April 2025

EMDR AFRICA REGIONAL ASSOCIATION

EMDR Africa Association

Eddie Dismas notes, “The inaugural EMDR Africa Conference is scheduled to take place in Uganda on October 6th and 7th of this year. We encourage as many participants as possible to attend in person. The event will be hybrid, offering a fantastic opportunity for the international EMDR community to connect. Further information regarding the EMDR Africa Conference 2025 will be shared shortly. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you to Uganda, known as the Pearl of Africa. Meanwhile, check at the EMDR Africa Association website: https://emdrafrica.africa”

Gisela Roth reports, “It is with great joy that we -as the EMDR Africa Association -announce the launch of our website at https://emdrafrica.africa You can directly contact us there. As you can imagine, the start of the Association and building of the website, setting standards and more importantly coordinating trainings, training consultants/supervisors and communicating around the globe has been the subject of boundless energy. We are thrilled with the results.”

EMDR AFRICAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Botswana

Alex Hooijschuur reports, “In Botswana, the first group finished their training and Petunia Mogotsi, Christina Bitsang and Lulu Tlale are now working hard to set up the EMDR Botswana Association.”

Petunia Mogotsi notes, “Our news from Botswana is the Basic EMDR Training that occurred earlier this year. We are still a new association trying to finalize registration and train more people to become members.”

Cameroon

Christine Pola writes, “Much of the EMDR activity in Cameroon has come to a halt, but, with the help of EMDR Africa and trainer Martine Iracane, we are working to have a more sustainable EMDR community here.”

Ghana

Alex Hooijschuur notes, “In 2025, in Ghana, the group of clinical psychologists will continue their EMDR training and hopefully create an EMDR community there.”

Madagascar

Hasina Bakohariliva reports, “We are still working on the final version of our current article, Aspects of the Practice of EMDR therapy in Madagascar; the next step is to submit it for publication, EMDR Madagascar built a translation committee, with psychiatrist Jean Andriamananaivo as the leader, and we just began translating the negative and positive beliefs and the EMDR Standard Protocol. We are translating it into Malagasy. Mr. Gana is a researcher who has published many articles about translation and is helping us with this project.”

Nigeria

Maji Peterx notes, “My name is Maji Peterx from Nigeria. I trained with EMDR HAP in Kansas City, Missouri and Santa Cruz. I was working with victims and survivors of Boko Haram insurgency in the north east of Nigeria and I had a very difficult client that for months wouldn’t say anything. At first, I used narrative therapy. One day, I decided to try bilateral stimulation, and, at the end of the session, I didn’t even realize there was a shift until the next session! My client just gestured to me with her eyes (moving them to the left and right), signaling I should do bilateral stimulation again. That was the beginning of a smooth session and journey to recovery and healing.”

Uganda

Alex Hooijschuur writes in ,“Trauma Aid NL has been able to organize a large group of Dutch EMDR trainers and supervisors and find the funding to continue the EMDR trainings and supervisions in Uganda ,in 3 locations, Botswana and Ghana. In 2025, trainers and supervisors will travel to Kampala, Gulu, Mbarara, Gaborone and Accra for the EMDR Basic Training and face-to-face supervision. In 2024, we reached out to train and supervise more than 150 colleagues. In 2025, more will follow. The first group of colleagues in Gaborone, Kampala and Gulu has finished the full EMDR Basic training and has taken part in more than 20 hours of supervision. This is a great achievement that was occurred in close cooperation with our local associates. EMDR Uganda is partner in the project in Uganda and we can see now that a Ugandan community is growing with a new generation of EMDR therapists. EMDR Uganda will have the first EMDR conference in Africa on October 6-7, 2025 in Kampala.”

EMDR ASIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Bangladesh

Mahjabeen Sadik notes, “Sushma Mehrotra, Dushyant Bhadlikar & Parul Tank, along with Shaheen Islam and Mahjabeen Haque (Bangladesh team) conducted an online training in 2023.”

China  

Jinsong Zhang reports, “The EMDR therapists in China are very active. In March, there was a one-day, free online virtual forum on Trauma Recovery, with Deborah Silveria, as the keynote. This was the third forum since 2023 and there were over twenty thousand viewers this time! From August 15-17, EMDR China will host the 2nd EMDR China Conference in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.  This conference will be jointly organized with the 16th conference of Asian-Post Disaster-Counselling-Psychological-Support which the Asian Society organizes for Studies on Disaster and Trauma. I’ve already invited Deborah Silveria, Ann Beckley-Forest both from the US, and Masaya Ichii from Japan to present at this conference

One hundred and seventy-one practitioners attended Part 1 and 2 EMDR Basic trainings in 4 cities in China in 2024. To increase the understanding of EMDR and increase the knowledge of participants attending EMDR training, the Chinese EMDR Association designed 3-day orientation to teach trauma stabilization from an EMDR perspective. In 2024, there were about 520 participants attending this trauma stabilization training. During the National Conference for Chinese Menal Health last June, members of our association presented on EMDR in Clinical Practice. Also, Chinese psychiatrists published an article about the results of a randomized controlled study concerning the use of EMDR vs those on a waiting list for individuals who were at risk for psychosis with post-traumatic symptoms.

Dr. Xianbin Li published an online Editorial Comment in Alpha Psychiatry (2024) on EMDR for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder which was supported by a research fund. See, DOI: 10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2024.231411”

There are two EMDR therapy projects going on currently: A randomized controlled trial of online EMDR to improve symptoms in patients with acute stress disorder in Beijing, and Experimental Study on the Standardized Group Counseling Program for the Psychological and Physical Stabilization of Female drug addicts under compulsory drug treatment in Chengdu. Also, there are two projects that have received grants from the Beijing Municipal Health Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission respectively: High-level Public Health Technical Personnel Training Program and A study of the therapeutic efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in adolescent patients with gaming disorders. There continue to be Trauma and EMDR Elements and Stabilization trainings as well as the EMDR Basic Trainings in Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu. Contact emdrchina@163.com for further information.”

India

Stella Bhagwat writes, “Since 2008, I have been a private practitioner in India. I published an article on Suicide and EMDR Intervention in EMDRIA’s “Go With That” magazine. Also, I was part of a week-long International Retreat/Spa organized by the Wellness Counselling Inc. for EMDR Therapists. The great part of this Retreat/Spa was that, in between all the fun, it also offered advanced trainings with credits!! Overall, a very enriching experience and some great presenters, one of them being Sandra Paulsen.”

Hvovi Bhagwagar from Mumbai reports, “I recently completed my PhD at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). My research, titled “Secondary Traumatic Stress in Psychotherapists in India,” explores the emotional and professional impact of secondary traumatic stress (STS) on clinicians working with trauma survivors. What sets my work apart is its focus on therapists working with long-term trauma survivors, particularly those with complex trauma, a population that remains underrepresented in the literature. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with Indian psychotherapists, the study explored how symptoms such as emotional exhaustion, hypervigilance, and professional isolation affect trauma practitioners, and highlights the urgent need for systemic support, supervision, and trauma-informed training. While not an EMDR-specific study, several participants were trained in EMDR therapy and spoke meaningfully about how working with EMDR, and also receiving EMDR therapy, enhanced their professional resilience, regulation strategies, and clinical effectiveness. Their insights contributed to a broader narrative of adaptation and growth among trauma practitioners in India. I continue to advocate for trauma-informed mental health systems here. I recently presented this research at the 2025 ISSTD Annual Conference in Boston, in a paper titled “Empowering the Healers: Managing Secondary Trauma Among Trauma-Focused Psychotherapists,” which focused on practitioner coping strategies, a key section of my thesis.”

Parul Tank and Nithya Mohan note, that “The members of the EMDR India Association responded to the July 30^th, 2024 Wayanad landslides that devastated 5 villages in Meppadi panchayat, Vythiri taluk in Wayanad district, Kerala, India. The landslides were caused by heavy rains and the disaster was one of the deadliest in Kerala’s history, with reports of a large number of fatalities, injuries, and people missing. We came together to help the traumatized sufferers to recover from mass trauma and promote healing using group EMDR therapy protocols. Such activities involve partnerships with health and education departments, local leaders, community members, academicians, religious groups, orphans, hospitals and NGOs. After basic needs are addressed, members connected with the local volunteers from Kerala, who were already qualified EMDR practitioners and volunteers, as they had worked in the same area after the floods in 2018.

