Why this conference matters:

“EMDR Early Intervention is a topic whose time has come! There are many good reasons to consider intervening early including reducing distress & suffering; and helping to prevent trauma enhanced conditions such as other debilitating psychological disorders, higher risk of physical illness, costs to society, and secondary complications from sub-clinical symptoms impacting quality of life (sleep dysregulation, concentration, somatic complaints, functioning, relationships). The clinical implications are far reaching.” – Elan Shapiro, MA – originator of EMDR R-TEP and G-TEP

“The Summit will be a special space to talk about this important issue. EMDR Early Intervention has a natural place in the crisis intervention and disaster mental health continuum of care context as a brief treatment modality, not as a comprehensive EMDR therapy. I will be sharing 20 years of field experience working worldwide with disasters survivors.” – Nacho Jarero, PhD, EdD – originator of EMDR PRECI and IGTP

“This conference will provide new networking opportunities and possible partnerships. Defining EMDR EI as a specialty will give an enormous boost to efforts to scale up humanitarian trauma work. The magnitude of the trauma challenge worldwide is greatly underestimated. EMDR EI holds out the promise of nipping PTSD in the bud and preventing the onset of trauma symptoms and its many adverse consequences. While often we cannot prevent exposure to traumatic events or circumstances itself, we can take early action to prevent their insidious effects on individuals, families and communities. That said, there seems to be a growing recognition outside the profession that trauma causes significant human, social and economic impairments. The world now has the wherewithal to rise to the challenge by applying simplified protocols (including group protocols, like G-TEP and IGTP) in the hands of well-trained and well-supervised non-specialists and paraprofessional workers.” – Rolf Carriere, MA – Founder of the Global Initiative for Stress and Trauma Treatment (GIST-T)

“I have been wanting to have this type of global, collaborative conference on Early EMDR Intervention for 8 years. Wouldn’t miss being a part of this historic event. I have found that by intervening early, with effective Early EMDR intervention protocols you can significantly change the trajectory of post-trauma injuries and disorders and provide substantial relief to individuals with 2 – 12 hours of treatment. Over the past 20 years, I personally have provided EEI intervention (ERP, Recent Event, RTEP, PRECI, IGTP or GTEP) within hours, days, weeks, months and years of traumatic events. In my private practice and through the AzTRN (Arizona Trauma Recovery Network), I have been able to assist survivors of robberies, sudden deaths, suicides, fatal accidents, shootings, medical traumas, life threatening health problems, natural and manmade disasters (Big D and smaller d), community critical incidences, and other ongoing traumatic events. It is so rewarding to see how Early EMDR Intervention provides major reduction in post- traumatic symptoms allowing individuals to return to pre-trauma functioning or even better sometimes with Post traumatic Growth.” – Beverlee Laidlaw Chasse, MC, LPC – Author of Early EMDR Interventions Pocket Guide

“This is a wonderful opportunity to explore how we can build EEI into the evolving regional trauma service. I operate an outpatient trauma-sensitive psychotherapy clinic in Ireland where the clinicians are EMDR therapy trained. We have many clinical examples of people who are attending soon after trauma where EMDR therapy at an early stage has enabled the achievement of maximal medical improvement in a timely manner. We essentially have no waiting list compared to the 6-months plus that people have to wait for the NHS (National Health Service). EEI is vital in minimizing functional impairment and limits important metrics such as time off work.” – Paul Miller, MD, DMH, MRC – founder of Mirabilis Health, a private psychiatrist-led clinic specializing in EMDR Therapy

“I am not an EMDR practitioner, but early intervention should be more efficient, require less intense therapy, and avoid some of the worse longer-term effects of trauma. As a practitioner of Public Health, I plan to review the many substantial benefits of making proven effective technologies more widely available and task-shifting to lower level workers. I hope others will recognize that through well researched demonstrations, EMDR can be brought ‘down’ to a lower level of practitioner and thereby meet the needs of far more people who need and deserve its benefits – only professionals can effectively simplify and disseminate what they know and practice.” – Jon Rohde, MD – career public health specialist, consultant, pediatrician, and professor

“The needs for psycho-trauma healing are so great that we need effective measures to curb the pain and the long-term consequences on a massive scale. There are groups of people we do not usually think of who might benefit from early trauma treatment, so that they can be more effective in their work, and so that cycles of violence can be prevented amongst the younger generation.” – Dr. Louisa Chan Boegli, MD, MPH