Building Resilient Communities
TRNA teaches local mental health workers to deliver EMDR therapy in regional and rural communities affected by traumatic events such as bushires, floods and droughts.
EMDR is a proven and cost-effective trauma treatment recommended by the World Health Organisation.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based trauma therapy. EMDR is used to treat or prevent the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For example, EMDR can reduce the intensity of negative emotions associated with traumatic memories.
It is crucial to increase the levels of mental health support in regional and rural communities. TRNA will achieve this by training professionals in EMDR.
EMDR is the tool used by TRNA to equip local mental health practitioners to support people affected by trauma.
Why EMDR?
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment recommended by the World Health Organization. It is also recommended by and the National Health and Medical Research Council Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex PTSD for the treatment of PTSD symptoms.
As clients do not have to do homework, or describe the event in detail, EMDR Therapy has been shown to be the most cost-efficient treatment for PTSD.
Mental Health Crisis
The pandemic, bushfires, floods and other disasters have had a compounding effect on the daily stresses on the lives of people living in Australia. This has resulted in adverse mental health effects for many Australians.
In Australia, mental healthcare professionals provide trauma-focused treatments to those in need, yet access to such services in regional and rural Australia are limited.
There are not enough EMDR practitioners in Australia. More EMDR therapists are needed to address the adverse mental health effects of trauma.
Impact of Trauma
Trauma is a normal reaction to a deeply distressing or disturbing event — Stress and trauma affect millions of Australians.
People with symptoms of trauma may experience significant impairment in physical health and family, social, educational, occupational and other important areas of their lives.
The toll at a personal level is substantial and the economic impact on society is considerable and avoidable with correct treatment.
Consequences
As the frequency and severity of natural disasters increases, we anticipate that more people will experience trauma.
Our awareness of the effects of interpersonal and societal violence is also growing.
This will place greater demand on our mental health workers who are already spread thin.
Our Solution
By training more health care professionals to deliver EMDR therapy, we build capacity for communities to treat trauma — this is a step towards increasing the capacity in regional and rural areas to treat trauma.