A Community of Heart

This book of the "In the Spotlight" articles that I have been writing for the EMDR International Association's (EMDRIA) newsletter that I started to do while I was a Founding Board Member of this same association in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the beginning of EMDR.

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, PhD., is a licensed clinical psychologist in general private practice in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 1992. 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 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 Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDRIA." In 2005, she was awarded "The Francine Shapiro Award for Outstanding Contribution and Service to EMDR." In 2001, through EMDR HAP (Humanitarian Assistance Programs), she published Handbook for EMDR Clients, which has been translated into eight languages. 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). She has worked as a Primary Consultant for the FBI field division in Philadelphia. Dr. Luber has a general psychology practice, working with adolescents, adults, and couples, especially with Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), trauma and related issues, and dissociative disorders. She runs Consultation Groups for EMDR practitioners.