A Community of Heart, by Marilyn Luber
Description
In the spirit of wanting to serve our organization and the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) community, I thought that it was important to celebrate the hard work, dedication to healing the suffering in the world, research, and the commitment to the greater world community that I was seeing all around me. These attributes have been an integral part of our community since its inception. In fact, Francine Shapiro's ongoing commitment to the healing of suffering in the world grew out of her own personal experience and her observation of what was transpiring in the larger society and the world. Her dedication and commitment have been the foundation upon which the EMDR community has been built.
We know that the leader of an organization sets the example for its members. In dedicating herself to the highest standards of competence to support the healing of clients around the world, Dr. Shapiro has given us a great gift. She shows us that with determination and commitment, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our clients, ourselves and the greater psychological community as more and more of us commit ourselves to research as a routine part of our practices. As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
In the following chapters, you will meet some of your fellow colleagues who are models of this type of dedication and commitment. They are only 47 in the larger group of more than 100,000 clinicians trained in EMDR. They are part of the many who work daily in their offices, in community mental health centers, in universities, and as responders to critical incidents in the face of man-made and natural catastrophes who are making a difference and carrying on the legacy of Francine Shapiro's mission to heal the suffering in the world and to enable optimal functioning.
During the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to meet many of these practitioners of EMDR. The work that has been done has been an inspiration. I hope that these profiles will give you a deeper understanding of the people behind the name of EMDR and inspire you to continue your own work, and share your contributions, triumphs and joys as you work with EMDR.
About the Author:
Marilyn Luber, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in general private practice in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in Human Development from Bryn Mawr College in 1986 and was licensed as a Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1987 and the State of New Jersey in 1989.
Dr. Luber has worked in the area of clinical psychology from the early 1980’s. She has experience dealing with a wide range of psychological and behavioral issues and has been in both the public and private sectors.
In 1992, Dr. Francine Shapiro trained her in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. She has been instrumental in supporting the use of EMDR in the Greater Delaware Valley region. She has coordinated trainings in EMDR-related fields in the greater Philadelphia area since 1997. She teaches Facilitator and Supervisory trainings and other EMDR-related subjects both nationally and internationally and was on the EMDR Task Force for Dissociative Disorders. She was on the Founding Board of Directors of the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and served as the Chairman of the International Committee until June 1999. In 2014, she was a member of the Scientific Committee for the EMDR Europe Edinburgh Conference. Currently, she is a facilitator for the EMDR Global Alliance to support upholding the standard of EMDR worldwide.
In 1997, Dr. Luber was given a Humanitarian Services Award by the EMDR Humanitarian Association, and later, in 2003, she was presented with the EMDR International Association’s award for “For Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDRIA.” In 2005, she was awarded “The Francine Shapiro Award For Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDR.” In 2024, she received a Special Award for the 25th Anniversary of EMDR Europe for outstanding contribution to EMDR therapy in Europe.
In 2018, she edited Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Treating Trauma in Somatic and Medical-related Conditions and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Treating eating disorders, chronic pain, and maladaptive self-care behaviors. During the COVID-19 outbreak, she edited, EMDR Resources in the Era of COVID-19, and in 2023, she was part of the group that published, Treating Depression with EMDR Therapy: Techniques and Interventions.
In 2001, through EMDR HAP (Humanitarian Assistance Programs), she published Handbook for EMDR Clients that has been translated into eight languages; the proceeds from sales of the handbook go to EMDR HAP organizations worldwide. She has written the “Around the World” and “In the Spotlight” articles for the EMDRIA Newsletter, four times a year since 1997. In 2009, she edited Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) scripted protocols: Basics and special situations (Springer) and Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) scripted protocols: Special populations (Springer). She interviewed Francine Shapiro and co-authored the interview with Dr. Shapiro for the Journal Of EMDR Practice and Research (Luber & Shapiro, 2009) and later wrote the entry about Dr. Shapiro for E.S. Neukrug’s, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy (2015). Several years later, in 2012, she edited Springer’s first CD-ROM books: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Scripted Protocols With Summary Sheets CD-ROM Version: Basics and Special Situations and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Scripted Protocols With Summary Sheets CD-ROM Version: Special Populations. In 2014, she edited, Implementing EMDR Early Mental Health Interventions for Man-Made and Natural Disasters: Models, Scripted Protocols and Summary Sheets. In 2015, she edited EMDR Therapy Scripted Protocols and Summary Sheets: Treating trauma-and stressor-related conditions and EMDR Therapy Scripted Protocols and Summary Sheets: Treating anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and mood-related condition. In 2018, she edited Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Treating trauma in somatic and medical-related conditions and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Treating eating disorders, chronic pain, and maladaptive self-care behaviors.
Dr. Luber is a clinical psychologist, consultant of clinicians, educator and writer. Since 1987, she has been active in her independent general psychology practice working with adolescents, couples and adults. Although, she works with a wide range of clients with diverse issues, she is known especially for her work with Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), trauma and related issues, and dissociative disorders. She is active in the EMDR community and runs Consultation Groups for EMDR practitioners. She has worked as a Primary Consultant for the FBI field division in Philadelphia.
