A Community of Heart Profile: Mark Grant

In this edition, I am delighted to introduce you to Mark Grant from Sydney, Australia. Mark has been involved in using EMDR from early on and is an active member of the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA). In his current capacity as chairman of the committee that governs EMDRAA, he has helped to coordinate the legal incorporation of the EMDR Association of Australia. This is a process that he has referred to as "a process with more "blockages" than a resistant EMDR client!" The headquarters of EMDRAA is based in Sydney but Mark reports that he forsees the administration moving around the country as the committee faces re-election every two years. He hopes that EMDRAA will serve the needs of Australian therapists and extends an invitation to other EMDR associations in the Pacific region to call on EMDRAA to provide advice and support. EMDRAA produces a quarterly newsletter titled "Saccades" that is currently guided by the leadership of Jennifer Braithwaite (one of the original founders of EMDRAA). She writes about Mark in the September, c1997 edition of Saccades: "My first and very pleasurable task as the new Editor of Saccades is to thank Mark Grant for his hardworking and able efforts in launching our Newsletter. Mark is dedicated to developing and strengthening the Association. The role he played as Editor and his new role as Chairman demonstrates his commitment to these ends and we as members reap the benefits. Thank you Mark."

When Mark is not attending to EMDRAA business, he can be found in Sydney where he maintains a private practice. His is known for his interest and contribution to the use of EMDR in the treatment of pain management and has developed methods of incorporating EMDR into the psychological management of pain. He presented on this subject at the EMDR International Association conference in San Francisco in 1997 and has written a manual for chronic pain that is currently being submitted for publication. Also, he is interested in the interface between pain and culture. The concept of Emotional Intelligence and the possible correlation between EQ and susceptibility to EMDR is another area of fascination for Mark. He is the author of two self-help tapes that incorporate bilateral stimulation and were inspired by its use in EMDR.

Not only is Mark involved in politics, publishing and psychotherapy, he is a clinician who has mastered the intricacies of the Internet and he has produced a website called "Mark Grant's Chronic Pain Pages." On his web-site, you will find articles about the psychological treatment of chronic pain, including the use of EMDR, medication; links to other pain sites; scans of pain patients; information about support groups; self-help resources (including EMDR tapes); and information about EMDR trainings. This web-site address is HYPERLINK http://www.ozemail.com.au/~markgra

One of six siblings, Mark notes that his first 20 years were spent in New Zealand and the last 20 have been dedicated to Australia. He sees himself coming from "a transplanted English culture, with a bit of pioneer spirit thrown in." He studied psychology at the University of Sydney and graduated with a Master of Arts, majoring in Psychology in 1989. While at the University, he participated in a research project investigating the role of attitudes and beliefs in peoples' reactions to information about AIDS.

However, Mark not only works hard, he plays hard and admits to a love of nature and the ocean. He enjoys exploring the Australian coastline and recently went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef where, as he floated above the many different-shaped and multi-colored corals and viewing the colored fish, he expressed, "I felt a powerful awareness of the tremendous variety of life on our planet, and the preciousness of that." He relaxes with Yoga and enjoys non-fiction books concerning the universe, sci-fi movies and spicy foreign food.