President’s Update: Summer 2024

23 August, 2024

Dear members, colleagues and friends,

As summer draws to an end, I have just noticed how quickly the months have passed since I made my first address to you all. There has been so much going on that the phrase “hitting the ground running” barely describes the situation.

Comings and goings

As many of you will now be aware our former President Matt Wesson, for family reasons, was obliged to forgo his term as Past President and stand down as a Trustee at the end of April. I am sure you will all join with me in thanking Matt for his service. Matt’s, approachability, his energy and his dedication were instrumental in driving many of our recent developments and improvements. He is indeed a very hard act to follow.

Next some good news, also in April, we engaged an Operations Manager, Kelly Ryan. She is a ‘fixer’ and has a wealth of experience in the charity sector assisting in all aspects of organisational operations, something as a board of unpaid trustees with demanding clinical day jobs, we have been missing. She is already making an invaluable contribution. Welcome to the team Kelly!

Sadly, Beverly Coughlan, has decided to step down as our Research officer. Many thanks to Beverly for her contribution to the work of the Research and Scientific Committee. In her term we have acquired the ScHARR (https://emdrassociation.org.uk/members/publications-database/) searchable EMDR data base and commissioned a Systematic Review. The summary of findings has been accepted for publication by the European Journal of Traumatology, it shouldn’t be too much longer before you all see it in print.

Beverly and Kelly are working together to appoint, not a replacement but an Academic and Research Liaison Officer, which was felt to be more suited to the activity of the RSC.

I am delighted to report that Beverly has agreed to continue doing an excellent job as the Editor of EMDR Therapy Quarterly, here is the link to the Summer Edition if you missed it https://etq.emdrassociation.org.uk/2024/08/05/a-note-from-the-editor-8/

EMDR in the Media

Our members are often approached for interviews. Possibly because the outcomes we experience as EMDR therapists are often outstanding, possibly due to the favourable reviews from some of our clients in the public eye or maybe curiosity as EMDR must be the only therapeutic approach that has people asking, “how does it work?”, what is its ‘method of action’? Talking about it and explaining it to the public in a way that can be understood can be quite challenging.

Our media expert, Katy Bell, is the go-to person to assist and offer valuable support. If you are approached by the Media, please, do contact her on this email address: k.bell@emdrassociation.org.uk

CPD Events

Access good low-cost Association Webinars by visiting emdrassociationevents.org.uk. C&A, Regional, and Special Interest Groups can also be found there or on the Bulletin Board. If you have ideas or suggestions regarding topics or speakers for the low-cost Association Webinars, or would like to put something on, contact Maxine m.sherrell@emdrassociation.org.uk

Commercial Events are advertised and managed completely separately

The annual Consultants’ Day this year will take place on 30 November, hosted by EMDR UK. It will be a hybrid event with the in-person element at Friends Meeting House on Euston Road. It’s a wonderful opportunity to network and catch up so if you want to attend in person, get your name down the moment it is advertised as places will be very much in demand.

The Europe Conference

This Summer the Europe conference was held in Dublin. It’s no coincidence that its theme was “Pathways to Peace with EMDR”. That the Irish EMDR Community on both sides of the border were able to come together to create a single All Ireland Association is a unique and inspirational achievement, one that would have delighted our founder, Francine Shapiro who believed that the transfer of generational trauma could be reduced by EMDR Therapy.

The next Europe Conference will take place in Prague, rather earlier than customary:

Friday 30^th May for preconference Events, 31^st May & 1 June 2025 for the main Conference. Save the dates.

The next UK Conference will take place in Liverpool, 21&22 March 2025

RG & SIGS are reminded they can use some of the charitable funds they have gathered to support their members to attend the UK or the Europe Conferences.

Becoming a Professional Registering Organisation

Many members who attended the 2024 AGM in York or joined us online enthusiastically received the suggestion that we should work towards becoming a Professional Registering Organisation for EMDR-trained therapists and clinicians. Well, we can’t do it without you; your active participation and support are crucial and will be the very backbone of this journey.

To stand any chance of success in achieving accreditation by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), we have some challenging work ahead of us in terms of our professionalism as an organisation. Our policies, standards of conduct and fiscal behaviour will come under scrutiny so we must ensure we do everything we can to satisfy their high standards.

A PFO working group is in the process of being formed. Three of us made a start by contacting people who have gone through the process, and looking at the documents. We have done a quick feasibility check and are about to meet again but we really do need you to make this work. If you are interested, especially if you have experience in this area – please contact me kathnorgate@emdrassociation.org.uk

Membership Management System and Digital Accreditation

Are we nearly there yet?

Great news on this! The membership Management System has been tested on 70+ of us to check for glitches, we’ve found nothing untoward so far, so we expect to roll it out to you next month.

Digital Accreditation has undergone some initial testing but is now paused pending further development and incorporation into the new management system.

Yes, nearly there!

Take care everyone.

Kath Norgate
President, EMDR UK