In September 2024, Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero & Nicolle Mainthow organized a virtual training in collaboration with EMDR Asia and our association, focusing on group and individual treatment interventions for trauma relief using the Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization (ASSYST) procedures. The workshop had 100 EMDR therapists who were from India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mauritius, Malaysia, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Abu Dhabi, UK, and Myanmar and was well appreciated. Nacho has developed a user-friendly training manual and worksheets, which were shared in advance with the participants. These documents were also translated into the local languages where they could be used soon after the training. They are detailed and self-explanatory with clear instructions about the step-by-step process.  The focus of the workshop was on the applicability of ASSYST PROTOCOLS within three months of the incident with survivors who have had a single trauma, and might develop the potential diagnosis of Acute Stress Disorder. These affected individuals could be from the region of Wayanad and any other locations where people needed help. Participants were encouraged to use the intervention with individuals or groups and a brief follow-up occurred a month later to address any difficulties or clinical questions raised by the participants to clarify any concerns about the ASSYST protocols.

The EMDR India Association organized 8 Basic/Standard Trainings during 2023 – 2024 in collaboration with the EMDR Institute, EMDR Asia and Trauma Recovery/Humanitarian Assistance Program, USA. Also, we organized 5 (Part 1) Virtual Trainings and 3 (Part 2) Virtual Trainings. Each training had 24-36 participants with facilitators from different nations in Asia including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maylasia, Pakistan, Singapore, Iran & Bangladesh. Often, observers were included to learn more about EMDR.”

Indonesia

Tri Iswardani Sudatan notes, “We have sponsored the following activities: Sept 2023: EMDR Cases Seminar; and Psychotraumatology Training; October 2023: EMDR Basic Training Part 1, and Part 2; and June 2024 Psychotraumatology Training.”

Japan

Masaya Ichii says, “In July 2024, we had the EMDR Japanese Association Annual Conference: Questioning the Role of a Therapist – What Lies Before Technique. Later in the month, Susan Darker-Smith from the UK did a virtual training for us on EMDR for Children with Neurodiverse Features, such as ADHD and ASD. We also had 3 Part 1s of the EMDR Basic Training in Kobe, Tokyo, and Niigata and the last part of the training in Kobe. In July 2025, we will have the 20th EMDR Japanese Association Annual Conference: EMDR Past and Future. Natalia Seijo from Spain will have an in-person training on EMDR for Eating Disorders. We will have two Part 1s of the EMDR Basic Training scheduled in Kobe, and Tokyo, and one Part 2 of the training in Tokyo.”

Malaysia

Sudha Kudva writes in, “During 2024, the Trauma Therapy Association in Malaysia has been very active providing many services: monthly virtual interactive talks for the public to raise awareness about mental and emotional health; a peer support group for EMDR practitioners to discuss cases, questions and stuck points concerning EMDR practice; and an introduction to Psychotraumatology workshop conducted three times for professionals in the mental health field for those who want to begin EMDR Basic Training. In October 2024, the Trauma Therapy Association in collaboration with EMDR India and EMDR Asia organized Parul Tank to train 14 participants, including psychiatrists, counselors, and psychologists in an the EMDR Basic Training.”

Pakistan

Sawere Mansoor reports that, “We are conducting an RCT in Pakistan on, “The Efficacy of the EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol for Ongoing Traumatic Stress in the Reduction of Psychological Distress Among Adolescents-A Randomized Controlled Trial from Pakistan.” The objective of this randomized controlled trial study was 1) to establish a translation/adaptation of the EMDR-Integrative Protocol for Ongoing Traumatic Stress (EMDR-IGTP-OTS) for adolescents who have experienced childhood adverse experiences in the Pakistani context and, 2) to demonstrate the fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of this adaptation of the EMDR-IGTP-OTS in reducing psychological distress among Pakistani adolescents. The results showed that the adapted version of the EMDR-IGTP-OTS demonstrates the fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy in reducing psychological distress among adolescents and provides directions for an extensive RCT assessing the efficacy of EMDR-IGTP-OTS within the context of Pakistan.”

According to Khadija Tahir, “EMDR Pakistan is also very active in doing more Basic/Standard EMDR Trainings, as well as inviting international faculty and doing online workshops. Between 2023-2024, under my mentorship, we have conducted Level 1 of the EMDR Basic Training in Karachi, Lahore, Lahore-Pill, resulting in training 40 clinicians. Recently in June 2024, EMDR Pakistan, in collaboration with EMDR Asia, invited Dr. Mark Nickerson to conduct a specialty hybrid training for over 100 participants.”

Singapore

Lo Hui Min Chrystella notes, “In April 2024, the EMDR Singapore Association in collaboration with EMDR India and EMDR Asia organized an EMDR Refresher Training and then a Level 1 of the Basic EMDR Training. The trainer was Parul Tank and there were 42 appreciative participants for the Refresher course and 30 for the Level 1.”

Sri Lanka

Navneth Mendis reports, “The Sri Lanka EMDR Association (SEA) has consistently conducted the EMDR Basic Training annually. There is still widespread enthusiasm concerning EMDR and we have noticed an increased awareness of the existence of EMDR locally in Sri Lanka. Despite this, we are struggling to get more than 10 participants per training. This has mainly been due to the lack of local regulatory bodies and the ensuing difficulty with finding suitable practitioners to train in Sri Lanka. In March 2024, Sushma Mehrotra along with the Sri Lanka Team Conducted a Part 1 Training that included Sr. Janet Nethisinghe, Indira Weerasinghe and Navneth Mendis. In 2023, the EMDR Basic Training was conducted by Sushma Mehrotra and Parul Tank, along with the Sri Lankan Team. We have planned another upcoming training in April 2025.  We are happy to note that we have begun training local EMDR practitioners to become EMDR Asia Accredited Trainer with the support and guidance of EMDR ASIA. Apart from the above, R.M. Jayatunga has conducted training for all practitioners in the country on topics such as: Trauma-Informed Psychological Interventions and Best Practices, and EMDR an Effective Mode of Psychotherapy.”

Vietnam

Minh-Chau Dinh Thi writes, “With trainers from India, in Hanoi, in 2023 and 2024, EMDR Vietnam conducted EMDR Basic trainings. Eighteen practitioners completed the course and are currently practicing and receiving supervision from EMDR trainers from India.  I have published a scientific paper in the proceedings of the 1st International Conference on “Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy: Opportunities and Challenges,” held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in June 2024. My paper, titled “EMDR Therapy in Trauma Recovery for Survivors of Human Trafficking: A Case Study,” was featured in the conference proceedings. “

Chintan Naik reports, “At the end of 2023, and in mid-2024, in Hanoi, there was an initiative from India to support our Vietnamese colleagues. Dushyant Bhadlikar and Chintan Naik trained 24 participants in Part 1 and 21 in Part 2. In between the two parts, 5 sessions of online group consultation, across two small groups occurred. In a stunning display of the therapy’s effectiveness, at least 5 participants have expressed amazement at the significant improvements seen in their clients. Despite initial skepticism, many have acknowledged the impact of EMDR therapy and expressed increased motivation to continue learning and practicing. In a notable example, a CBT therapist shared their experience of using EMDR therapy with a client who had previously been stuck on a negative self-belief. After incorporating EMDR, the client reported a significant shift, with a SUD score of 0 and a VOC score of 7, indicating a clear and lasting positive change. While some participants still have questions about the mechanisms behind EMDR therapy, they have acknowledged the effectiveness of the approach, and expressed trust in their clients’ experiences. This training program reinforces the potential of EMDR therapy to transform lives. As participants continue to integrate EMDR into their practice, the positive impact is expected to grow.

Participants from the training and the hosts from Vietnam appreciated the generous support both morally and financially from TR/HAP. The insight and encouragement that they received from the visit paid by Carol Martin and Sushma Mehrotra made a huge impact and motivated the group to gear up for establishing EMDR VIETNAM.”

