In memory of Dr. Francine Shapiro, the founder of EMDR Therapy

Dear members and friends of Taiwan EMDR Association:

Yesterday morning we received the shocking news from EMDRIA, informing that Dr. Francine Shapiro passed away on Sunday, June 16 2019, at the age of 72. Subsequent messages from our Institute trainer, Mr. Sigmund Burzynski, and EMDR Asia confirmed the news and shared with us a moment of silence.

At TEMDRA, we were fortunate to have our former President, Dr. Peili Wu, and board member, Ms. Chao-Hui Huang, to present Dr. Shapiro the Traditional Chinese edition of her classic work Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (shown in the image above), translated by some of our dedicated members, as a gesture of our devotion to this revolutionizing therapy. I also could never forget the encouragement Dr. Shapiro gave all the EMDR practitioners in Taiwan, when Board Member, Prof. Sue-Hwang Chang, and I attended the EMDRIA annual conference just a couple of years back.

In memory of Dr. Shapiro, Carol Miles, President of EMDRIA, stated: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Francine Shapiro, the originator of EMDR therapy.  Dr. Shapiro dedicated her life’s work to the development of this transformative psychotherapy model.  Her research, perseverance, dedication, and passion led the way to create a path to recovery for an inestimable number of people around the world.  Dr. Shapiro’s legacy lives on through her work, the EMDR community, and those who have found healing and hope through EMDR therapy.”

As a successor just starting on Dr. Shapiro’s path to EMDR therapy, it always amazes me how she grasped such a fleeting experience and benefited not only herself but also our world. Her incessant efforts opened up a new frontier that brings us the fruitful outcomes to share with our patients and clients. Further advancements in EMDR went beyond the mere development of a psychotherapeutic theory and manifested her compassion for the humankind. Her willingness to shoulder the responsibilities and her keen spirit to collaborate with modern psychologists were what we admire and will continue to strive for.

Dr. Francine Shapiro won many awards in her life and the EMDR communities also keep growing following her guidance. As one of the member bodies, TEMDRA has received the full support from EMDRIA to promote EMDR and train EMDR therapists in our region.

On behalf of all members of TEMDRA and those benefited from EMDR, we would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Shapiro for her epoch findings and generous sharing. It is also her meticulous work and continuous advancement that allow us helping professionals to have such an effective approach and heal those wounded to recovery.

Our deepest condolences to Dr. Francine Shapiro’s family and her loved ones and our sincere regards to everyone in the EMDR communities.

Chen-Jung Hu

President of TEMDRA

June 19, 2019

(Translated by Hsinhao Tsai)