Dance postponed; Visit rescheduled

It’s amazing how many things can change in just one day! Last Thursday I realized that ticket sales for our Dance for Hope were not coming in and realized I had to decide whether or not to go ahead with the event. Maybe I should have just pushed on, but I made the decision to postpone it until later this spring after I have returned from Ethiopia with photos, videos and first-hand stories. Those who bought tickets have been contacted and everyone who sent in a donation will receive a thank-you letter from EMDR-HAP for their tax records.

I am very appreciative to those of you who supported me and will let you know when the new event is planned. Anyone still wishing to donate to the 2009 EMDR-HAP training in Ethiopia can do so my clicking on the link to the right.

That same day I called Yewoinshet in Addis Ababa to discuss my trip and found out that most of my visit was suddenly overlapping with a recently announced 2-week mandatory re-credentialing program for Ethiopian therapists. Since the main purpose of my visit was to offer workshops in trauma and stabilization, it now appeared that none of the potential participants would be able to attend.

Thank goodness for exchangeable tickets! I have been able to push my visit back a month and now will be in Ethiopia from March 18th – April 4th. Three weeks of clients had to be rescheduled, but fortunately everyone has been very understanding and my office staff very patient.

Now that I have sorted things out a bit I can take a deep breath, reflect on the concept of impermanence and be grateful for having a little more time to prepare for my upcoming adventures.

"Ready, Steady, Go"

Little did I know this fall that in less than six months, I would be planning my first psycological training in Ethiopia.

On September 2, 2008, I received an email from Yewoinshet Masresha, founder and director of Hope For Children-Ethiopia, responding to my inquirey about recycled eyeglasses for the HFC children, staff and care-takers. Realizing that I was a psychologist, her affirmative response was followed by a request for more psychological training for herself and her staff.

My first thought was to contact the EMDR-Humanitarian Assistance Program, an organization that focuses on training therapists in crisis situations or in under-served communities or countries to treat trauma using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

While Bob Gelbach, HAP's Executive Director and I began our discussions on setting up an EMDR training in Ethiopia sometime in the upcoming year, an unexpected opportunity arose in Nairobi. Thanks to a generous donation from a close friend of mine, Yewoinshet and one of her therapists, Zebenay, flew to Kenya in mid-November and completed EMDR Level 1 training (pictured above).

Now that Yewoinshet and Zebenay have returned to Addis Ababa and have begun using EMDR with some of the children, I am in the process of setting up periodic consultation with them via the Internet. Time differences and the undependable nature of Ethiopian Internet services are making this a challenging goal.

My goals for the upcoming year fall into three areas:

1. Organizing and funding an EMDR Level 1 training in Addis Ababa for approximately 25 Ethiopian therapists sometime during the fall of 2009. Preparation for this will begin during a trip I am taking to Ethiopia this February to teach the preliminary " Traumatology and Stabilization" workshop to potential participants and to find an appropriate training location.

2. Researching and filming two 5-hour training videos on Play Therapy in conjunction with Paul R. White, LCSW that will focus on techniques and equipment applicable to the Ethiopian culture and economy.

3. The collection, labeling and transportation of recycled eyeglasses to the members of the HFC community, as well as financial support for an optometrist to attend to the visual needs of the community.

Future blogs will keep you abreast of my progress on all three projects. I would love to hear from any of you regarding ideas you may have for fund raising or advancing any of these programs.

Thanks,
Dorothy