Let's Talk EMDR

Cancer. HIV/Aids. Long Covid. Back, joint, and muscular-skeletal pain. Pulmonary diseases. What do these all have in common? They are considered a serious illness. People who deal with them are usually in it for the long run. Serious illness is a health condition that carries a high risk of mortality AND either negatively impacts a person's daily function or quality of life, OR excessively strains their caregivers, according to the U.S. National Institutes for Health. Can EMDR therapy h...

According to the U.S. National Institute for Mental Health, an estimated 4.7 percent of the population experience a panic disorder at some time in their lives. They define a panic disorder as "an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. These episodes occur “out of the blue,” not in conjunction with a known fear or s...

A study in 2022 from the National Council of Youth Sports reported that 60 million youths between the ages of six and 18 are playing organized sports. Yet, seven out of those 10 youths dropped out by age 13. Can past traumas impact an athlete's performance? Yes, says EMDR-certified therapist and consultant Jennie Abito Carlestav, LMFT. Learn more about how EMDR therapy can help to heal those traumas and improve performance in sports, the workplace and performing and the creative arts. R...

According to the U.S. Census 2019, there were an estimated 22.9 million Asian Americans, 1.6 million Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), together accounting for 7.2 percent of the nation's population. The percentage of Asian alone-or-in-combination military veterans in 2021 was 2.4 percent. While the population numbers might seem small, the AANPHI community has also been touched by trauma. Enter EMDR Certified Therapist and Consultant-in-Training Sherry Yam, LCSW, to ...

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2021, 48,183 Americans died by suicide and 1.70 million attempts. The numbers tracked by the World Health Organization are more staggering: more than 700,000 people die each year by suicide. How can EMDR therapy help those considering or who have attempted and the family/friends they leave behind? EMDR Certified Therapist and Consultant Marlene Kenney talks to us ...

What is moral injury, and who can it impact? Moral injury, as defined by this episode's guest is: It is an existential and or spiritual crisis. that can be the consequence of having been trained to override the intrinsic and instinctive aversion to the taking of human life, that it is about killing, which is an act that can't be undone. And that humans are not prepared for the aftermath of that. It can also be the consequence of having engaged in combat operations, however necessary at the ti...

What does it mean to create an anti-oppressive EMDR therapy practice? It means that EMDR therapists take account of the impact of power, inequity, and oppression on people and actively combat it. How can EMDR therapists offer anti-oppressive EMDR therapy for the LGBTQA+ community? EMDR-certified therapist, consultant, and trainer Roshni Chabra, LMFT tells us how. Resources:The Trevor ProjectPray Away Netflix Documentary (Trigger Warning)Let's Talk EMDR podcast EMDR for Vicar...

The global COVID-19 pandemic forced us to find new ways to do things. Providing therapy was no different. Because of this, EMDRIA created Online EMDR Therapy Resources for its members. As the world emerged from lockdown, many EMDR therapists continued to see clients virtually. Are there potential tools that can help facilitate therapy sessions? Yes, says Tjeu Theunissen, a Dutch Ph.D. candidate, clinical psychologist, and EMDR therapist. He founded two E-health start-ups that focused on using...

The Cleveland Clinic defines neurodivergent as people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. How can EMDR therapists work with this population, and what do they need to know to serve their clients? EMDR-certified therapist and consultant Laurel Thornton discusses EMDR therapy, neurodiversity, and the neurodivergent. The Network Balance Model of Trauma and Resolution - Level 1: Large-Scale Neural Networks, Journal of EMDR Practice & Research, D. Eric Chamberlin, Volume&...

What is vicarious trauma, and how can EMDR therapy help? How does our constant connection to images on the news or social media impact us? How do EMDR therapists find outlets for the trauma that they see and hear in their clients? Find out more from EMDR UK Accredited EMDR Therapist Lee Anna Simmons in this episode. ResourcesHeadington Institute"Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout: Tools for EMDR therapists," EMDR Therapy Quarterly, Autumn 2023, EMDR U.K."Vicari...

