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EMDR EARLY
INTERVENTION (EET) FUND
Established in 2018, the EMDR Early Intervention (EEI) Fund is a dedicated research fund for those donors who want to direct their resources to support research exploring the long-term effectiveness of EEI and to evaluate whether it can prevent the eventual development of PTSD.
The incidence of crises, whether personal violence, political trauma, the impact of war, or natural disasters, is rampant and increasing in our world today. Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event directly leads to an increase in human suffering, but also impacts communities and entire regions by reducing productivity, decreasing educational opportunities, and potentially increasing violence and renewed trauma.
Since EMDR therapy has been proven as an effective treatment for trauma, several specialized applications have been developed in the area of early intervention. There is a growing body of research suggesting that early intervention with EMDR-based procedures can help to provide stabilization, mediate the impact of trauma, or even offer full trauma resolution.
These interventions can be offered within hours after exposure to a crisis, and typically within three months following an event. However, some researchers suggest that the early intervention procedures need not be limited by an arbitrary time frame.
There are protocols designed to treat groups as well as individuals. This greatly increases accessibility to treatment in communities or in groups that have suffered a common traumatic event.
Examples of positive results to date have included the use of EEI in groups of children following an earthquake, war refugees living in refugee camps, individuals and groups of women following sexual assault, victims of a geo-political crisis, groups of women post-diagnoses of breast cancer, and children living in a situation of ongoing violence.
EMDR Early Intervention (EEI) & Crisis Response Toolkit
Whether caused by humanity’s actions or natural disasters, untreated trauma can lead to further harm. To address this critical issue, the EMDR Foundation has developed the EMDR Early Intervention (EEI) Toolkit, a valuable resource for clinicians and researchers working in times of crisis.
One of the Foundation’s key goals is to reduce the global burden of trauma by supporting research into the effectiveness of EMDR Early Interventions. This includes exploring their use in treating trauma from natural disasters, man-made crises, individual traumatic events, and situations that impact entire communities.
The EEI Toolkit serves as an essential guide for conducting research in disaster and clinical settings, such as crisis clinics, emergency rooms, and rape treatment centers. It provides:
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An overview of disaster response research methodologies, including Randomized Controlled Trials.
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Access to a range of EMDR Early Intervention protocols tailored for various scenarios.
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Guidelines for selecting appropriate research measures in an easy-to-navigate online format.
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By offering a standardized approach, the Toolkit empowers EMDR clinicians to respond effectively to trauma and disaster situations while collecting crucial data. Our hope is that this resource will foster evidence-based practices and improve outcomes for individuals and communities affected by trauma.
If you download (or plan to download) our Toolkit, please complete the online user registration form so that we can send you Toolkit updates, information, and opportunities. In addition, this information will help us to know how the Toolkit is being used so that we can be aware of what is useful to those conducting EMDR early intervention research now and in the future.
The Toolkit is intended only for EMDR clinicians who have completed Basic EMDR Training and, ideally, are fully trained in the use of the selected specialty protocols. Download the most current version of the toolkit below and subscribe to receive updates.