5 Key Takeaways from the EMDRIA 2025 Conference

🎉 I have a big win to share! Last month, I had the honor of presenting at the EMDRIA Conference in Anaheim, one of the largest conferences for mental health professionals who practice EMDR. My featured speaker topic was focused on An IFS-Informed Approach to Redefining Resistance in EMDR Therapy, and I’ve been reflecting on what an incredible experience it was. Between the personal growth, the academic insights, and the joy of connection, this year’s EMDRIA conference was truly unforgettable. Here are my five key takeaways that I hope offer you a nugget or two of information if you weren’t able to attend.

Courage and presence

Standing up to present in front of a large group of 200 professional peers looking back at me wasn’t easy, my nerves definitely showed up. All of a sudden, months of preparation and years of deconstructing my fear of public speaking came to a pinnacle moment, and parts of me froze when I began to speak. A very familiar feeling. Instead of panicking and running off the stage, I skipped ahead to my mantra slide, “All Parts Are Welcome.” I took a moment to be with my parts, and encouraged the audience to welcome their parts. It was an opportunity to honor myself in that moment, help me to ground, and model to the audience how to be with and welcome their parts. I’m proud of myself for staying present with my parts, reminding them we could do this together. It felt like a moment of walking my talk, leaning into both IFS and EMDR in real time. For me, this was a reminder that courage isn’t about the absence of fear, it’s about staying present through it. 😅

Choosing growth over comfort

This year’s EMDRIA conference fell on the same weekend as my 20-year high school reunion. Lately I have been deeply craving a reconnection to my roots in the panhandle of Florida. A reunion with a handful of soul friends, and a return to the place where I feel most at home, the beaches of St. George Island. I have been curious what it would feel like to attend my high school reunion as the woman I am today, and was considering attending. And while parts of me were calling me back to Florida, I chose EMDRIA instead. I am so proud that I chose to do the hard thing that pushed me out of my comfort zone. The decision was a reflection of where I am now: prioritizing growth, connection, and the communities that support my professional (and personal) evolution.

Connection and serendipity

Conferences always have a way of creating connection, and this year was no exception. I got to reconnect with old friends and make new ones throughout the weekend. One of my favorite serendipitous moments? Meeting someone from my hometown who now works for EMDRIA and who just so happened to introduce me during my presentation!

Let me paint a picture. I am attending a Trainer reception dinner, and my introverted self finds a table in the corner all the way in the back of the room. Here I feel safe to “people watch” and chat with a trainer friend of mine. As the room fills up, two women spot our table and we gesture for them to join us. We start with the dreaded small talk and ask where we are from. The woman next to me says, “Tallahassee, Florida.” Then I say, “Neat! I grew up in a small town south of Tallahassee that many people haven’t heard of, Wakulla County.” Then she said, “No way, me too!” Turns out I graduated high school with her younger brother. We became instant friends! The universe has a funny way of weaving threads together. 💞

Accountability and recognition in the field

One of the most powerful moments for me was hearing the keynotes directly hold the APA accountable for dropping EMDR to a second-line treatment, despite their own guidelines supporting it. It was energizing to see leaders in our field advocating so strongly for the work we do. We still have a long way to go with bringing EMDR and AIP more directly into graduate school programs so that we can continue to do research to back up the powerful healing that happens in EMDR.

On a personal level, I was deeply honored when an expert in ego states and parts work (someone I had even cited in my bibliography!) attended my session. Afterward, he introduced himself and told me how much he enjoyed and learned from it. Talk about a full-circle moment.

Science and curiosity

One of my favorite parts of the EMDRIA conference is that I get to keep being a learner. EMDR is a modality that you can be a forever learner as a therapist no matter how long you’ve been practicing. Embracing a learner mindset helps keep me engaged as a therapist and helps with my own burnout prevention. This year, I learned something that blew my mind. EMDR’s effectiveness doesn’t come from bilateral stimulation alone, it’s actually about taxing working memory while sufficiently activating the memory itself. This evolving science inspires me to stay curious, keep learning, and continue refining how I support clients and consultees.

Closing reflections

This year’s EMDRIA Conference was a beautiful reminder of three things: the courage it takes to step into leadership, the joy that comes from authentic connection, and the importance of staying grounded in both science and self. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this inspiring community, and I left Anaheim feeling both humbled and energized for what’s ahead. Until next year, EMDRIA. 💙