Who We Are

What we do

We are experienced EMDR therapists who have the skills to help people and communities affected by manmade or natural disasters. Our processes have been developed internationally over thirty years by EMDR humanitarian programs. As Australia is most affected by natural disasters which usually occur in rural or remote areas, we work towards building capacity in those communities by organising professional support for local mental health workers and other allied health first responders to assist with the surge in demand for help. 

We organise training in trauma treatment after the apex of the disaster has passed, so the local therapists can treat any ongoing trauma related symptoms. An ongoing benefit of learning EMDR equips therapists to treat trauma which can be used for most client presentations: road accidents, assaults, unexpected death, family violence, bullying, loss of income, etc. We support continued learning through workshops, sharing information and providing ongoing consultancy groups.

Providing a co-ordinated response requires building a community of EMDR therapists nationwide who honour diversity and believe that connected communities are the antidote to trauma. We seek opportunities to engage others in our mission and develop new ideas.

Why EMDR?

EMDR is an evidence-based treatment recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of stress-related anxiety disorders in adults and children. It is also approved by and the National Health and Medical Research Council and included in the  Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex PTSD for the treatment of PTSD symptoms. 

As clients do not have to do homework, or describe the event in detail, EMDR Therapy has been shown to be the most cost-efficient treatment for PTSD.

Mental Health Crisis

The pandemic, bushfires, floods and other disasters have had a compounding effect on the daily stresses of people living in rural areas. This has resulted in adverse mental health effects for many Australians. 

In Australia, mental healthcare professionals provide trauma-focused treatments to those in need, yet access to such services in regional and rural Australia are limited. 

Mental health practitioners need access to evidence-based trauma treatment training to serve those most in need. 

Impact of Trauma

While most people recover from disasters after an event, the time it takes can be reduced with early intervention and effective treatment for those overwhelmed by distressing events. People with symptoms of trauma may experience significant impairment in physical health and family, social, educational, occupational and other important areas of their lives. 

The toll at a personal level can be substantial and the economic impact on society is considerable. Access to local treatment can provide healthy outcomes for the future.

Consequences

As the frequency and severity of natural disasters increases, we anticipate that more people will experience trauma. 

Our awareness of the effects of interpersonal and societal violence is also growing. 

This will place greater demand on our mental health workers who are already spread thin.

Donate

Your donation helps us to reach areas most in need, every community therapist we train may help up to 500 people a year, every year.

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