Culturally Relevant Trauma Therapy
EMDR Africa Conference 2025
6-7 October 2025
Kampala Uganda
Registration extended 24 th September 2025
Hurry and book your seat
Time left to Deadline for registration 5th September.
Agenda
All times GMT/UTC+3
Conference registration Verification and Guest seating
Speech by the EMDR Global Alliance President Dr Andre Montiero, EMDR Africa and EMDR Uganda Representatives.
Cultural performance
Clinical presentation: Cultural adaptations in EMDR with children and adults in Africa.
Prof. Femke Bannink Mbazzi – EMDR Africa / EMDR Uganda / EMDR Belgium / EMDRIA
1. Aspects of the practice of EMDR therapy in Madagascar by • Dr. Hasina Andrianarivony Bakohariliva, EMDR Madagascar.
2. Exploring EMDR therapists' perspectives and experiences in Nigeria by Aboh Ogbole, PhD student, Ghent University, Nigerian Armed Defence Forces (online).
3. PTSD among healthcare professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Cameroon by • Rev.Fr. Dr. Siver Kibu, PhD student, Daystar University, Kenya.
Official Conference Photo
PTSD in refugees and displaced populations in East Africa using EMDR Therapy by Kizito Wamala & Joyce Laker – EMDR Uganda
Activity by Team EMDR Kenya
EMDR & psychosis by Prof David van den Berg – EMDR Europe – the Netherlands
Suki Jaffe
Clinical presentation – EMDR Four Field with children and adults by Dr Gisela Roth – EMDR Africa - Kenya
EMDR therapy with human rights defenders by Vivian Olgah Kudda Mukiibi – EMDR Uganda
1. Adverse Childhood Events in medical students in Ghana by Dr. Dzifa Abra Attah – University of Ghana
2. Efficacy of EMDR on post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety disorders among orphaned children in institutions of care in Kiambu county, Kenya by Dr. Arlene Nduku, PhD, EMDR Kenya
3. Exploring the impact of trauma on ADHD presentation and the efficacy of EMDR by Zawadi Kimari, PhD student, EMDR Kenya
PTSD and disgust after sexual violence, experiences from Botswana and Rwanda by Jannetta Bos – EMDR Europe – the Netherlands
Online livestream EMDR informed interventions for problematic anger and violent aggression by Dr. Mark Nickerson EMDRIA - USA
Team Uganda
Healing together: Dyadic EMDR in a case of cross-racial adoption by Suki Jaffe EMDR Africa South Africa
Tribute to Catherine Mbau by EMDR Africa and EMDR Kenya
Next steps for EMDR Africa - Panel Discussion by Dr. Gisela Roth, Alice Blanchard, Suki Jaffe, Rev.Dismas Bwesigye, Anne Dewailly – EMDR Africa Executive Committee
Closing remarks by Invited guest
Dinner, Cultural Night and Recognition of Partners
Venue: Makerere University School of Public Health Auditorium
Presenters
Dr. Gisela Roth
Born and raised in Germany, she started out working in Uganda and Zimbabwe as a general medical doctor, later started and ran a home-based AIDS care team, and then specialized in psychiatry and psychotherapy to support church based global workers. First Level 1 training in EMDR in 1999. She moved to Kenya in 2005 to work with Tumaini Counseling Center. She co-organized the first Kenyan EMDR training in 2007. As a founding member of EMDR Kenya and the EMDR Africa Association, she serves as a member of the executive committee and heads the standards and training committee of the latter. She currently continues with online work from Germany. Her current project is getting African EMDR consultants trained as EMDR trainers.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Siver Kibu
Rev. Fr. Dr. Siver Kibu is a psychotherapist and a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He holds a Doctorate in Christian Counseling from Salt Lake Bible College of America and a Ph.D. Fellow in Clinical Psychology at Daystar University, Nairobi. He earned a Master of Science in Clinical Counselling from the University of Bamenda, along with Bachelor's degrees in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Cameroon and Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome. He is a trained EMDR therapist and certified traumatologist from the Green Cross Academy of Traumatology, USA. He is also a Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) accredited counselor/Psychologist. He is a visiting lecturer and a counselor at AOSK Chemchemi Ya Uzima College - Kenya.