EMDR AUSTRALIA REGIONAL ASSOCIATION

Pam Brown writes in, “You will hear all about EMDRAA, as they are moving forward professionally and gaining a high profile. Looking at the number of Australian scholars on the Oxford book of EMDR, this can be attributed to Chris Lee’s quiet contribution of diligently training students and creating academic pathways for them to get PhDs based on EMDR research. He does not get enough credit for this here, but it was what has made EMDR thrive in Australia. I am spending time on my “retirement project” developing an Australian-based EMDR HAP type organization for disasters, rural and marginalized populations. We started with a large grant from Rotary ($100,000 AUD) after the massive bushfires in 2020, providing EMDR training in mountain and coastal communities affected by the fires. While our major focus is connecting people for quick disaster response and building community capacity, more along the lines of Trauma Aid International (previous Europe), we also have an accredited training program which we can deliver to selected populations and rural areas (25% of mental health workers are outside the cities).  https://www.traumarecovery.network/home

Chris Lee notes from Perth, “A very exciting development is that in two months, we will complete the treatment of the final person in the IREM-Freq trail which will compare over 250 people with complex PTSD in two treatment approaches, EMDR and Imagery Rescripting, and compare receiving treatment once a week versus twice a week. This trial had two Australian sites, and 11 sites spread through Germany and the Netherlands. It will be the largest international multi-site research project to look at EMDR for this condition. In collaboration with different research colleagues, I have begun data collection on a study to look at the cost-effectiveness of individual EMDR vs group CBT for Western Australian Police officers. From the pilot data, it looks like EMDR will be cheaper and more effective than the group CBT, so that is the hypothesis we will test. Our research team has also secured a grant to look at early intervention in Ambulance officers, where we will compare a skills-based approach vs. EMDR therapy. These projects will keep me busy for a while!”

Sarah Schubert notes, “There are two PhD researchers in Australia who are exploring topics including EMDR Therapy that we would love to share. I am very lucky to be involved in a secondary supervising role for both projects. Stacey McMullen, from the University of Newcastle, is working on the project: “Empowering Expectant Mothers Through Perinatal Anxiety and Trauma Care: A culturally-led Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) protocol for perinatal trauma symptoms within an Aboriginal Australian community. Australia’s colonization has led to profoundly devastating and ongoing widespread impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, further compounded by exposure to stress and trauma in the present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expectant mothers are at greater risk given the ‘disproportionately high level of disadvantage and prevalence of intergenerational trauma faced by Aboriginal children and families’ (House of Representatives Select Committee on Intergenerational Welfare Dependence, 2019: 34). While pregnancy is a period of vulnerability and increased risk, it can also be an opportunity for great optimism and healing that may reduce the possibility of intergenerational transmission of trauma.  EMDR Therapy has demonstrated safety and efficacy for treating anxiety and trauma in the perinatal period.  However, Western psychological interventions do not account for the cultural idioms related to trauma-related distress and wellbeing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The research being undertaken is led by an Aboriginal researcher and accredited EMDR practitioner, Stacey McMullen and myself. Alongside a mixture of Aboriginal and non-Indigenous researchers, it involves the use of Indigenous research methods such as yarning methodology, to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s lived experience of trauma and anxiety and support services in the perinatal period.  This rich knowledge shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will then be used to co-create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led perinatal EMDR intervention in which Western knowledge systems and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences are dialectically engaged, rather than protocol adaptations from a Western perspective (see https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192898357.001.0001 for further information).

Anna Clarke from Curtin University in Perth is studying, “Exploring Early Maladaptive Schemas and EMDR Therapy in Autistic Adults.” Autistic individuals experience significantly higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. While these challenges are often attributed to neurocognitive differences, emerging research highlights the role of social stigma, adverse childhood experiences, and unmet emotional needs in shaping mental health outcomes. Early maladaptive schemas (EMS) have been identified as key contributors to psychological distress but remain largely unexplored within autistic populations. Given the efficacy of EMDR therapy in addressing trauma and psychological distress this PhD aims to explore its potential in alleviating EMS-related distress in autistic individuals. Research will include a scoping literature review, a survey-based analysis of EMS patterns, qualitative exploration of the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-R) in Autistic individuals, and a preliminary pilot study assessing the feasibility of EMDR therapy in this context. It will also examine whether adaptations to the YSQ-R and EMDR therapy are needed to enhance accessibility and effectiveness for autistic individuals. Overall, this research aims to broaden clinical case formulation beyond neurocognitive explanations, contributing to a more holistic understanding of psychological distress in autism.”

 EMDR EUROPE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

France

Juliane Tortes St. Jammes says, “I am a clinical psychologist who, in 2024, obtained EMDR Europe trainer’s accreditation. I am the founder of CAMEA, a newly established French training organization that offers EMDR Europe-accredited programs. My current work combines clinical practice, training, and research, with a particular focus on the neurobiological and psychological effects of early trauma. I am a s co-author of two recent scientific publications: the first, published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine (February 2025), explores the role of emotions reported in emergency departments in the development of chronic pain at four months; the second, currently in press in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, examines the impact of early life stress on brain development and behavioral outcomes. In addition to my academic contributions, I delivered the opening keynotes at the 2025 EMDR France conference, titled EMDR Therapy in a Changing World: Past, Present and Future Prospects. I am also involved in the international”(Re)defining EMDR Therapy” initiative and am leading the French focus group, alongside Hamida Xardel, Nicolas Desbiendras, Nicolas Cazenave, Marie Jo Brennstuhl, Monika Miravet, and Laurence St Cricq. I will take part in the 32nd symposium of the Michel de Montaigne Institute on Violence in Children and Adolescents, where I will lead a workshop on the Impact of Early Trauma on Brain Development and Its Treatment with EMDR therapy. Additionally, I am scheduled to present on the EMDR Treatment of Chronic Pain at a conference held at Marmande Hospital.”

Germany

Michael Hase writes in, “We published our data on the Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR therapy https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1519665/full , and are preparing a review on Treatment of Attachment-based Disorders to be published this year. We are applying for funding to start a multisite study on EMDR Intervention in Athletes. I’m particularly happy as two studies had data that supported my CravEx protocol to treat addiction.”

Arne Hofmann notes, “Since 2024, our support of EMDR Ukraine has continued and Karsten Boehm, our president, has been a trainer in two trainings in L’viv. It was a friendly and positive  contact and the permanent pressure under which colleagues live was very palpable. They were immensely thankful for all support that they got and urgently need!  In late January, EMDRIA Germany, together with a group of friends from Israel and Ukraine also offered a free online webinar on Acute Interventions with EMDR in Crisis Situations. One of the contributors was a leading military psychologist who reported directly from the frontline. The seminar was attended by over 400  participants.

In February, 2025, on the initiative of Jiska Weijermans and Katharina Drexler, a zoom meeting between members of the Dutch and German Boards took place. Everyone agreed that this constructive dialogue should be continued. The Boards invited each other to participate in their respective national congresses. Also, this year we continued our support of the newly-founded independent international EMDR Research Think Tank. The group is continuing in a number of projects including one with 19 focus groups worldwide, that focus on the definitions of EMDR. This project can give an evidence-based support to our international discussion on the subject. The head of this research project is Joyce Baptist from the University in Kansas and Marilyn Luber, in private practice Jonas Tesarz, the new director of the Psychosomatic University Hospital in Mainz and an EMDR specialist on pain treatment with EMDR chaired the meeting, the Think Tank group decided to meet again during the next EMDR Europe conference in Prague in May. In Germany itself, we just started a program to recognize hospital units that are appropriately qualified as certified EMDR hospitals (EMDRIA Deutschland e.V.). Two of the conditions are that every patient who needs EMDR in their treatment plan, can have it there (so enough therapists must be trained in EMDR). The other condition is that the EMDR therapists have regular EMDR consultation by an EMDRIA Deutschland-certified EMDR consultant. We have already certified the first two hospitals. Last not least, the effort to get recognition for EMDR treatment in our state-sponsored medical system for the EMDR therapy treatment of children is moving on. The accreditation procedure is pretty strict, as a certain number of high-quality RCT studies is needed to be accredited. We just got the news that our application was rejected. The reason given was that there was no recognized EMDR study with children that had a follow up over 6 months. Nevertheless, we will continue to get new studies out and complete the application!”

Israel

Alan Cohen, after returning to his home in Kiryat Schmona after being evacuated, writes in, “Our work is mainly with soldiers and citizens returning home either after prolonged army service or being away from home. Some returning to damaged residences others to parts of town where few of the neighbors have returned. There are so many issues to address:  exposure to rockets and unmanned aircraft, friends and family who have been killed or injured, frazzled nerves of parents who have been together with their kids in a hotel room for 15 months, and the task of building communities more or less afresh. Yes, plenty to do here.”

