Trauma Aid UK works to sponsor EMDR Training in countries and regions of the world where EMDR Training is not available.  These countries will often be places where mass trauma because of conflict or natural disaster has taken place.

Following events of this kind, charities often send teams in to help.  However, we know that this is rarely sustained and therefore our main aim is to provide initial training and then follow this up with more advanced training and CPD so that our trainees can work towards accreditation and establish their own national EMDR Associations. It is the principle of “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.   In this way, EMDR can become self-sustaining. We are guided by Francine Shapiro’s humanitarian principles and her vision for EMDR to relieve suffering globally.

The trainers are accredited and assessed externally, for instance by EMDR Europe, and we rely on the accrediting organisation to ensure that the quality of training meets high standards.

The countries we choose to work in and the connections we make through our training programmes to local mental health professionals has meant that our reach has extended beyond the borders of those countries.  We endeavour to work with academic institutions and organisations and charities who work with refugees or those who do not have access to trauma therapy because of either access or funding.

To support our training programmes and enable our trainees to become skilled EMDR therapists, we rely heavily on the support of Volunteer Supervisors who give their time pro bono, in some cases for many years.  We encourage them to work with their supervisees towards accreditation and competence in EMDR and in this way we can build up capacity on the ground.

Just as with any training sponsor from the UK, the Volunteer Supervisor/supervisee relationship is regulated by the Volunteer Supervisor’s code of conduct in accordance with their core profession. Trauma Aid UK organises trainings but does not take any role in the Volunteer Supervisor/supervisee contract.

While we endeavour to admit trainees to our programmes who are involved in providing psychological support pro bono or low cost, we acknowledge that they also have to support themselves and therefore many of them will also work in private settings.  However, our experience is that they give back in other ways by supporting other trainees, giving up their time and energy to organise, facilitate, translate or pursue academic studies in EMDR.  Thus they enter the EMDR Community worldwide and contribute to the ever increasing use of EMDR to relieve suffering.