Mission, Vision and Values
EMDR Europe: Leading Standards in EMDR Therapy
EMDR Europe is the premier professional association dedicated to setting and promoting the highest standards of excellence and integrity in EMDR practice, research, and education across Europe.
Structure of EMDR Europe Association
Our Mission
Our mission is to enhance the lives of individuals affected by trauma and mental illness through EMDR therapy. We aim to promote and improve mental health, while preventing mental ill health by providing high-quality therapeutic services that adhere to EMDR protocol standards, ensuring the health and safety of all clients and clinicians.
Our Vision
Our core purpose is to alleviate distress after trauma through EMDR therapy. We aspire for EMDR therapy to be the leading choice for treating PTSD and other trauma-related disorders, with the goal of increasing the recognition by the scientific community as a highly effective approach for a large range of psychological disorders.
Our Values
Since our founding in 1999, EMDR Europe has been committed to:
- High-Quality Clinical Practice: Delivering the best treatment for PTSD and a range of psychological disorders, often related to trauma or adverse experiences.
- Scientific Investigation: Conducting clinical research to continuously improve the effectiveness of EMDR therapy.
- Certified Professional Training: Offering rigorous training for mental health clinicians eligible to train in EMDR.
- Continuous Education: Hosting seminars and conferences for ongoing professional development of our members.
- Public Education: Promoting mental health awareness through informed policies and outreach initiatives with other stakeholder organisations.
As a certifying organization, we maintain continuous oversight and support for EMDR-certified practitioners.
Our History
EMDR Europe’s journey began in 1993 when Francine Shapiro introduced EMDR to Europe with a training conducted in Amsterdam. This led to regular training programs by the EMDR Institute and the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) in Northern Ireland.
A strong sense of purpose and camaraderie quickly formed among clinicians, leading to the establishment of the EMDR Europe Association in London in June 1999, with Richard Mitchell elected as the first president. The association's primary goal was to uphold the highest standards in EMDR teaching and practice across Europe.
Acknowledging Europe's cultural and linguistic diversity, we prioritized the development of national trainers in each country. Our Standards Committee was tasked with mentoring and accrediting these trainers and courses to ensure the highest quality.
We also recognized the importance of national support structures. Local supervision and support for newly-trained therapist are crucial for their development. EMDR Europe has therefore fostered the creation of inclusive National Associations open to all trained EMDR therapists in their respective countries.
Our strategy of building a robust international organization before establishing national bodies has allowed us to set and maintain high standards for trainers, training courses, and practitioners. This approach has facilitated rapid growth and unity, positioning EMDR Europe as a leading and effective professional organization today.