Brurit Laub notes, “During the war, we learned the Flash technique with Emre Konuk, Phil Manfield and Angel. It was very useful because we were treating people who had gone through an ongoing intensive trauma, were very disconnected, and not ready for R-TEP or EMDR processing. They had difficulty tolerating traumatic memories. The Flash was very useful in bridging this gap and helping the clients to connect to themselves via expanding adaptive memories. It was also quite useful in processing intrusive images in a way less threatening than EMD. Also, I use the Flash to “take a breath” between processing sessions. As a result of my dialectical thinking, I soon made an adaptation to the Flash. My hypothesis was that the effectiveness of this procedure is mainly due to the largely unconscious dialectical movement between trauma and adaptive memory networks rather than distraction. The Dialectical Flash includes an enthusiastic dialogue -like the Flash- but the resources are not purely positive. Instead, they are dialectical resources matching the maladaptive theme behind the target. The dialogue also allows for some negative associations. I think it is more elegant and profound. I presented it in the Israeli Supervisors’ meeting and also wrote an article about it in the Israeli newsletter. Some therapists (in my supervision groups where I teach and demonstrate it) began using it very successfully. Elan Shapiro told Phil Manfield about it and he wrote to me. We had a good conversation and he invited me to give a one-hour presentation at the Flash conference in June. I’m going to do a workshop on the Dialectical Flash and hope to write an article for the EMDR Journal. At the beginning of my trial-and-error work with clients from the Nova Music Festival massacre on 10/7/2024, I tried to help myself and other therapists to organize the resources that we had. We needed to develop a careful and strategic approach to help our survivors. My conceptualization was that we need to bring as much light in the form of resources and the Flash because of the terrible darkness which these people have gone through. For this type of trauma, we had to develop a way to approach the trauma very gradually.

At the beginning of the war, some leading therapists organized different volunteer hubs. I was part of a group of therapists who did one session groups for parents of soldiers and partners of soldiers. I wrote a “protocol” for these groups and with Ilana Diamant. Its major ingredients were:  some stabilization exercises; 4 Elements, with a more spiritual variation of the 4^th element of light instead of fire that included a drawing; and an adaptation of group ISP with individual specific strengthening sentences. This was very powerful.  Now I’m sharing my knowledge in my supervision groups and incorporate their experiences so we can find a way to work effectively with every survivor of October 7^th. Because we are dealing with an ongoing trauma episode, it makes the therapeutic work much more challenging. I also presented my one-day Healing Space workshop (inner child dialectical work) which was received very warmly and I also presented a new workshop about Organic Interweaves in EMDR processing. The therapists asked me to continue this workshop because they felt it’s very useful.”

Udi Oren sends in that, “One day after the attack on Israel on October 7th 2023, members of the EMDR Israel Association begun to provide much needed help to the many thousands that were affected by the attack. While state agencies were not functioning, many of our members volunteered to work with survivors of the attack, with the families of the hostages, and with the communities that were evacuated from their cities and villages. The association also organized multiple zoom sessions for specific civilian groups in need. We were everywhere and received much positive feedback for the work we did.  Around the beginning of 2024, we stopped most of our volunteer work, and many of our members joined the therapists’ networks that were organized by the state. Since the beginning of the war, many members of the mental health community in Israel, as well as many mental health institutions, understood the need for effective trauma treatments. During 2024, the demand for EMDR Therapy training quadrupled and many hundreds of therapists were trained, both in public and private settings. Many colleagues from all over the global EMDR community sent us their support, some offering help by providing free online seminars, online EMDR therapy, and EMDR instruments. More recently a dear American colleague begun collecting funds that will pay for a refresher day for the association volunteers.

A special event that took place a few months ago, was an online meeting with our Ukrainian colleagues organized by EMDR Germany. There were lectures by representatives from Germany, Ukraine and Israel. The sense of a global community that is united in times of trouble was felt by all those present. Participants in EMDR trainings in Israel receive a year of free membership in the association (paid partially by the trainers and the association), and the EMDR Israel Association’s community committee is very active in providing those new members with a “welcome hug” in the form of subsidized supervision as well as other activities.
Despite the general hardship, the association is thriving.”

Dorit Segal reports, on her project, EMDR 4 Peace located in Israel and Palestine: “EMDR 4 Peace, established in 2022, is a non-profit organization uniting EMDR professionals dedicated to alleviating trauma and suffering among populations affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our mission is to foster recovery, rehabilitation, and post-traumatic growth through EMDR therapy, while training therapists—both Israelis and Arabs—as agents of change within their communities. Since our inception, we have organized workshops and training sessions, including a full EMDR training program for Palestinian mental health professionals that commenced in January 2024. By sharing current knowledge and skills, we aim to inspire reconciliation and peace in conflict areas. Please contact Dorit Segal at info@emdr4peace.org  or  www.emdr4peace.org, for further information .”

Netherlands

Renee Beer reports, “All manuscript components have been submitted for the Handbook of EMDR with Children and Adolescents, which will be published by Oxford University Press. This book features a revised, updated, and enhanced English edition of a work released in Dutch in 2017. It includes contributions from 33 authors and is edited—and partly authored—by Renée Beer and Carlijn de Roos. It aims to be an inspirational resource for EMDR C&A therapists and trainers worldwide and is expected to be released in late 2025 (estimate). Also, I am involved in an international project focused on implementing EMDR for Children and Adolescents in Ukraine, collaborating with C&A trainers Anna Rita Verardo (Italy) and Peter Niederhuber (Germany), the EMDR Association Ukraine, and supported by EMDR Europe. The goal is to establish a cohort of excellent C&A practitioners in Ukraine who will become pioneers in their war-torn country. Children treated by EMDR therapists who were trained by these trainers and received consultation from consultants in either of these countries underwent pre- and post-treatment screenings for PTSD. Data will be analyzed and shared in 2025, hopefully demonstrating that EMDR can be helpful and feasible in ongoing war situations. In 2024, the Global Child EMDR Alliance launched a new website offering resources for children, adolescents, parents, and clinicians centered on four global themes: war, disasters, ACEs, and pandemics: https://globalchildemdralliance.com. The group donated $10,000 to the EMDR Research Foundation, which was generated through the first online global conference on EMDR with Children and Adolescents, organized in 2021. In 2025, the Global Child EMDR Alliance donated money to support the production of a book, written in Hebrew and Arabic, for kids and parents about building resilience and connection using EMDR-augmented tools for self-regulation. The book has been added to the website, and the group intends to continue enriching the website with additional relevant resources.”  

Ad de Jongh writes, “We just finished a big RCT on Personality Disorders with EMDR vs Waitlist Control. Two PhD students, Laurian Hafkemeijer and Simon Hofmann are writing up the results and will present the results in Prague. Anne Versluis, also a PhD student, did an intensive treatment for people with intellectual disabilities and behavioral problems and will present it at the EMDR Europe conference. At PSYTREC, PhD student, Anne Spigt, did an intensive for people with personality disorders and she is doing a one-year follow-up. We just finished a study on intensive therapy (EMDR and exposure) with veterans with HUGE results; the manuscript under review. Also, we did a nice study comparing people with PTSD with those having PTSD and a dissociative identity disorder (DID); there was no difference in treatment results and the manuscript is in review.”

Poland

Karolina Rabenda says, “I am focused on my EMDR Clinic in Warsaw, with 15 EMDR therapists. The team is constantly growing and I want to start EMDR group therapy groups and maybe do some research related to this. I am also looking for more Ukrainian speaking therapists (in my team there is one so far), to provide EMDR therapy to big Ukrainian communities in Warsaw. I also support the work at the Polish Center for Torture Survivors, established by two EMDR therapists – Iza Trybus and Viola Rebecka.”

Turkey

Selina Bal reports, “On October 3-5, in honor of the 25^th anniversary of EMDR in Turkiye, we are organizing our 3^rd National EMDR Congress online entitled: “The EMDR Bridge from Trauma to Resilience.” At this point in time, we wanted EMDR therapy itself to be the bridge that bring all the mental health professionals together in Turkiye who are interested in EMDR.”

1. Zümrüt Fakı from Izmir notes, “Currently, I am conducting research focused on Examining the Effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy on Perceived Parental Self-efficacy Among Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). My study aims to understand whether an EMDR-based intervention program can enhance mothers’ beliefs in their own abilities to manage daily challenges, contribute actively to their child’s education and development, and effectively cope with stressors related to parenting an autistic child. By exploring how EMDR can improve parental self-efficacy, I hope to provide valuable insights and practical strategies to support families navigating the unique demands associated with autism.”