Anxiety is intense, excessive, persistent worry and fears about everyday situations. Four percent of the world's population experiences anxiety disorders. That may not sound like a large number, but it equals more than 301 million people worldwide. Can EMDR therapy help? EMDR-certified therapist Nancy Andino, LCSW, CASAC, says yes. Find out how EMDR therapy can heal anxiety. EMDRIA Online EMDR Therapy ResourcesEMDRIA Client Brochures Focal Point BlogEMDRIA Practice R...

Religious and spiritual trauma is often an overlooked experience that enormously impacts generations. As more and more humans decide to leave organized religions or join cults, we are understanding the effects of those experiences as traumatic and adverse. Listen to Cassidy DuHadway, LCSW, discuss adverse religious experiences and how they lead to foundational belief systems that present as complex trauma. Concepts of religious messaging, shame, enmeshment, attachment, and negative spiritual ...

EMDR has evolved from a simple desensitization technique to a broad-based psychotherapy approach, revolutionizing how EMDR therapists understand change and their treatment approach. From early intervention protocols that address recent traumatic events for individuals and groups to ongoing psychotherapy, EMDR is not cookie-cutter. Its robust methodology has stood the test of time and research in the last three decades. Find out more with EMDR-certified therapist, trainer, and consultant...

According to the World Health Organization, 5 percent of the world's population suffers from depression. Out of 7.88 billion people on the planet, that's approximately 350,000,000 human beings suffering. Learn what EMDR therapist, trainer, and researcher Dr. Sarah Dominguez says about how EMDR therapy can help people with depression. "Every Memory Deserves Respect: EMDR, the Proven Trauma Therapy with the Power to Heal" by Michael Baldwin and Dr. Deborah KornDavid Archer's Let's Talk EMD...

According to the dictionary, grief is "the anguish experienced after a difficult loss, usually the death of a beloved person." So, all of us share this at some point in our lives. How does grief impact our ability to function? What is complicated grief? Can you overcome your grief? EMDR-certified therapist, consultant, and trainer Tamra L. Hughes discusses how EMDR therapy can help heal grieving. EMDRIA Online EMDR Therapy ResourcesEMDRIA Client Brochures Focal Point BlogEMDRIA...

Johns Hopkins University defines chronic pain as "long-standing pain that persists beyond the usual recovery period or occurs along with a chronic health condition, such as arthritis." According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, an "estimated 50 million adults experience chronic pain." Can EMDR therapy help with chronic pain? We talked to EMDR-certified therapist and consultant Gary Brothers, LCSW, to learn more.Gary Brothers' BLS Drum Ther...

According to an August 3, 2023,Wall Street Journal article, "Researchers estimate that one in five new mothers in the U.S. suffers from mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and up to a year after giving birth—about 800,000 mothers yearly. Yet studies show that a large majority of women who suffer from maternal mental health disorders aren’t able to get help." World Health Organization (WHO) statistics echo the same: "Almost 1 in 5 women will experience a mental health condition d...

The COVID-19 Pandemic forced EMDR therapists to find new ways to connect with their clients. How can an EMDR therapist provide EMDR therapy virtually? Is it as effective? How can you secure the client's health information because of HIPPA? Sharon Rollins, EMDR-certified therapist, trainer, and consultant, details how she implemented virtual therapy with her clients and why it works well for many. EMDRIA Online EMDR Therapy ResourcesEMDRIA Client Brochures Comprehensive Demo on ...

What is an EMDR therapy intensive? Find out what EMDR-certified therapist and consultant Robert A. Grigore, MCC, RCC, has to say about them. Learn how EMDR intensives can help to heal trauma, how to find an EMDR therapist who knows how to do intensives, what to ask your potential EMDR therapist about certifications, their area of expertise, and what you need to know as a potential client. ResourcesIntensive EMDR to Treat Patients With Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series, Jour...