Vivian O. Kudda-Mukiibi
Vivian Olgah Kudda-Mukiibi is a committed Ugandan Clinical Psychologist with a decade of experience, specializing in trauma work. She has designed and delivered mental health and psychosocial support services across various settings, including clinical, refugee, school, and community settings. Vivian is skilled in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and also conducts neuropsychological and educational assessments for both children and adults. Her EMDR expertise has benefited civic actors and human rights defenders. She currently practices at the Psychology Practice in Naguru and Minders Wellness and Psychological Centre in Ntinda.
Prof. Femke Bannink Mbazzi
Femke is a clinical and educational psychologist and EMDR therapist based in Uganda. She works at Psychology Practice and is an Associate Professor at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit in Entebbe, where she heads the Disability Research Group. She is the EMDR Africa research Committee Lead and has given presentations about cultural adaptations in EMDR at the EMDR UK, EMDRIA, and EMDR Europe conferences.
Aboh James Ogbole, MSc
Aboh is a clinical psychologist and PhD candidate at Ghent University, Belgium, specializing in trauma-focused interventions for military populations. His research examines the efficacy of EMDR in treating post-traumatic stress disorder among Nigerian soldiers, emphasizing culturally specific implementation. Aboh has conducted mixed-method studies on military mental health and trauma outcomes, integrating clinical practice with evidence-based research. Dedicated to culturally relevant trauma therapy, his work advances strategies to strengthen mental health care for soldiers and improve trauma services in resource-constrained, conflict-exposed settings like Nigeria.
Dr. Hasina Andrianarivony Bakohariliva
Dr. Hasina Andrianarivony Bakohariliva is a Child Psychiatrist, Researcher, and Teacher at the Faculty of Medicine of Mahajanga, Madagascar. She has been an EMDR Europe accredited Practitioner since 2017, trained by Trauma Aïd France with Martine Iracane Coste, and became an EMDR Europe Consultant in 2024. Hasina serves as Vice President of the EMDR Madagascar Association, is a member of the Standards and Subcommittee of EMDR Africa since 2024, and belongs to the EMDR France Association. She works at the Universitary Hospital PzaGa Androva Mahajanga, part-time in the Child Psychiatric Unit of the Pediatric Department, and is the referral Child Psychiatrist for minors who are victims of sexual assault at the UNICEF-supported Vonjy Center.
Dr. David Van Den Berg
Dr. David Van Den Berg is a practicing Clinical Psychologist, professor of Clinical Psychology at the VU University Amsterdam, and head of the Mark van der Gaag Research Centre (MRC) at Parnassia Psychiatric Institute in The Hague. As a therapist, David is specialised in cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis and post-traumatic stress. David is a supervisor for the Dutch Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy and a member (practitioner) of the Dutch Association for EMDR. With colleagues, David led the Dutch Treating Trauma In Psychosis trial, and he is the principal investigator on the Re.Process trial, from which the results are expected to be released next year. Besides studying the effects of psychological and psychosocial interventions for people with psychosis, David leads several research projects aimed at reforming the Dutch Mental Healthcare system.
Dr. Arlene Nduku, PsyD
Dr. Arlene Nduku, PsyD is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with adults, children, and adolescents impacted by trauma. She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from United States International University–Africa (USIU-A) and completed advanced training in trauma therapy. Dr. Nduku specializes in culturally responsive, evidence-based interventions, including EMDR, CBT, and brief therapies. She recently led a research project on EMDR with children in residential care in Kenya, focusing on PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Her work reflects a strong commitment to expanding access to effective mental health care in low-resource settings. She currently serves as Chairperson of Research for EMDR-Kenya and is an EMDR Supervisor-in-Training.
