Chartered Psychologist Yesim Arikut-Treece gives us an incredible account of delivering EMDR therapy using interpreters in a Yazidi IDP Camp in Iraq

In Episode 2, we meet Yesim Arikut-Treece, who worked as an EMDR therapist for the Free Yazidi Foundation in the Kurdish region of Iraq, helping Yazidi survivors of genocide. She was drawn to this opportunity because of her desire to work in crisis and emergency situations. In 2018, despite facing some political unrest that required her to travel by land in a taxi, Yesim arrived at the women and children's centre in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to begin her work.

The region was in complete disarray, with no houses, schools, or services remaining after the destruction caused by ISIS and Daesh. There were thousands of survivors, all traumatised, but very few therapists were available. Scaling up services to increase capacity was essential and was achieved by training some of the Yazidi women and girls in the Trauma Stress Relief package (TSR) to deliver stabilisation techniques. 

The therapy was delivered using interpreters, and Yesim adapted the G-TEP and IGTP protocols to suit this population. The work presented many challenges, especially during the pandemic when the team had to be more creative. Yesim believes in the versatility and adaptability of EMDR therapy and encourages therapists to apply it in various settings. 

This is a Laura Beech production for EMDR UK.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and presenters and are not endorsed by the Association.