Community Activities
Marilyn Luber, Ph.D., has been active in her profession and community and served as a Board Member to the following organizations:
- The Wright Choice Foundation, Board Member
- Research Center for Experimental Theatre (ReCET), Board Member
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association, Founding Board Member
- Greater Philadelphia Society for Clinical Hypnosis, Member-at-large
- Silvan Tomkins Institute Interim Board, Interim Board Member
- Global Cause, Board Member
Affiliations
- American Psychological Association, Member
- EMDR International Association, Charter Member
- International Society for the Study of Dissociation, Member
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Member
- Greater Philadelphia Society or Clinical Hypnosis, Member
- Pennsylvania Psychological Association, Fellow
- Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists, Member
- Silvan Tomkins Institute, Member
Awards
- 2024 – “Special Award for the 25thAnniversary of EMDR Europe presented to Marilyn Luber for outstanding contribution to EMDR therapy in Europe”
- 2023 – International World Changer: Marilyn Luber – Honoring a volunteer who has made a significant global impact, 2023 Trauma Recovery: EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs
- 2005 – Marilyn Luber, Ph.D., was awarded “The Francine Shapiro Award For Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDR”
- 2003 – Marilyn Luber, Ph.D., was presented with the EMDR International Association’s award for “For Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDRIA”
- 1999 – Marilyn Luber, Ph.D., was given a Humanitarian Services Award by the EMDR Humanitarian Association
Collection Items
Community of Heart: Marilyn LuberMarilyn Luber, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in general private practice in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her…
Graciela Rodriguez Graciela Rodriguez is a dynamic, jubilant woman from Argentina. She is a physician and a psychiatrist and started her career as a…
Esly Carvalho When a powerful person walks into a room, it is evident. Whether it is the surety of step, the self-possessed presence, and/or the…
A Community of Heart: Kathy E. B. DavisDespite roots that go deep into American history, Katherine Davis’ experience in life has turned her into a woman who deeply understands the diversity…
A Community of Heart: Mona Zaghrout-HodaliMona Zaghrout-Hodali is Head of Counseling in the Rehabilitation services of the East Jerusalem YMCA, which provides services throughout East…
A Community of Heart: Peggy MooreTurning points in our lives often contain earth-shaking events precipitating a change in worldview sometimes over time and sometimes in a flash.…
A Community of Heart: Lourdes MedinaLourdes (Lulu) Medina comes from the Republic of the Philippines, an archipelago of 7,107 islands bordered by the Philippine, Sulu, South China and…
A Community of Heart: Mark RussellIn 1995, Mark went from being a Marine to joining the Navy and becoming a “squid”, as there were no medical facilities in the Marines. It was a shock…
A Community of Heart: Bessel van der KolkHow does one choose one’s way in life? Bessel van der Kolk believes that “Lives are accidental and unexplainable. Stuff happens and then life is never…
A Community of Heart: Gyða EyjólfsdóttirGyða Eyjólfsdóttir was born in Reykjavik, Iceland. Gyða’s father, Eyjolfur Thor Georgsson, was working as a taxi driver when he met Dora Olafsdottir,…
A Community of Heart: Susana Gabriela Uribe RamirezSusana’s love of her family, her community and her country are the guiding principles that inspire the choices in her life. She is the sixth child of…
A Community of Heart: Carol ForgashCarol Forgash is one of our EMDR community treasures. Her parents were immigrants; her motherwas from Belarus, and her father was from Galicia. They…
A Community of Heart Profile: Susan RogersSusan Rogers’ recounting of her life is as clear and as straightforward as her teaching. Her father, George Phillips Rogers, was from Corry,…
A Community of Heart Profile: Louise MaxfieldLouise Maxfield has been one of the most prolific and interesting women that I know. She was born in Southend-on-Sea in London to parents who found…
A Community of Heart Profile: Ana GomezAna M. Gomez is our Colombian-born colleague who now lives in the United States. Her mother, Elizabeth Ramirez, and father, Pedro Jose Gomez, met each…
A Community of Heart Profile: Bennet WolperWhen you first get to know my good friend and colleague, Bennet Wolper, you would not think that his early life was filled with neglect and abuse. He…
A Community of Heart Profile: Jinsong ZhangAlthough Jinsong Zhang is a soft-spoken woman, she has had a strong impact on psychiatry in China. She was born in 1966 at the beginning of the…
A Community of Heart Profile: Sombat TapanyaSombat Tapanya grew up in a loving home, where people appreciated learning. His father, Sriwang, was an elementary school teacher and lived in a small…
A Community of Heart Profile: Mazal MenahamMazal Menaham lives in the southernmost tip of Israel called South Arava, near the Red Sea. It is the junction where Israel, Jordan and Egypt come…
A Community of Heart Profile: Silvia GuzSilvia Guz was born in the municipality of Santo André in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. Her father’s family emigrated from Poland…
A Community of Heart Profile: Sandra WilsonWhen I think of Sandra Wilson, I think of a kaleidoscope of dynamic shapes and colors coinciding with the different facets of her life: caring friend,…
