With upwards of 70 colleagues attending from across the South-East, we had a fabulous local EMDR East Anglian regional networking day on May 7, with the renowned US-based EMDR guru Jim Knipe presenting and answering questions on Skype for a good hour and a half, focusing especially on working with complex trauma.
Credit and thanks to Sonya Farrell and the regional steering group for getting the day together, at Chelmsford Cathedral’s Chapter House.
We enjoyed stimulating presentations also from James Thomas on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, from Roger Kingerlee on the importance of qualitative research into EMDR, and from Ulf Jarisch of EMDR Equipment Europe on the best and latest technology (buzzers, lightbars etc) to deliver bilateral stimulation.
Click the various links in this note to access PDFs of the presentations, and a minuted summary of the day and its concluding AGM, at which Sonya and Mark Brayne were confirmed as regional group co-chairs for the coming period, with Joe Kearney taking over as Treasurer and Shirley Young our new Secretary.
Warm thanks to Kerry Hebdon for getting the group’s finances up and running in the two years since we were formed, and to Annabel Hare and Maeve Allison for their sturdy minute-taking over the months.
Christine Habermehl from our Bedfordshire sub-group has also stepped back from the Steering Group, and will be replaced in due course with another local rep. James Thomas joins the committee as a member.
Read on for the feedback on the day, for the minuted summary, and note also for your diary that our next regional networking day will be in Cambridge, on Saturday November 26.
Details will be posted closer to the day, and click here to register.
Minutes and Summary
Mark Brayne welcomed everyone to the event and introduced the East Anglia Region Committee members. He encouraged participants to stay for the AGM at the end of the day and advised that the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and some member positions were becoming vacant.
Sonya Farrell explained the format for the day and welcomed the first speaker, James Thomas, EMDR Therapist.
James introduced himself and his presentation, EMDR with Chronic and Complex Trauma.
James has 25 years experience working with mental health issues in the NHS. He is a CBT and EMDR Therapist now working mainly with OCD and trauma in tier 4. James explained the different approaches that he utilises to promote engagement with EMDR, recovery and change.
These include 3rd wave CBT, ACT (acceptance commitment therapy) and mindfulness along with thorough EMDR resource installations. James provided examples by talking through two client cases and showed short videos on ‘Making a choice’ and ‘Values v Goals’.
Mark thanked James for his presentation and invited questions from the audience.
Sonya welcomed the next presenter, Ulf Jarisch, Managing Director of EMDR Equipment Europe. Ulf Jarisch introduced himself and provided the history behind the formation of his business. He explained how the EMDR light bars, audio and tactile sensors work and their adaptability to suit each individual client (different colours, brightness levels, speed, volume and add on toy characters for working with children etc…).
Ulf talked through the Pros and Cons of using EMDR equipment and noted that equipment was not essential for effective EMDR and in certain situations it may be better to use physical hand movements/taps. Ulf explained that he is in the process of developing a combined EMDR/ bio feedback machine that will give a print out reading and he talked about how this may be used in the future.
Ulf finished his talk by sharing details of his humanitarian aid work with refugees.
Mark thanked Ulf for his presentation and invited questions from the audience.
Participants were then invited to split into specialist groups for a networking and sharing session. These groups were Children & Adolescent, IAPT, PTSD, OCD, Military, Psychosis, Attachment and Pain.
Afternoon Session
Roger Kingerlee gave us a presentation on “EMDR Through the Qualitative Lens”.  There is a respected tradition of qualitative research leading to quantitative investigation. Qualitative research is a method of “capturing the invisible” e.g. the known effects of meditation.
EMDR research, because it began soon after the discovery of EMDR, promoted its swift growth, and proved beyond doubt that EMDR qualitative research i.e. an exploration of what people actually experience during EMDR (rather than what the clinician is doing) has been overlooked. It could open doors to an expanded understanding of how EMDR works. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the therapeutic effects of EMDR are curious and probably unique to this form of treatment.
Roger plans to do this research over the next few years, using semi-structured interviews with about 10 people who have had EMDR. The aim is to create a model of what happens in EMDR.
Open Forum with Consultants Mark Brayne, Walid Abdul-Hamid and Roger Kingerlee
There was a lively and informative discussion between the consultants and the audience on a range of topics.
Dr Jim Knipe on “EMDR-related methods of targeting and resolving avoidance defences”
We were very fortunate to have a video link to Jim Knipe in the States, who gave a presentation on working with the client who says, “I don’t want to think about it”. The comprehensive handout gives details. Jim generously allowed extra time afterwards for questions.
The next Networking Day will be on Saturday 26th November 2016 in Cambridge (venue to be arranged).
 AGM
The AGM was attended by 19 people. The 9 committee members present were introduced at the beginning of the meeting, and the Minutes of the last AGM (Ely) were approved. There were three officers resigning from their posts – Kerry Hebdon as Treasurer, and Annabel Hare and Maeve Allison as joint Secretaries. Sonya Farrell has been acting temporarily as Acting Chair.
Mark gave the Chair’s Report, and Kerry presented the Treasurer’s Report – both approved.
Elections for Officers:
Treasurer – Joe Kearney, Secretary – Shirley Young, Co-Chairs – Mark Brayne, Sonya Farrell
James Thomas joined the committee as a new member. It was agreed that the number of committee members would be limited to 10, with volunteers being co-opted when necessary.
AOBÂ Walid said that there is a need for supervision for English-speaking Turkish therapists, and suggested that our members who are training to be consultants might consider providing this.
Next AGM : May 2017