Course Description

This panel will discuss the importance of issues of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) during EMDR therapy. Panelists will provide practical ideas for EMDR therapists to provide affirming EMDR services to gender diverse clients and clients from different minoritized communities with an emphasis on intersectionality. Panelists will include tips to working with different populations including Latinx, Black/African American, American Indians/Indigenous, transgender clients, and LGBTQ+. It will emphasize the importance of cultural humility and intentionality when providing EMDR therapy. This panel will also discuss allyship, and considerations with the standard protocol to promote anti-oppressive practices. Furthermore, it will emphasize the importance of IDEA with ALL clients, not only with those that come from minoritized communities.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to describe the role and importance of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) in EMDR therapy.
2. Participants will be able to identify at least three strategies and practical ways to increase IDEA when practicing EMDR therapy with diverse and minoritized populations.
3. Participants will be able to describe at least three strategies to become a better ally and promote anti-oppressive practices.

Presenter(s)

Roshni Chabra, LMFT

Roshni Chabra, LMFT, identifies as an Indian Lesbian Intersectional Feminist Therapist and is the Founder and President of the Lavender Healing Collective. Roshni is also Co-Owner, Chief Clinical Officer, and MET(T)A (Mindfulness and EMDR Treatment Template for Agencies) Protocol Agency Director at Start Again Associates. Roshni has a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and one in Psychology as well as a master’s in Feminist Clinical Psychology. She is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, Approved Consultant and Adjunct Faculty at the Institute for Creative Mindfulness.

Sue Genest, MSc., CCC

Sue Genest, M.Sc., 1st Class Honors BA, CCC, RCC., Director of Life Journeys Counselling and Training. Genest is an EMDRIA-approved training provider and teaches EMDR Basic and Advanced. Genest has over 34 years of experience in the mental health field; Indigenous education; Federal and Provincial corrections; health educator; child worker (Community; Children’s hospital); disability care provider; research in mental health and medical faculty (pediatrics; bioethics). Genest has won numerous awards for her academic work. She has published, presented, and taught University classes in the areas of EMDR, 2SLGBTQ+; counselling skills, lifespan development, holistic health, pediatrics, qualitative research, sexuality, career counselling.

Danielle (Daniel) Godfrey, LCSW-R

Danielle (Daniel) Godfrey, LCSW-R, (she\her) is a practicing trauma therapist in Buffalo New York. She is an EMDRIA approved Consultant in Training (CIT) who specializes in working with Gender Diverse, LGBTQIA+ other queer identified people who have been impacted by trauma. She has provided trainings, through the Trauma Institute/ Child Trauma institute, participated in speaker panels for ICM, EMDRIA and EMDR Canada and most recently presented at the EMDRIA 2022 Virtual Conference. She is a strong advocate against the traumatization of queer peoples through the use of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) and other stigmatizing /non-affirming clinical practices.

Rocio Hernández, Ph.D., LMFT, LPCC

Rocio “Cio” Hernández, Ph.D., LMFT, LPCC, is CEO and founder of Got This! Inc. In her practice, Dr. Hernández offers EMDR and other modalities to replace haunting memories with a new outlook on life or to help people reach a positive life goal. Her Got This! App has now been used to lower stress and boost confidence using EMDR elements and other techniques. For over 20 years, she has worked on policy, philanthropy, public information, the Kaiser research board, teaches continuing education, and serves on the First 5 Children and Families Commission. Her goal is to diversify access to EMDR and mental health care.

Brittany Johnson, LMHC

Brittany A. Johnson, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private practice in Southern Indiana. Brittany is certified in several trauma modalities including racial trauma and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and is an Approved Consultant in EMDR. Brittany uses EMDR to treat clients with anxiety, attachment related trauma and racial trauma. Brittany presented at the 2021 EMDRIA conference on micro-aggressions and their role in racial trauma. This presentation was a result of the work Brittany does with professional women of color who work in the corporate world. Brittany has turned that presentation into an introductory mini course.

Jordanna Saunders, MC, LPC, NCC, CEAP

Jordanna Saunders, MC, LPC, NCC, CEAP, grew up in a Tribal community that has been negatively impacted by genocide/historical trauma and has seen and experienced first-hand what happens when healing and reconciliation doesn’t occur in a systemic and sustained manner. Indigenous and people of color/people from underserved communities experience shortened life spans, reduced quality of life. Indigenous women experience violence at much higher rates than non-Indigenous women & often deal with PTSD with little to no professional support. For these reasons and more, Jordanna’s work focuses on improving access to trauma informed mental health services utilizing EMDR and technology in Indigenous communities.