EMDR UK Association's new patron, Darren McGarvey, is a writer, columnist, broadcaster, social commentator, and hip-hop recording artist (Loki).

Darren grew up in Pollok on the south side of Glasgow and has lived through extreme poverty, addiction, and homelessness.

In this episode, he shares his story with Russell Hurn, detailing how he began EMDR therapy as a teenager following the sudden death of his mother. He highlights the importance of his relationship with his therapist, Marlyn, and offers his thoughts on the current discourse surrounding trauma on social media. Darren also gives us a glimpse into his conference presentation at the EMDR UK 2025 conference in Liverpool.

In 2009, he founded Volition Scotland, an organisation that was designed and run by the young people who used it. He was part of the Poverty Truth Commission that was hosted in Glasgow in the same year. McGarvey became the Violence Reduction Unit’s first ever ‘Rapper-in Residence’ in 2015 and continues to work across Scotland in some of its most challenged communities.

He was recently inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, which deemed his books on social inequality to be of 'outstanding literary merit'.

His new book Trauma Industrial Complex: Oversharing in the Age of Lived Experience is available for pre order and due for release on 14th August 2025.

Tickets for his 60 minute show at the Edinburgh Fringe Show 2025 https://www.thestand.co.uk/fringe/2459/darren-mcgarvey-trauma-industrial-complex-the-live-show

11/08/25 Trauma Industrial Complex is Book of the Week on Radio 4 and you can listen again on BBC Sounds

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m002gztq

In a world where disinformation about personal trauma abounds, Darren McGarvey asks if the stories we tell ourselves are liberating us - or keeping us trapped

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.

EMDR UK presents a pre-conference 2025 podcast with
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and EMDR Consultant Hope Payson.

Hope draws on over 30 years of experience working with addiction and trauma, firmly believing they are deeply interconnected. Her journey with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) began during her time in an outreach program, where she encountered what she describes as the "wildest therapy" she had ever seen. Though initially skeptical, her perspective shifted after working with a client who had hit rock bottom following a relapse and overdose. With no other options proving effective, she decided to take a leap of faith, setting aside her fear of triggering another relapse. The result was transformative—her client achieved a remarkable recovery, solidifying her belief in EMDR's power to heal.

Hope emphasizes that addiction often serves as a symptom of underlying trauma, highlighting the intrinsic link between the two. She acknowledges, however, that one of the greatest challenges for EMDR therapists lies in crafting effective treatment plans tailored to each individual. At the 2025 conference, she will share practical strategies and insights to help fellow practitioners navigate this complex process.

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.

At the EMDR European Conference in Dublin, Russell Hurn grabbed a few minutes with Clinical Psychologist and senior trainer, Robin Logie as he came off stage to talk to him about his 'Wilderness Years' and his current book, EMDR Supervision- A Handbook, published by Routledge.

https://www.routledge.com/EMDR-Supervision-A-Handbook/Logie/p/book/9781032102832

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.