Ümran Korkmazlar from Istanbul reports: “I have been practicing EMDR with children and adults since 1999, am one of the founding members of the EMDR Turkey Association. I developed the field of child EMDR in my country and became the first EMDR Europe accredited child & adolescent EMDR trainer in 2015. Since then, I have been providing level 1 C&A training five times a year and level 2 C&A training once a year. So far, I have provided level 1 C&A training to 1258 therapists and level 2 C&A training to 155 therapists in my country. I mentored 3 C&A supervisors. I mentor 2 C&A trainer candidates. As part of the EMDR-Türkiye Association HAP projects, I provided training and supervision to volunteer EMDR therapists working in various disasters, such as earthquake, fire and flood. I have published papers and book chapters in conjunction with my colleagues on the Group Protocol for children, with child refugees and mothers and children after a mine explosion; a case series on EMDR and children; and about an adolescent with panic disorder. I also have presented with other colleagues on topics such as the Healing Story Technique, children with learning disabilities and children and adolescents after an earthquake and the EMDR Group Protocol with children and child victims of the war in Ukraine.”

Alişan Burak Yaşar says, “I am deeply involved in advancing EMDR research, clinical applications, and education through a diverse range of initiatives. My work includes publishing several peer-reviewed international articles on EMDR interventions—such as studies on the single session EMDR flash technique group application for traumatic symptoms, the EMDR Couple Protocol, and EMDR’s efficacy in psychotic disorders—as well as contributing chapters to books and authoring texts on EMDR’s transformative impact on the brain. I have presented my findings at international conferences and served on organizing committees for national EMDR congresses over the past four years. In addition to my research, I teach EMDR and PTSD courses at Istanbul Gelisim University within the Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences, where I integrate clinical and theoretical perspectives into my lectures. Moreover, as the co-founder of the Academy of Therapeutic Sciences and the Director of the IGÜ Psychology Application and Research Center, I am pioneering projects that leverage innovative technologies, including mobile applications, VR-based EMDR, and AI-driven tools, to enhance therapy delivery and improve patient outcomes.”

Ukraine

Bill Brislin notes, “As the war in Ukraine rages on, therapists throughout the country and those displaced have increased their resolve to provide trauma-informed treatment, particularly EMDR therapy, to active-duty military, their families, and the general population. Through the Postgraduate Program in Psychological Counseling and under its director, Olya Zaporozhets, many therapists continue to receive basic EMDR training under the mentorship of Judy Cabeceiras. Various advanced EMDR opportunities are then available including EMDR R-TEP & G-TEP offered several times per year. As of this writing, seven Ukrainian therapists have completed (or nearly completed) their R-TEP/G-TEP facilitator training and are supporting their colleagues. They are Olesia Druzhyna (Дружина Олеся Миколаївна ), Hanna Hromova (Громова Ганна Михайлівна), Svitlana Borodai (Бородай Світлана Миколаївна), Olga Maryanenko (Мар’яненко Ольга Олександрівна), Olha Kolesnikova (Колеснікова Ольга В’ячеславівна), and Ksenia Vittenberg (Ксенія Віттенберг).”

Olya Zaporozhets reports, “Postgraduate Education in Kyiv, Ukraine have just finished training 71 Ukrainian clinicians in Part I EMDR training in March adding to 200 clinicians that completed basic training since the beginning of Russian large-scale invasion into Ukraine in February 2022. The Institute have completed two randomized controlled trials researching the effectiveness of GTEP and IGTP group protocols during the time of war. In addition, the Institute research group has completed the study on Immediate Stabilization Procedure and it’s utility as a stabilization and early intervention measure. The results of these research studies are available in the library and also will be presented at EMDR Europe conference in Prague.

International Institute of Postgraduate Education has also provided 24,192 hours of direct client service in 2022-2024 through it’s Open Doors center in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Institute further is getting ready to build inpatient facility in a southern suburb of Kyiv https://imhcinc.org to conduct military and civilian trauma treatment and research.”

United Kingdom

Zeynep Zat, a Turkish counselling psychologist based in London, writes, “I am actively involved in EMDR-related research, training, and clinical projects. I am one of the authors on the EMDR Treatment of Migraine and another on Fibromyalgia in the Springer EMDR Protocol books edited by Marilyn Luber. I have also contributed a chapter to the EMDR G-TEP book, sharing my clinical insights and practical applications of the protocol. My recent research on the EMDR Treatment of Fibromyalgia was awarded a grant award by the EMDR Research Foundation. I provide EMDR trainings, including R-TEP and G-TEP, and offer supervision for therapists working with trauma-affected populations, including those impacted by conflict and natural disasters. I am an accredited EMDR trainer in both Türkiye and the UK, and I am passionate about advancing EMDR’s reach through research, training, and international collaboration.”

Alianza EMDR Latinoamerica y Caribe

SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Argentina

Adrian Cilla reports. “EMDR life in Argentina is very active. “In March, we hosted the International Conference, Trauma in its Different Facets, featuring Maria Lehnung speaking on the Depression EMDR Protocol (DeprEnd). Other important topics addressed included: Developmental Trauma (Cilla); Disability: The traumatic effect on the family and the patient (Cavarra); Trauma Due to Medical Interventions (Bálsamo); Bullying (Noguera); Why Do Women Choose Violent Partners? (Mariani); Trauma, Mindfulness and EMDR (Porcelli); Eating Disorders (Catalano); EMDR in High Functioning ASD (Cuttita); and ending with, Continuous Traumatic Stress: Conceptualization and Treatment (Salas). Courses continue through the year on EMDR-related topics concerning emotional regulation, attachment, the neurobiological bases of the EMDR model, treatment planning in complex and difficult patients, sexual dysfuntions and trauma, couples treatment, relational trauma, survivors of abuse, working with children and adolescents and somatic disorders. We have translated and published “Treating Depression with EMDR Therapy: Techniques and Interventions (Hofmann, Ostacoli, Lehnung, Hase & Luber) in April. They are also creating a research team, as part of the national EMDR Association led by Marisa Rodriguez, a well-known Argentinian,

Brazil

Andre Monteiro notes, “On March 22, EMDR Brazil welcomed Olivier Piedfort, President of EMDR Europe, for a virtual meeting; this was an international event sponsored by EMDR Brazil that seeks to provide members with the opportunity to learn about EMDR resources. He spoke about the current evolution of EMDR and trends in research. He highlighted the importance of associations in ensuring quality criteria for professionals and training and he reinforced the need for EMDR practitioners to continue to qualify by becoming certified therapists. He spoke about the main highlights of the EMDR Europe Congress. In April, we taught a 4.5 hour introduction on EMDR to an online psycho-traumatology course organized by the Newman Institute, based in México City for approximately 240 participants As a warm up for the upcoming Brazilian EMDR Conference in November, EMDR Brazil is setting up a series of virtual regional workshops, where EMDR members of the association will talk about their work to the public in general. I’ve been invited by EMDR Uruguay to present on EMDR Group Psychotherapy in August.

Tina Zampieri reports, “In addition, to working on a focus group in Brazil for the Redefining EMDR study, I am engaged in my postdoctoral research on an EMDR protocol that I adapted for complex trauma, which I first presented at the EMDRIA Conference 2017. I called it the EMDR Safety Platform (it was published by Barbara Hensley in her book The Many Tracks of EMDR Therapy), applied to diverse populations such as victims of DV (individual session) and perpetrators (as brief group therapy), measuring heart rate variability, at a medical university, under the supervision of a cardiologist. Having this opportunity to develop this project at the university with EMDR was something very special. I had been trying since my Masters (Department of Medical Psychology), then my PhD (Department of Neurology) and finally now my EMDR research has been accepted by the Department of Cardiology and Chaos Theory.

In addition to this project, I am also coordinating a comparative study (EMDR and CBT), using this same protocol as a brief psychotherapy (8 sessions) for anxiety, in which I have a team of 10 dedicated colleagues. And, as volunteers, my core team (my children Marina and Alexandre, also EMDR practitioners) are carrying out a brief group EMDR-SP therapy intervention at the Forum, in the children and youth court, with adoptive parents (late adoption) in the experimental coexistence phase.

Since 2016, I have been the research coordinator for the Brazilian EMDR Association, since I suggested to the Board that it would be interesting for our association to have a research department. So, I registered the Association as a research institution with the highest ethical review body in our country, Plataforma Brasil (https://plataformabrasil.saude.gov.br), and we offer courses on how to develop research, with the help of colleagues who volunteer their time. We created a panel of available research advisors, which is published on the association’s website, and I coordinate studies on humanitarian aid interventions.

