations and people active in local EMDR therapy trainings. They held many meetings to achieve this goal. The most important of these meetings was held in Istanbul between March 29-30, 2019, in which the first draft of the proposed association constitution was drafted.

After many meetings, on Thursday, November 2, 2023, the Founding Committee approved the name of our regional association and completed the final draft of our constitution . A president was unanimously elected for the new association and announced officially the establishment of the MENA/Arab Countries EMDR Association. This was followed by a second meeting on November 11, 2023, in which the bylaws of the new association were approved, various Association’s committees were formed; these committees are headed by the members of the founding committee representing different Arab countries in the region.

The main goals of this association are to develop EMDR therapy in the Arab world in order to unite Arab EMDR therapists; and, to establish and consolidate the principles of EMDR training and research in this field in the Arab countries. One of the most important functions of this association will be to accredit and certify EMDR therapists as practitioners, supervisors, facilitators and trainers. This, in turn, will meet a great need and fill the shortage in supervisory and training staff for EMDR trainings in the Arab world.

Another role of this association is to link with other, EMDR, international institutions and bodies in this field. We will provide a forum for local EMDR therapists, trainers and trainees, in a way that will motivate them to improve EMDR in their countries

The MENA/ Arab Countries EMDR Association will also support developing research on EMDR therapy, providing the necessary resources for planning and starting research projects that support and enhance the use and effectiveness of the therapy. It will ensure respect for ethical and professional conduct on the part of our EMDR therapists, in a way that enhances the reputation of the therapy and protects the clients.

The association will also organize[u1] study days, conferences, activities and events in the Arab world, which will serve to enhance EMDR therapy, training and research. The first MENA Arab Countries EMDR Conference will be in Tunisia in October 2025