Zawadi Kimari, MSc
Zawadi is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and PhD applicant at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, researching EMDR in treating ADHD among trauma-exposed adults. She is EMDR Level 2-trained, with additional certifications in EMDR for depression, complex early childhood trauma, and creative EMDR for children and adolescents. With over eight years of experience, her clinical work spans trauma-informed care, neurocognitive assessment, and complex comorbidities. Zawadi has served as a clinical lead and CME coordinator, organizing hybrid symposia and multidisciplinary panels. Her published work includes peer-reviewed articles and commentaries on ADHD, telepsychiatry, social media, and culturally responsive mental health care in sub-Saharan Africa.
Laker Joyce Ocen
Laker is a trained trauma counsellor working in Northern Uganda. For the past 20 years, Joyce has been supporting victims of war who experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder through Narrative Exposure Therapy and EMDR. Joyce holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Psychology from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (1997), a Postgraduate Diploma in Conflict Management & Peace Studies from Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda (2009), and a Diploma in Trauma Counselling, equipping her to bridge evidence-based approaches with local realities.
Jannetta Bos
Jannetta Bos is a psychotherapist, family therapist, registered sexologist, and EMDR supervisor with extensive experience in trauma treatment in humanitarian and cross-cultural contexts. She has worked for more than a decade at Arq Centre ’45, a leading institute for survivors of war and persecution, and has trained and supervised internationally in EMDR, cognitive behavioural therapy, and Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy. For nearly 20 years, Jannetta has volunteered with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) as a mental health trainer and consultant in conflict and post-conflict settings, including South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Sierra Leone. She has facilitated EMDR programs in Botswana and supported community-based trauma healing with genocide survivors in Rwanda. Her work highlights the importance of culturally sensitive approaches to trauma therapy, integrating global best practices with local knowledge and resilience.
Dr. Dzifa Abra Attah, PhD
Dr. Dzifa Abra Attah is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Ghana Medical School. With over 15 years of clinical and academic experience, she focuses on trauma therapy for survivors of abuse, particularly women and young people. She leads the TALKIT research project, an artificial intelligence initiative addressing negative self-talk among medical students, and the Building Resilience in Medical Students project. Dr. Attah has published on digital mental health interventions, trauma care, and psychosocial wellbeing. She is a passionate advocate for mental health equity and gender-based violence prevention, who combines research, community engagement, and International partnerships to advance trauma-informed, culturally sensitive mental health services in Ghana and across Africa.
EMDR Africa Executive Committee
Dr Gisela Roth
Born and raised in Germany, she started out working in Uganda and Zimbabwe as a general medical doctor, later started and ran a home-based AIDS care team, and then specialized in psychiatry and psychotherapy to support church based global workers. First Level 1 training in EMDR in 1999. She moved to Kenya in 2005 to work with Tumaini Counseling Center. She co-organized the first Kenyan EMDR training in 2007. As a founding member of EMDR Kenya and the EMDR Africa Association, she serves as a member of the executive committee and heads the standards and training committee of the latter. She currently continues with online work from Germany. Her current project is getting African EMDR consultants trained as EMDR trainers.
Rev. Dismas Eddie Bwesigye
Rev. Dismas is a psychotherapist and retired Mental Health Chaplain who served at Uganda's National Mental Referral Hospital, where he integrated spiritual care with clinical mental health services. Currently in private practice, serving as President of the EMDR Uganda Association and as a member of the EMDR Africa Executive Committee, Bwesigye has been instrumental in promoting Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy throughout Uganda and across the African continent. His unique background combining psychotherapy expertise with chaplaincy experience has made him a respected leader in advancing evidence-based trauma treatment in the country.
Alice Blanchard, MSc
Alice has more than 35 years of psychotherapy experience, over 30 of them in Kenya. She is Director of the Courtyard Wellness Centre, integrating diverse therapeutic approaches to support mental health and wellbeing. As Co-founder and Chair of EMDR Kenya Association and member of EMDR Africa Executive Committee, Alice has been instrumental in expanding trauma treatment across Africa. An EMDR Consultant and facilitator for many years, she is passionate about building local capacity, raising professional standards, and empowering Kenyan practitioners to address growing community needs. Her work continues to shape the future of trauma treatment in Africa, blending compassion, expertise, and a vision for stronger, more sustainable mental health care.