First responders spend their careers working in and around their communities to protect the safety and welfare of citizens. They experience daily personal and professional exposure to traumatic incidents. Enter EMDR therapy and EMDR-certified therapists like Kate Pieper, MFT. She has spent most of her 30-year counseling career working with firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and police officers. Learn more about how EMDR therapy helps this population, what kind of education, experience, and cultu...

According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, complex trauma is "both children’s exposure to multiple traumatic events—often of an invasive, interpersonal nature—and the wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure. These events are severe and pervasive, such as abuse or profound neglect. They usually occur early in life and can disrupt many aspects of the child’s development and the formation of a sense of self. Since these events often occur with a caregiver, they interfere ...

Sex therapy and sexual dysfunction are never comfortable topics, even in the therapy room. EMDR-certified therapist Dr. Cyrstal Hollenbeck, EdD, LMHC, CST, CSAT, CCTP, will introduce our listeners to how EMDR therapy can help. As a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, APSATS Certified Clinical Partner Trauma Specialist, and Certified Sex Therapist, Dr. Hollenbeck talks about how EMDR therapy can treat the issues impacting a sexual relationship. International Institute for Trauma ...

People outside the therapy community often wonder if EMDR can be used with children. Yes, it can. Meet Ann Beckley Forest, LCSW, RPT-S, who had made it her life's work to help the most vulnerable of our human race: children. Learn more about how therapists can use EMDR therapy with children. ResourcesEMDR Therapy and Children ToolkitFocal Point Blog AnnBeckleyForest.comPlayfulEMDR.comEMDRIA Practice ResourcesEMDRIA Online EMDR Therapy Resources EMDRIA's Find an EMDR Therapist ...

Dissociation is a disconnection between a person’s thoughts, sensory experience, memory, and/or sense of identity. On a mild level, dissociation is a common experience many people recognize as wanting to detach from something emotionally stressful. On a more extreme level, it can cause difficulty functioning in everyday life and create a loss of connection to a person’s sense of self. Dissociation can occur as a result of experiencing trauma. In this episode, we chat with EMDR Certified Thera...

EMDR Early Intervention (EEI) is crucial to people worldwide who experience trauma. In this episode, learn more about EEI, its implementation, and its successes. We talked with EMDR Certified Therapist, Consultant, and Trainer Reg Morrow Robinson, Ed.S., LMFT, LMHC, about her experiences with EMDR Early Intervention. Due to description resource space constraints, we cannot list all the resources mentioned. However, our website has a downloadable PDF where the podcast is housed. This is episod...

What is a personality disorder? According to the American Psychiatric Association, 10 personality disorders are defined as one's thinking, feeling, and behaving deviating from the culture's expectations, causing distress or problems functioning, and lasting over time. The pattern of experience and behavior usually begins by late adolescence or early adulthood and causes distress or problems in functioning. Without treatment, personality disorders can be long-lasting. We interview EMDR certifi...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And, every nine minutes, that victim is a child. In this episode, we talk with EMDR-certified therapist, consultant, and virtual trainer Kristina Anderson about her work with victims of sexual assault and abuse. Find out how EMDR therapy can help heal.National Sexual Violence Resource Center Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)1in6.orgWashington Coalition of Sexual Assault Progr...

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "expressive arts"? Sculpture? Dance? Poetry? Painting or coloring? Drumming? Storyboards? These and more are considered expressive arts in the EMDR therapist community. Listen to Marshall Lyles, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, talk about how he implements expressive arts into his EMDR therapy practice. Find out how clients respond to integrating this approach. Our award-winning Go With That magazine's Spring 2022 issue on EMDR Therapy, Integrative Therap...

Being part of a couple is never easy. Being part of a couple where one or both partners brings past trauma into the relationship makes it more difficult. Can couples go to EMDR therapy together? If so, what does that look like? Enter Dr. Jason Linder, LMFT, a couples therapist offering EMDR therapy. Find out what he says about how EMDR therapy can improve your relationship. ResourcesEmotionally-focused Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: An Integrated Treatment to ...