This year, I am co-organizing the book, Conquistas em Terapia EMDR, a book about studies carried out by EMDR practitioners that focuses more on case studies, which is part of each Brazilian EMDR congress. Since 2017, I have presented internationally on Inference Exercises: EMDR and family therapy games, Family Therapy Games with EMDR for Complex Trauma, Heart Rate Variability: Inference Exercises in Phase 2 of EMDR, ,the EMDR Safety Platform in the Context of Domestic Violence: Effects of heart rate variability (HRV) in a randomized, EMDR Safety Platform Group Protocol: Self-regulation and emotional processing with perpetrators in domestic violence, and Brief Group EMDR Safety Platform therapy: Outcome follow-up with perpetrators. I have written two articles on the EMDR Safety Platform in 2023, appearing in Research Developments in Medicine and Medical Science and Barbara Hensley’s The Many Tracks of EMDR Therapy,” and another article in 2017 on Migraines in the Journal of Neuroscience and Neuropsychiatry.”

Chile

Nicolas Rodriguez del Real writes, “I am currently involved as a Supervisor of EMDR therapists in a small, pilot study of Intensive Treatment with Therapist Rotation in Patients with Complex PTSD, Hospitalized in a Psychiatric Unit, which is being carried out at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where I am currently working. Also, I have presented at conferences about my experience in using the Finding Solid Ground (FSG) Program, Integrated with EMDR therapy to Treat Complex Dissociative Disorders (DID and OSDD type 1), PTSD Dissociative Subtype and Complex PTSD. I am interested in doing a group FSG and integrating it with individual trauma-focused therapies for patients with complex trauma and dissociation.”

Mexico

Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero and Nicolle Mainthow from the EMDR Mexico National Association report on the following humanitarian and research projects: “In March 2022, the Humanitarian Emergency ASSYST Response Training (ASSYST-HEART) project was born at the start of the Ukrainian war, to give specialized mental health providers (SMHPs) from countries and regions needing support and knowledge to conduct sustainable Humanitarian & Research Psychosocial Projects. As of March 2025, nearly 11,000 SMHPs from 49 countries have been trained pro-bono, and the ASSYST treatment intervention procedures have been translated into 21 languages. To learn about the ASSYST HEART project, please visit https://www.emdrmexico.org/assyst-heart.

Present and future ASSYST-HEART projects consist of the following: training clinicians in the Los Angeles region to support those affected by the January 2025 wildfires in collaboration with TR HAP USA; a second ASSYST HEART Africa training will be provided to SMHP working directly with refugees and internally displaced people during March and April 2025; a May training in Australia to establish and strengthen existing TRNs in the area; and pro-bono training in the EMDR-IGTP-OTS and ASSYST treatment intervention procedures in the fall of 2025 as part of EMDR Europe’s EMDR Early Psychological Intervention in Crisis and Disaster Training Programs. The EMDR Mexico National Association is currently conducting two research studies: a Multicenter (13 Centers) Randomized Controlled Trial study with the application of the EMDR-IGTP-OTS with 272 polytraumatized minors in Mexico, and a clinical trial on the ASSYST-Group provided to refugees and asylum-seekers in transit to the USA through Mexico.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA/ARAB COUNTRIES

EMDR MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA/ARAB COUNTRIES REGIONAL ASSOCIATION

Middle East and North Africa/Arab Countries National Associations

Jim Knipe reports, “The webinar I did for MENA was about 2 1/2 hours online with participants from eight different countries. It mainly was a presentation of the ideas from my book: targeting avoidance, idealization, self-shaming, and addictive defenses, and also describing the “Loving Eyes Procedure,” and the CIPOS procedure. There were really good questions from participants.”

Mona Zaghrout Hodali notes, “Board members have delivered lectures on EMDR therapy as a trauma treatment modality at scientific events and training sessions, including masterclasses organized by the Faculty of Medicine and medical conferences. I conducted an online training session on the Group Enhancement Protocol (G-REP).   Additionally, in August 2024, Olivier Piedfort-Marin gave an online workshop, titled “Treating Panic Disorder with the EMDR Approach.” This training was part of a series organized by member associations of the EMDR Arab Countries Association.”

Algeria

Mona Zaghrout Hodali says, “I did an online workshop for Mena/Arab Countries in collaboration with EMDR Algeria where the speaker was Joanny Spiering.”

Egypt

Mona Zaghrout Hodali reports, “I did an online training with EMDR Egypt and the speaker was Jim Knipe.”

Syria

Walid Abdul Hamid notes, “As the head of the research department at MENA/ Arab Countries EMDR Association, and following the fall of the Syrian oppressive regime, I have presented at a Syrian psychology platform “Dopamine” a series of lectures on the use of EMDR in the Treatment of Survivors of Political Violence in the Middle East.  I have been working for over 10 years on this series organizing, facilitating and supervising Middle East EMDR Trainings. Also, I treated many of the complex man-made trauma cases while working in and visiting many trauma-affected areas in the region. This has led me to adapt some aspects of the EMDR protocol to the political, cultural and psychological situation of the wide spread political Trauma in the Middle East”.

Tunisia

Mona Zaghrout Hodali, reports “The Tunisia EMDR Association is a member of the EMDR Arab Countries Association for the MENA region and was officially recognized as EMDR Tunisia in December 2023.

NEW ZEALAND

EMDR NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION  

EMDR New Zealand Association

Patrice Bourke writes, “In 2023, the EMDRNZ community welcomed Aotearoa, New Zealand’s first University-based postgraduate training in EMDR Therapy; taught by EMDR Therapy trainers Tom Flewett and MaryAnn Stevens. In 2024, the Board also congratulated them on The University of Otago Department of Psychological Medicine (Wellington Campus) program on the completion of their first second-year paper on Advanced Clinical Practice in EMDR Therapy which provides a synthesis of some of the advanced topics covered in EMDR. In November 2024, our annual conference was well attended and demonstrated the value of international collaboration while celebrating our local EMDR community. We were privileged to host international presenter, Arne Hofmann, where he presented on his DeprEnd Protocol in the Treatment of Depression. We received excellent feedback from the conference workshops and all the presentations which continues to strengthen the ongoing contribution our community is making to the development and promotion of EMDR in New Zealand. We are looking forward to our 2025 conference on 29th-30th October where we will be hosting Roger Soloman, as keynote speaker and workshop presenter. This year’s conference will dovetail with the ISSTD (International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation) Conference 31st -2nd Nov in Wellington, NZ.

NORTH AMERICA

EMDR NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL ASSOCIATION 

Canada

Judy Moench writes in, “We are preparing to lead a focus group as part of the Redefining EMDR working group research led by Joyce Baptist and Marilyn Luber. As part of an initiative with the intention of exploring ways to make EMDR Therapy trauma-informed practices more accessible and effective for clinicians across different sectors, one of our current primary goals is to integrate the EMDR Self-Care Traumatic Episode Protocol (STEP) into a comprehensive learning system, so it becomes a more accessible and adaptable tool for clinicians in diverse settings. Recently, we had the opportunity to present on adaptations to EMDR in working with Canadian veterans. This was a powerful session, as it highlighted the unique needs of this group and how trauma-focused therapies can be tailored to better support their healing process. Looking ahead, we’ll be delivering another presentation for nurses in Alberta. The topic will focus on how recent event EMDR protocols can be helpful following overwhelming incidents at work—something that’s becoming increasingly important in healthcare settings. Additionally, we’ve been collaborating with an organization that supports clinicians working with survivors of sexual assault. We are utilizing STEP to explore its potential in decreasing clinician burnout, a critical issue within the field. Additionally, we are reviewing the feasibility of implementing this solution at the broader level by engaging with organizational leadership. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to work on these initiatives in the hopes of continuing to improve trauma care using EMDR across Canada!”

United States

Arizona

Cindy Palen reports, “I am an EMDR Certified Licensed Professional Counselor in Arkansas, USA. I am also an Assistant Professor of graduate counseling at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, USA. My colleague, Corie Schoeneberg, and I are conducting a study in Ukraine to test the efficacy of the Group Traumatic Episode Protocol for Children (CGTEP), the Parenting Wheel (PW), and the Group Parent Empowering Protocol (GPEP). The study will compare the assessment scores of Ukrainian children whose parents attended the PW and GPEP sessions with those whose parents did not participate. Both of those groups will be compared to a control group. I am excited to provide some research base for these amazing protocols developed by Ana Gomez, using a child modified version of Elan Shapiro’s GTEP.”

