EMDR Therapy Quarterly

This issue of ETQ has been especially challenging for me to produce because of its focus on the climate crisis. This is something that affects both therapist and client alike. I like to believe that it has been on my radar for the best part of a quarter of a century and that I have been doing my bit to reduce carbon emissions (what George Monbiot calls micro-consumerist bo*l*ks (MCB)). What I realised when interviewing two climate activists for this issue (Hope as a verb) is that I had never truly engaged with my feelings about the facts. I knew them but did not feel them. Patricia Downing and Mark Brayne explain why this is necessary and Martina Leeven demonstrates her activism through the Making a difference: The climate change SIG.

In the article about applying EMDR with clients who have impaired cognitive abilities, Jonathan Hutchins challenges the view that EMDR will not be effective and provides helpful strategies to enhance EMDR therapy in this client population. In a similar vein, Justin Havens exposes common misunderstandings about the use of the Flash technique in the hope that it will be used as valuable adjunct to the standard protocol – especially when clients are highly activated.

It is a year now since I took over as editor of ETQ and it has been a steep learning curve –  from how the Association runs in the background, to mastering WordPress to truly appreciating the desire of members to share their knowledge and publish their manuscripts. They do this in the knowledge that they will be returned with edits and comments and more work to polish them ready for publication.

I know from experience that it can be demoralising to receive a manuscript with red lines and suggested changes (my float back takes me to O-levels [yes I am that old!] and the thought ‘well I just won’t bother then’. It can feel like a personal criticism when actually it is an opportunity for learning. I would encourage all members to consider cutting their ‘writing’ teeth with ETQ. If you have something interesting to share please run it by me, you will receive lots of help in crafting it into an article suitable for publication.

Finally, we all need a bit of validation and encouragement. A retiring member wrote to the Board to say

I have found being a member to have been really useful…… It has been lovely to belong and I think you offer value for money out of membership. I praise your CPD offerings and also the online forums.  

Sally Openshaw

Thank you Sally. We wish you a long and happy retirement.

editor@emdrassociation.org.uk