Anne Dewailly
Anne Dewailly is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and EMDR Europe consultant. As vice president of Trauma Aid France, she has facilitated and supervised EMDR trainings in many countries (Lebanon, Romania, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tunisia, Madagascar). She has been living and working in Africa for 14 years. Her clinical practice includes the treatment of psychological trauma with a focus on cultural adaptation, as well as issues related to exile and expatriation. She is a co-founder and member of the executive committee of the EMDR Africa association.
Suki Jaffe, M.A. Clin. Psych (UCT)
Suki Jaffe, M.A. Clin. Psych (UCT), is a Clinical Psychologist who has been in private practice in Cape Town since 2001. She specializes in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, parent–infant psychotherapy, and EMDR therapy. She is an EMDRIA-certified therapist and Approved Consultant, as well as an EMDR Africa Consultant. Suki is actively involved in supervising EMDR therapists across South Africa. She serves on the Executive Committee of EMDR South Africa and EMDR Africa and has facilitated at EMDR trainings since 2005. She has presented widely at conferences, professional interest groups, and teaching institutions on trauma, attachment, and parent-infant psychotherapy. Her work integrates clinical practice, teaching, and supervision, with a particular focus on dyadic and relational frameworks.
Reyhana Seedat
Clinical Social Worker EMDR Consultant and EMDR Institute Trainer Certified Play Therapist and Trainer of the Association of Play Therapists President of EMDR South Africa
What I am looking forward to...
F.A.Q
This FAQ will be updated regularly. Please check this website for the most current information.
What is the EMDR Africa Conference?
The EMDR Africa Conference is a professional gathering focused on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy applications across the African continent. This year's conference brings together mental health professionals, researchers, and practitioners to share knowledge, best practices, and culturally adapted approaches to trauma treatment in African contexts.
Who should attend?
- Licensed mental health professionals
- EMDR therapists and consultants
- Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
- Social workers and counselors
- Researchers in trauma and mental health
- Students in relevant mental health programs
- Healthcare administrators and policy makers
How do I register for the conference?
Registration is available online through our official conference website. There are limited spaces
BOOK EARLY
What does registration include?
- Access to all conference sessions and workshops
- Conference materials and resources
- Welcome reception
- Coffee breaks and networking sessions
- Certificate of attendance
- Access to recorded sessions
Are CEUs/CPD credits available?
Unfortunately No! We are working to provide continuing education units for various professional bodies in future
Will there be translation services at the Conference?
Is Uganda safe at night?
Is there comfortable accomodation near the site?
How do I access information on interesting sites in Uganda?
What airport should I fly into?
Entebbe International Airport (EBB) is the main international airport serving Kampala, located approximately 40km from the city center.
You can use your UBER app to get to your hotel from the airport
Do I need a visa to enter Uganda?
Most international visitors require a visa. Uganda offers e-visas for many countries. Check with the Ugandan embassy or consulate in your country for specific requirements.
What health precautions should I take?
- Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry
- Consult your healthcare provider about other recommended vaccinations
- Consider malaria prophylaxis as Uganda is in a malaria-endemic area
- Bring necessary personal medicationsT
- The tap water is generally not potable use bottled water
Will there be WiFi at the venue?
Yes, complimentary WiFi will be available throughout the conference venue.
What's the time zone?
Uganda operates on East Africa Time (EAT), which is UTC+3.
What should I know about Ugandan culture?
Uganda is known for its warm hospitality. English is widely spoken as it's an official language. Dress modestly, especially when visiting cultural sites, and be respectful of local customs and traditions.
What's the weather like in October?
October is during the short dry season with warm temperatures (20-28°C/68-82°F). Pack light, breathable clothing and a light jacket for air-conditioned venues.
Is the venue accessible for people with disabilities?
We are committed to making the conference accessible to all participants. Please contact us during registration to discuss any specific accessibility needs.
What's the local currency and payment methods?
- Local currency: Ugandan Shilling (UGX)
- US Dollars are widely accepted
- Credit cards are accepted at major establishments
- ATMs are available for Visa and Mastercard
Partners
$50 ONLINE
$30 OPTIONAL DINNER
A receipt and login credentials will be provided prior to the conference to enable online participants to become acquainted with the technology.