California

Sara Gilman reports, “This past year some of us have had the opportunity and honor to participate in an EMDR legacy project with Psychwire, a training and education organization based out of Australia. In collaboration with the EMDR Institute, Psychwire has launched a series of EMDR courses featuring Francine throughout the courses and highlighting individuals. Some of the course instructors include Roger Solomon, Debra Wesselmann, Carolyn Settle, Deborah Korn, Andre Mauricio Monteiro, Jan Schaad, Christine Mark-Griffin, Robert Stickgold, Alicia Avila, Jade DeFrates, Marilyn Luber, and myself, to name a few. The production quality is amazing with clinical demonstrations, interviews with clients and experts, animations, handouts, and an easy-to-use platform. The course topics include EMDR with First Responders, Children and Teens, Attachment Theory, Complex PTSD, and Grief and Loss. There are videos introducing the courses at https://psychwire.com/emdr  Personally, this project has been one of the highlights of my career, and I know Dr. Francine Shapiro would have been proud of it. I hope you check it out and grow through your experience of the courses.”

Priscilla Marquis notes, “This year I have been doing some Regional EMDR Therapy Basic trainings for CommunicareOLE, a community-based agency that serves immigrants and other community members.  About half the group were Spanish speakers.  I have also trained the San Francisco City and County Crisis Team.  They go out when there is a critical event such as a shooting.  They are using new protocols such as Gary Quinn’s Emergency Response Protocol (ERP) to help the community.  They are a diverse group of clinicians.  Many are bilingual in Spanish and Cantonese.  I have also trained clinicians from CASARC – Mental Health and Rape Treatment Center who work with victims of sexual abuse and assault.  We are helping to use creative approaches for remote treatment since many of the Spanish speaking mothers are afraid to take the children to the hospital for treatment.   Also, Social Work Support, a non-profit group has been part of the training. For the last training, we had a fully bilingual staff: Barbara Lutz, Elizabeth Ramirez, and Elaine Soto. Rajani Venkatramen Levis has been a continual support of these trainings as a facilitator who brings her expertise in cultural competency to the trainings. I have also been supporting community-based agencies that serve Spanish speakers such as Familias Unidas, a community-based clinic in Richmond, California. Finally, I will be presenting at the EMDRIA Summit in April in Spanish on Anxiety Disorders and EMDR Treatment, Basic Protocols and Advanced Applications.”

Delaware

Frankie Klaff writes, “In January, I was keynote speaker for the virtual Playful EMDR Summit. My topic was “Copiloting Complicated Families with EMDR.” I was awarded the 2025 Lifetime Achievement award for my pioneering work with children. I have been invited to present at EMDR and Beyond Summit and Experiential Retreat in Peru, June 16-20. My topic is the “Neurobiology of the therapeutic relationship/EMDR with families.” For more information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/486909939321318/posts/1357602532252050/?_rdr

Florida

Reg Morrow and Elan Shapiro report, “The Traumatic Episode Protocol International Network (TEP-IN) gathers to discuss advances and research related to the EMDR TEP protocols. Therapists, researchers, trainers and other interested parties gather to share the latest research and insights from around the world. It is a supportive and encouraging think tank of sorts. We consider the challenges of our work and ways to move past them. If you would like to join our meetings, please email Reg at Rdmorrow17@gmail.com. Five meetings were held in 2024 and early 2025 with presenters from the UK, France, New Zealand and more. G-TEP has been applied to a vast number of populations and situations. The goal is to support the idea to treat clients early – before the incident becomes stored in maladaptive networks. Examples of the wide range of populations include school children, sexual assault survivors, COVID patients. Clinicians see patients in schools, hospitals, and private practice. Low intensity interventions are occurring as well. We also learned of ways to incorporating R-TEP & G-TEP into EMDR training.

In 2008, Elan Shapiro and Brurit Laub first published Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP). Together, they worked tirelessly to evolve R-TEP into a simple yet flexible protocol with high standards of training and consultation.  Over time, this protocol became an inspiration for additional protocols including Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) Elan Shapiro. Today there is a full TEP Suite of protocols: Group Resource Enhancement Protocol (G-REP) Elan Shapiro and Maria Masciandaro; Child Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (C-GTEP) Ana Gomez; Group Parent Empowerment Protocol (G-PEP) Ana Gomez; Flash-TEP Elan Shapiro and Phil Manfield; The Self-Care Traumatic Episode Protocol (STEP) Dr. Judy Moench, Everyone OK  Elke van Hoof; Expanded Traumatic Episode Protocol (E-TEP) Brurit Laub; and more under consideration.  The TEP protocols were developed for early intervention application. Today, we recognize that these protocols have a much wider application to events that are older than 90 days. Programs are being designed combining TEP protocols and other therapeutic components.

Bill Brislin and I have created the EMDR Refresher for R-TEP and G-TEP as an on-demand webinar. R-TEP and G-TEP trainers from around the world, often receive requests from EMDR therapists, trained in one or both protocols who have an urgent need to respond to a community or client critical incident. These therapists are impacted by the incident and or request a review as it has been a while since they used either or updated scripts, worksheets and guidance. As a trainer, it is gut wrenching to receive a request for support and not be able to fill it. due to language difficulties or schedule conflict. With google translate, viewers can access this resource from any computer. The 24/7 on-demand access eliminates the schedule conflict. This on-demand webinar offers to comfort and support therapists who are gearing up to respond to challenging situations. It gently but clearly encourages their RG networks to light up and focus on the upcoming task. This course serves as an update on recent innovations and is also intended for therapists who are faced with an urgent clinical situation thus desiring a refresher quickly. The full 1-day training of each protocol are far more in-depth with a practicum and recommended for those who have not taken the trainings before.  The Refresher is not a substitute for the full training. Check it out: https://connectemdr.com/rtep-and-gtep-emdr-therapy-trainings-connect-emdr/

Kansas

Joyce Baptiste notes, “The Redefining EMDR Work Group within the EMDR Think Tank, an independent group of EMDR researchers, is currently conducting 19 focus groups across 17 countries to establish a consensus definition and categories for EMDR therapy. This study, led by Marilyn Luber and myself, aims to gather expert opinions on the evolution of EMDR therapy and assesses whether the definitions, treatment categories, and glossary of terms proposed by Laliotis and colleagues (2021) accurately reflect current practices. The ultimate goal is to refine and solidify these definitions and categories to serve as guidelines for future innovations in the field. So far, six focus groups have been conducted, involving EMDR consultants, trainers, researchers, and members of Standards/Accreditation Committees. The final study will engage approximately 100 EMDR experts from six continents. This research is funded by the EMDR Research Foundation and is under the auspices of Kansas State University.”

Michigan

Jim Marshall writes, “By request of the 911 profession’s two standard-setting associations, and in collaboration with EMDRIA, I’m developing the 2-hour course: Achieving Cultural Competence with 911 Professionals. This interactive experience recognizes that emergency dispatchers (many of whose interviews are featured) and their 6000 911 centers, represent a subculture distinct from field responders that must be understood to effectively treat their work-related trauma. The course will be released through EMDRIA by this summer, 2025.”

Nebraska

Debra Wesselman reports, “Ann Potter and I in Omaha are training fellow EMDR clinicians in our strengths-based EMDR Attachment-Focused Trauma Therapy for Adults (AFTT-A) model designed to bring healthier functioning and attachment patterns to adult clients.  Their book by the same name was published by Springer in 2023. My book EMDR and Family Therapy: Integrative Treatment for Attachment Trauma in Children (2nd edition), revised and updated, will be released by W.W. Norton this summer. The accompanying parent guide, Attachment Trauma in Kids: Integrative Strategies for Parents will be out in the fall. Sarah Schubert and I have co-authored a chapter,“Treating complex trauma, attachment, and dissociation in children” for an EMDR handbook to be published soon by Oxford Press. Irma Hein, Nathalie Schlattmann in The Netherlands and I have co-authored a chapter on the EMDR Integrative Attachment Trauma Protocol for Children for an EMDR manual that will be published soon by LannooCampus. Carolyn Settle from Austin Texas, Liesbeth Mevissen from The Netherlands and I have updated a chapter for Evidence Based Treatments for Trauma- Related Disorders in Children and Adolescents, Second Edition edited by Landolt, M. Cloitre, and Schnyder. Francine Shapiro is a co-author in emeritus. I will be offering another training in the Integrative Attachment Trauma Procotol for Children (IATP-C) quite soon.”