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, this podcast episode introduces us to Ava M. Hart, LCSW, IMH-E, EMDR therapist. She discusses how EMDR therapy can help women when pregnant, have suffered a pregnancy loss, and during perinatal mood/anxiety disorders. Resources:The Calm Before the Storm: When Bad Things Happen by Ava HartFocal Point BlogEMDRIA Practice ResourcesEMDRIA Online EMDR Therapy Resources EMDRIA's Find an EMDR Therapist Directory lists more than 1...

Celebrating Black History Month, this month's episodes will feature Black EMDR therapists. Attachment disorders can develop in young children when their caregivers have problems with emotional attachment with others, according to the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. To find out how EMDR therapy can help, we talk with EMDR therapist and consultant-in-training Marcken Volmy, LMHC, LPC, NCC. He discusses attachment disorders in men and how they can break the mach...

Foster care and adoption: two self-sacrificing acts from adults to help children in need. However, this new dynamic is more complicated and traumatic than most imagine. Enter EMDR therapists like Rachel Harrison, LCPC, NCC, and her team. How can EMDR therapists help? Do the foster parents or adoptive parents need EMDR therapy too? Is it true that adopted infants don't know anything but their new family? Learn more about how EMDR therapy can help adoptees, foster children, parents, and g...

How can EMDR therapists teach presence and centeredness to clients? Sarah Jenkins, MC, LPC, CPsychol, suggests using a four-legged friend. Equine therapy is not a new concept. It's been used for decades to help people with physical disabilities. So, how can these beautiful creatures help EMDR therapy clients? Can equine-assisted therapy with EMDR help clients with complex PTSD? What about EMDR therapists who don't have access to horses but want to integrate equine-assisted therapy into their ...

This episode is a little different than usual because it includes talking with an EMDR therapist and an EMDR therapy client. Meet the authors of "Every Memory Deserves Respect: EMDR, The Proven Trauma Therapy with the Power to Heal," Dr. Deborah Korn and Michael Baldwin. Listen to Michael's first-hand account of how, after decades of other therapies, he finally found a healing solution to his childhood trauma. Hear Dr. Korn explain why EMDR therapy works for Big T and little T tra...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) usually conjures images of soldiers in combat, vehicle accidents, or sports-related concussions. Did you know that TBI also includes other conditions such as stroke, asphyxiation, or other injuries that cut off oxygen to the brain? Domestic violence victims can also suffer from TBI. How can someone with TBI use EMDR therapy to treat their trauma? Find out what Dr. Michelle Morrissey says about working with EMDR therapy and TBI clients/patients. EMDRIA Practic...

November is National Veteran and Military Families Month. What does it take to work as an EMDR therapist with a nation's warriors? How do you successfully provide EMDR therapy for veterans and service members? Listen to Dr. Jamie Zabukovec discuss her decades-long work experience with this population. Find out how her experience can help you and your clients. ResourcesEMDRIA EMDR and the Military Toolkit (login req)EMDRIA Go With That magazine: EMDR Therapy and the Military: Combating Trauma ...

Dissociation is a disconnection between a person’s thoughts, sensory experience, memory, and/or sense of identity. Do we all dissociate at some point in time? What about when our dissociation level becomes extreme and impacts our ability to function or could create a distance from our sense of self? Enter EMDR therapists like Jamie Marich, Ph.D., LPCC-S, REAT, RYT-500, RMT, Founder, Mindful Ohio & The Institute for Creative Mindfulness, and EMDRIA Certified Therapist/Approved Consultant/T...