A Community of Heart Profile: David WilsonOver the many years that I have known David Wilson, each time I meet or talk with him I learn something I did not know before about him. Whether he is…
A Community of Heart Profile: Robert TinkerBob Tinker is no stranger to trauma. It began when he was 5 years old and his mother died of breast cancer. In retrospect, he realized that this event…
A Community of Heart Profile: John SpectorWhen I think back to when I learned EMDR compared to now, I marvel at the numbers of people who are trained in this methodology. I can go anywhere in…
A Community of Heart Profile: Roger SolomonIn this time of increasing world-wide disasters -both natural and man-made- and in the wake of September 11 th , I have joined many of my colleagues…
A Community of Heart Profile: Steven M. SilverIn a world filled with conflict, confused thinking and cacophony, Steven M. Silver is the person that you want covering your back. Whether it is on a…
A Community of Heart Profile: Elan ShapiroFrancine Shapiro…was she a cousin…a long lost relative? That is what Elan Shapiro wondered when he heard about the first EMDR training that took place…
A Community of Heart Profile: David Servan-Schreiber (2)On July 24, 2011, our friend and colleague, David Servan-Schreiber died at 50 years of age. He was a leader in our field. He brought his special…
A Community of Heart Profile: David Servan-Schreiber (1)There is a man who is taking the French-speaking world by storm and his name is David Servan-Schreiber. He has written a best selling book called…
A Community of Heart Profile: Reyhana Seedat-RavatAt a time in all of our lives when conflict, racism and divisions are rampant throughout the world, Reyhana Seedat-Ravat offers an alternative way of…
A Community of Heart Profile: Tri Iswardana SadatunThe district of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is located in northern Sumatra and possesses one of Indonesia’s largest reserves of natural gas and oil. This…
A Community of Heart Profile: Udi OrenUdi Oren comes from a tradition of service to family, community and country. Yechezekel Oren, Udiʼs father was born in Poland and came to Israel as a…
A Community of Heart Profile: A. J. PopkyAJ (short for Arnold Jay) Popky has always been an innovative thinker and curious about all life has to offer. Born to Rose and Charles Popky in…
A Community of Heart Profile: Michael PatersonIf ever there were a good candidate for leprechaun, Michael Paterson would be our man. Light of step, keen of wit and big of heart, this engaging…
A Community of Heart Profile: Regina MorrowWhat is immediately noticeable about Regina D. Morrow when you first meet her is her heart and capacity for joy. She embodies the best of the legacy…
A Community of Heart Profile: Richard MitchellThe circumstances of Richard Mitchell’s birth were symbolic of many of the things that would become important in his life: separateness; trauma;…
A Community of Heart Profile: Sushma MehrotaExtraordinary women flourish in our EMDR organization. Sushma Mehrotra from Bombay, India has followed in the footsteps of Francine Shapiro as a woman…
A Community of Heart Profile: Jack McCarthy & Peggy BaconJohn J. McCarthy (Jack) and Margaret S. Bacon (Peggy) met in 1992, while participating on a consultation team. Both were psychologists who shared a…
A Community of Heart Profile: John MarquisSince John Marquis recently told me that he rides his bicycle almost 60 miles a week going home and to work, I have been having this wonderful vision…
A Community of Heart Profile: Elfrun MagloireElfrun Magloire was born Elfrun Saynisch in Hemer, Germany during World War 2. She was conceived while her father was on leave but he never returned.…
A Community of Heart Profile: Jennifer LendlJennifer Lendl is the epitome of the Renaissance woman. She is a multilingual world traveler, an academic with advanced degrees in history and…
A Community of Heart Profile: Christopher LeeAn inquisitive and adventurous nature is often an attribute that describes early pioneers in EMDR. In 1992, Christopher Lee was given an offer he…
A Community of Heart Profile: Emre KonukEmre Konuk is a man of service. Since he was a young man, he has been interested in understanding and improving the human condition and thought he…
A Community of Heart Profile: Barbara KorzunThose of us on the East Coast of the United States have created a family of facilitators over the many years we have been working together. Because of…
A Community of Heart Profile: Jim KnipeWho is this man, Jim Knipe, who lives in the mountains of Colorado? Here is what his friends and colleagues say: “I remember the first impression of…
A Community of Heart Profile: Frankie KlaffAt EMDR Institute trainings, Frankie Klaff likes to introduce herself as “Borderline.” The joke is that she lives on the border of Delaware, Maryland…
A Community of Heart Profile: Ignacio JareroWhat provides the impetus for us to choose the paths that we take? For Ignacio “Nacho” Jarero, his drive to care for othersʼ came from the influences…
A Community of Heart Profile: Masaya IchiiOn a sunny, lovely day, at the EMDRIA 2002 Conference in San Diego, I had the chance to visit with Masaya Ichii, in the Rose Garden, and learn about…
A Community of Heart Profile: Arne HofmannArne Hofmann is influential in the world of trauma education and healing, especially in his native country, Germany. Those who know Arne have been…
A Community of Heart Profile: John HartungIt was in the early days of EMDR that I first met John Hartung. He always had a sparkle in his eye and he was interesting and enthusiastic. Over the…