New Jersey

Sheila Bender writes in, “Dana Lebo and I presented at the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis

The first presentation was on “Increased Effectiveness in the EMDR Therapy Using Hypnosis Distillates.” The working hypothesis for this presentation was that usage of hypnosis strategies, labelled “hypnosis distillates;” these are potential methods within the structure of the EMDR 8 phased, three-prong protocol that enriches EMDR therapy effectiveness. We believe that hypnosis strategies are particularly useful in trauma treatment because the trauma response itself may be, in part, a coping strategy developed in a hypnotic moment. Verbal and non-verbal hypnotic components were described and examined with the goal of crafting effective hypnosis interventions throughout a session utilizing the EMDR therapy structure. Case examples were given. The next session was on “Integrating Hypnosis, EMDR, & “Twalking” in Trauma Treatment or Performance” We demonstrated that combining ingredients of hypnosis, EMDR and “twalking” (talking while walking) offers a powerful recipe for the reprocessing, integration and positive adaptation of distressing experience such as trauma, moral injury and failures in performance among veterans, athletes, employees and others seeking post-traumatic growth. A robust protocol using hypnosis, EMDR and mind-body therapies to reframe and reconsolidate memory/experience were presented, along with practical applications that hypnotherapists can put to work whether walking with their clients or sitting with them in an office. An EMDR expert joined discussions about how EMDR informs hypnosis in this process.”

Massachusetts

Debbie Korn writes in, “Since the publication of my book (Every Memory Deserves Respect, 2021, with Michael Baldwin; written for the layperson), I have become increasingly interested in engaging with the public in the service of providing accurate and hopeful information about EMDR therapy.  I have been offering talks on a regular basis that explain and promote EMDR as an evidence-based, easy-to-understand, efficient, and effective (4 E’s) psychotherapy that can be used to treat many different disorders and problems. It’s been a very rewarding experience and has offered me the opportunity to engage in mental health advocacy, social justice, and general trauma education work.  Over the past few years, I have presented for: rape crisis centers, mental health and addiction support groups, anti-racism organizations, an immigrant/refugee advocacy group, doctors/nurses, lawyers, executive function coaches, case workers within the local foster care system, and synagogue, church, and mosque-based communities.

I’ve also had the chance to talk about EMDR on over 65 podcasts or radio programs, leading to wonderful new connections with communities and groups who are eager to learn more about trauma recovery.  I’m committed to building bridges with professionals in other helping professions and, recently recorded an educational module about EMDR for Vumedi, the leading video education platform for medical doctors in the US.  My book, Every Memory Deserves Respect, continues to sell quite well at bookstores and online and went into its 2^nd printing this past year.  It’s been translated into Italian and Dutch and we are hoping to continue with translations into other languages.

I am excited to be teaching at a number of upcoming EMDR conferences and meetings around the world: the EMDRIA Virtual Summit, All Ireland Annual General Meeting in Dublin, EMDRIA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, and EMDRAA Conference in Sydney. I’ll also be offering my annual 5-day course at the Cape Cod Institute this summer on EMDR Therapy and the Treatment of Complex PTSD in Adult Survivors of Abuse and Neglect.  Finally, I am in the midst of filming a 12-15 hour on-demand course on EMDR and Complex PTSD, produced by Psychwire—a leader in creating courses about evidence-based treatments—in collaboration with the EMDR Institute.  The production will include hours of demonstrations, as well as commentary from other trainers within the EMDR Institute community.

Mark Nickerson notes, “My areas of focus in recent years have been providing EMDR Basic Training as an EMDR Institute trainer as well as hosting and offering top quality livestreamed, on-demand and book learning EMDR advanced trainings in my role as director of EMDR Advanced Trainings and Distance Learning. These trainings include discount prices scaled to the economic conditions of participant countries (EMDRAdvancedTrainings.com). I am also enjoying trainings and conversations with colleagues related to the 2nd edition of the book I edited, entitled Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy (2023, Springer). Overall, I enjoy collaborative relationships with colleagues throughout the EMDR world.”

Ohio

Barbara Hensley notes, “In the past two years, I have written two books on EMDR therapy.  In 2023, I self-published the Many Tracks of EMDR Therapy: Sourcebook of Techniques, Interventions, Strategies, and Modifications to the Standard EMDR.  Expanding on Shapiro’s (1995, 2001, 2018) famous train metaphor, I wind the reader through the tracks of the eight phases and three prongs of EMDR therapy, highlighting the creative ways clinicians help a client unload damaged cargo (i.e., dysfunctional material) and load recovered cargo (i.e., adaptive resolution, learning) at each stop until the train arrives at a predetermined destination. The Many Tracks is a handbook of the innovations created by clinicians, inspired by the clients they treat, that have arisen throughout the years, making EMDR therapy more robust and ultimately more successful. These creative discoveries and enhancements unlock the unique client circumstances and enhance the processing within memory networks. Thus, the next level of EMDR history has been born.

In 2024, Springer released the 4^th edition of An EMDR Therapy Primer: From Practicum to Practice. The fourth edition is fully revised to offer a blend of text, clinical examples, and derailment possibilities, making it easy to understand and apply the eight phases of EMDR therapy. This book provides practical guidance for clinicians as they navigate the therapy process with clients. Chapters include real-life case studies, dialogues, and transcripts, offering valuable insights into the treatment rationale and helping clinicians anticipate and manage various situations during sessions.  What is new to the 4^th edition is new and updated tables, including material on the evolution of EMDR therapy, new questions at the end of each chapter to reinforce important concepts, additional information on using EMDR therapy with children, including hints, tips, and scripts, and phrases from Dr. Francine Shapiro drive home critical points in the text.

Pennsylvania

Marilyn Luber reports, “In 2023, Jonas Tesarz, Arne Hofmann, Udi Oren and I thought that it would be important to continue the work of bringing clinicians and researchers together and created the EMDR Therapy Think Tank to support working together internationally, independent of other associations. I have been chairing the Redefining EMDR Therapy Work Group and with Joyce Baptist, from Kansas State University, we have put together a study that includes 19 focus groups from 17 countries to continue to find a consensus definition of EMDR, using the What is EMDR Therapy? Past, Present, and Future Directions (Laliotis, Luber, Oren, Shapiro, Ichii, Hase, La Rosa, Alter-Reid & Tores St. Jammes (2021) paper to continue looking at this topic but including more experts with a wider reach across continents. Our work is being supported by a grant from the EMDR Research Foundation. Our focus groups have begun and we are looking forward to reporting what we find to all of you as this project progresses. I continue to be on the Board Secretariat, with Rosalie Thomas, to facilitate the work of the EMDR Global Alliance: The International Society of EMDR Therapy. Please see our website at www.emdrglobal.org to find out more about us.

In 2024, I was very honored to receive the Special Award for the 25^th Anniversary of EMDR Europe for Outstanding Contribution to EMDR Therapy in Europe. This award is very meaningful to me as I have been involved with the support of colleagues internationally since Francine asked me to do this in the early 90’s, and I lived in Europe during my adolescence. Later in the summer, I received a second award from Traumatic Recovery: EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs, International World Changer: Marilyn Luber, Honoring a volunteer who has made a significant global impact. This honor, too, was important to me as I was involved with the first official humanitarian project our EMDR community did in response to the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. After that, the t official EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program began.”

Washington D.C.

Roger Solomon notes: “I am continuing my international training doing EMDR Basic Training, but focusing more on workshops on “EMDR therapy for grief and mourning,” and “EMDR therapy for complex trauma and dissociative symptoms.”  I continue to work in Ukraine, both live and online.  I provide training to EMDR clinicians, including military psychologists.”

Washington

Sandra Paulsen reports, “In 2024, I published, “The Beauty and Burden of Autism: Illustrated Guide and Workbook,” with its 100 original cartoons that I created, and “Healers, Psychotherapies and the Drum: Indigenous Trauma and Dissociation,” with Shelley Spear Chief. In 2023, I published, “We’re Listening Body: Integrating EMDR, Somatic and Ego State Therapies,” with Derrick Doige. In November 2024, I gave a keynote on “Moral Injury,” and taught on “Ego State Therapy and Dissociation,” at the First Congress EMDR America Latina, in Santiago Chile, and toured Easter Island while there.  In March, I gave a keynote at the Wellness Counseling Retreat in Bali Indonesia on “Neuroaffective Embodied Self Therapy (N.E.S.T.).” I now have over 25 on-demand workshops through the Frankel and several through PESI.  I was interviewed by a number of podcasters on a range of topics in 2024.  Several fun projects are in the works for 2025 and beyond, around the globe. I continue to work clinically only in the intensive format on Bainbridge Island, WA.”