What does it mean to provide antiracist psychotherapy? How can EMDR therapists help clients who have experienced trauma because of their race or social identity? We sit down with David Archer, MSW, MFT, who is devoting his EMDR therapy practice to helping his clients and the broader EMDR therapy profession understand what it truly means to be an antiracist EMDR therapist.EMDRIA members who want to learn more and earn CEs can access the following OnDemand sessions where Mr. Archer has discusse...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders can take an emotional toll on those who cope with and manage the symptoms daily. Although scientists cannot determine a cause for OCD, they have found that trauma and OCD commonly occur together. Many psychiatrists are beginning to find most OCD treatments remain unsuccessful if a patient’s past trauma has not been addressed. EMDR therapist Dr. Kendhal Hart discusses how she uses EMDR therapy with clients who have OCD.Resources m...

Can EMDR therapy successfully treat addictions? How does mindfulness impact someone's ability to recover from their addiction? Should a client be sober before beginning EMDR? Get your questions answered by Dr. Stephen Dansiger, EMDR therapist and consultant, MET(T)A Protocol creator and pioneer in the Buddhist recovery field. And, what did Dr. Bessel van der kolk, author of "The Body Keeps the Score," say about how EMDR therapy heals trauma? SAMHSA National Recovery MonthNational Instit...

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month and National Recovery Month. During this episode, we will chat with EMDRIA member Julie Miller, LPC, LISAC, about her work with EMDR therapy and people with addictions. How can someone with addiction recover? Can trauma-informed therapy be done while the individual stays sober, or is there a window in which an EMDR therapist must wait? What myths surround EMDR and addictions? Find out more. References mentioned: "...

Staying centered is difficult. Staying centered in an uncentered world seems almost impossible, especially for EMDR therapists. Enter EMDR therapist, trainer, and consultant Rebecca Kase, LCSW. Listen as Rebecca talks about her journey to becoming an EMDR therapist, her successes with EMDR therapy that she has witnessed, and learn her five tips for how EMDR therapists (or anyone else) can embrace self-care. References mentioned.Fried, The Burnout Podcast The 8 Limbs of Yoga&nb...

Do you have questions about the EMDR International Association? Curious about how the organization weathered the pandemic, implemented virtual training standards, and what it sees as the future of EMDR? Do you want to know more about the benefits of EMDRIA membership for EMDR therapists? In this guest podcast, EMDRIA member Kambria Evans, MEd, MA, LMFT, host of the Zero Disturbance Podcast, interviews former EMDRIA Board President Carol Miles, MSW, LCSW. Kambria and Carol talked about th...

Yes, EMDR therapy works for indigenous people. If you heard that myth, this episode will bust it and others. Can EMDR therapy make a difference so that you can process your past trauma and racism? Many Native American/FNMI people experience ongoing complex, complicated traumatic experiences similar to PTSD due to the Residential School/Boarding School era, intergenerational trauma, racial inequality, and ongoing oppressive systems within Turtle Island, known as North America. Listen to ...

Parenting is the toughest job out there. No one provides a manual, yet parents are expected to know all. How do your life experiences influence your parenting approach? How can you change the world through your children by knowing yourself better? Can EMDR therapy make a difference so that you can process your past trauma, especially cultural trauma, to become a better parent? Listen to Mercedes Samudio, LCSW, EMDR therapist, and author of "Shame Proof Parenting" to find out more. July is als...

Anyone can experience intense trauma. Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) experience racial trauma and microaggressions often. Black men and adolescents experience it much more often. How can clinicians effectively treat this population to help them manage their PTSD? Join us to hear from Dr. Allen Lipscomb, LCSW, associate professor, director of online and offsite programs, director of Minority Male Mentoring (M3), and Student Success Allies to find out how EMDR therapy can help. ...

Anyone can experience intense trauma. EMDR is widely considered one of the best treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research has shown that EMDR therapy can be an efficient and rapid treatment for PTSD. Join us to hear from Wendy Byrd, LPC, LMFT, board of directors president of EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), to find out how EMDR therapy can help. June is PTSD Awareness Month. EMDRIA's Find an EMDR Therapist Directory provides listings for more than 12,00...