Professor Derek Farrell MBE Professorial Lecture - 1st June 2023

'Compassion Focussed EMDR therapy in the Treatment of Moral Trauma'

Click here to view the presentation.

Many traumatised individuals' symptoms are not sufficiently captured by the existing ICD-11/DSM criterion for PTSD. Examples of such distinctions include feelings of shame/ guilt, fear of recrimination, and moral injury. Despite burgeoning evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of evidence-based trauma treatments, such as TF-CBT and EMDR, addressing the specific elements related to the moral injury is increasingly important. Moral injury is a response to trauma when an individual's existing moral foundations alter their meaning system.

This presentation explores the core components of moral injury using the Hillsborough Disaster as a critical narrative. It explores the distinction between individual and political responses to trauma. This event is explored through the lens of adaptive information processing - the theoretical framework underpinning EMDR. It further expands on specific tools best to integrate compassion focussed principles during trauma processing with clients and for self-care with trauma therapists.

Derek and MH Team Council Chamber

Derek and colleagues Derek and Deputy Head of School

Derek and family PCEP Members

Derek and colleagues Lanyon Building Council Chamber

Below are a selection of Professor Farrell's Publications:

Farrell, D., Moran, J., Zat, Z., Miller, P. W., Knibbs, L., Papanikolopoulos, P., ... & Kiernan, M. D. (2023). Group early intervention eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy as a video-conference psychotherapy with frontline/emergency workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and moral injury—An RCT study. Frontiers in Psychology, 14.

Scott-Bell, A., Howatson, G., Allen-Baker, G., Farrell, D., Kiernan, M.D, & Wippich, A. (2023) Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing as a Treatment for PTSD in Conflict-Affected Areas. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. 

Tcheshmedjiev, I., & Farrell, D (2023) The effects of EMDR therapy on pregnant clients with substance use disorders: A narrative, scoping literature review. Journal of EMDR Practice & Research, 17(1)

Miller, P., Sinclair, M., Gillen, P., Miller, P., Farrell, D (2023 – in press) A Midwifery Guided Early EMDR-m Group Intervention for Perinatal Trauma. Evidence-Based Midwifery (in press)

Farrell, D., Fadeeva, A., Zat, Z., Knibbs, L., Miller, P., Barron, I., ... & Kiernan, M. D. (2022). A Stage 1 Pilot Cohort Exploring the Use of EMDR Therapy as a Videoconference Psychotherapy During COVID-19 With Frontline Mental Health Workers: A Proof-of-Concept Study Utilising a Virtual Blind 2 Therapist Protocol. Frontiers in Psychology, 2383.

Gettings, R. D., Kirtley, J., Wilson-Menzfeld, G., Oxburgh, G. E., Farrell, D., & Kiernan, M. D. (2022) Exploring the role of social connection in interventions with military veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Systematic narrative review. Frontiers in Psychology, 3646.

Nursing and Midwifery

Professor Derek Farrell MBE Professorial Lecture - 1st June 2023

Below are a selection of Professor Farrell's Publications:

Professorial Lecture Series 2022-23

Contact Us

Quick Links