About us

Dr Bianca Finger-Berry joined TRN during the pandemic, initially as a practitioner but soon becoming a member of the allocations team. She joined the Trustee Board in early 2022, and became an official member in April 2022. She is an accredited EMDR practitioner and is registered with the EMDR Association and Social Work England. Dr Finger-Berry trained in social pedagogy (social work) in 1996 and obtained a Doctorate in Education in 2015 and an MA in Advanced Social Work in 2018. In 2017 she trained as an EMDR therapist, and in 2020 in FLASH. She has more than 25 years of experience working in the field of trauma, first as a social worker and since 2001 for the Educational Psychology Service supporting staff and students in educational settings who have been exposed to traumatic events. She also delivers mental health training and has a small private practice.

Susan Darker-Smith is the clinical director of the Child Trauma Therapy Centre, a founding trustee of the Trauma Response Network UK and of the Global Child-EMDR Alliance, an EMDR Europe Accredited Senior Child & Adolescent Trainer and consultant. She is a BABCP accredited therapist and supervisor and holds masters level degrees in CBT and Human Rights Law. She is actively involved in a number of humanitarian EMDR projects nationally and internationally as well as being an advocate for EMDR being accessible to all. In the last year, She has co-written two book chapters on modifying EMDR for Neurodivergent clients and presented on this topic for EMDR Australia, EMDR Europe and EMDRIA (USA). She is currently researching in the field of transgenerational trauma with colleagues.

Dr Ian Barron is originally from Scotland and is a Professor in Student Development at the University of Massachusetts, USA, where he is the Co-director of the Center for Youth Engagement. He is also a co-director of the International Centre for Child Trauma Prevention and Recovery (ICCTPR). Dr Barron sits on the Independent International EMDR Research Group and is Principal Investigator for international trauma recovery projects in Afghanistan, Palestine, Brazil, Ukraine, Europe, and the UK. Dr Barron's trauma recovery projects have been captured in a Research Excellence Framework impact case study, which rated the impact and reach of his research as outstanding and world leading. Dr Barron is widely published in high impact peer review journals.

Soraia Crystal is a Child and Adolescent and adult EMDR Consultant who worked for over 20 years in the National Health Service in one of the London Child & Adolescent Mental health Services where she retired in 2016. Since 2007, Soraia has also been in private practice at Keats Complementary Practice in North London where she continues to work with adults, children and adolescents supporting their mental health. Currently, Soraia is an associated director at Keats Complementary Practice. Soraia is passionate about her clinical work and has built a wide range of therapeutic skills including experience of working with: family therapy, depression, anxiety, OCD; phobias, addictions, autistic spectrum disorder, PTSD, complex trauma and dissociation. In addition, Soraia has utilized storytelling in her young clients EMDR work; often enlisting the help of parents to support their child’s process of recovery. Soraia has also been providing EMDR supervision through to the process of accreditation using the EMDR UK competency framework to psychological practitioners in adult and child and adolescent mental health in the UK, Egypt and in Bosnia.

Educated to master’s level a passionate and credible nursing professional with a proven track record of leading teams, delivering results, and maximizing the potential of individuals at all levels, Kate is dedicated to serving TRN as a trustee. Her experience in effectively communicating and engaging multi-disciplinary teams in Urgent Mental Health Services, designing and delivering learning strategies, and providing expert leadership in Liaison Psychiatry make her well-equipped to contribute to the role. I trained as a Nurse in 1995-1998 and since then have developed significant therapeutic skills in working with people presenting with traumatic life experiences. An accredited EMDR Consultant since taking a career break from her NHS Consultant Nurse role to focus on her own self-care and work in private practice. Her private practice includes clinical supervision of EMDR therapists (adults) and some teaching for continuing professional development in areas that are of special interest to me. Having had a strong national presence within the field of nursing and having represented nursing at a national level in various forums related to Liaison Services (including in policy development). Kate has undertaken the role of lead author on several book chapters within the field of Liaison Mental Health Nursing. Additionally, her expertise as a therapist enables her to treat a wide range of complex conditions, including dissociation, functional neurological disorders and complex PTSD/trauma. Over the years, Kate has achieved numerous milestones, such as being an honorary member of the Royal College of Psychiatry’s Faculty for Liaison Psychiatry for some 10 years, speaking at conferences, and developing masterclasses for clinical staff. Kate is dedicated to making a positive impact in the healthcare sector and is excited about the opportunity to contribute as a trustee. Kate’s experience, dedication, and passion for supporting people to effectively recover from traumatic life experiences and the need to ensure quality EMDR therapy is more easily accessible has driven her work within this role.

Anthony Lacey established a private practice in 2014 and also works in the NHS as a clinican and supervisor. He came on board with TRN in 2020 supporting with case allocation before accepting an offer to become a trustee in 2022. He holds a core profession as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, has a MSc degree in Professional Clinical Practice, is a Europe Accredited EMDR Practitioner, Advanced Child and Adolescent therapist and EMDR Consultant in training. He is on the steering group commitee for International EMDR forum for therapists which has built a network of practitioners from across the globe who come together to connect, share their experiences of using the approach with the view of learning and growing together. His passion is helping people as early as possible with difficulties with the hope of preventing manifestations of mental health problems.