Our Team
Dr Manda Holmshaw
EMDR Europe accredited trainer, consultant and facilitator, and Chief Executive Officer of Moving Minds Psychological Management and Rehabilitation, a high profile national provider of psychological rehabilitation and training services.
Manda is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist whose original training was in psychoanalytic psychology. Manda completed a
PhD at Exeter University which received a Senate Commendation. She completed a postgraduate Diploma at King's
College London in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Manda was a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the NHS. She currently
consults part time. She is a founder member and Clinical Director of a national network of Psychological Trauma and
Stress Specialists: Moving Minds Psychological Management and Rehabilitation, also based in West London. Manda worked
extensively in trauma settings in the third world. She was trained by Francine Shapiro and uses EMDR extensively
in her practice. Manda is a past President, Membership secretary and Chair of the accreditation committee of the
EMDR Association UK and Ireland. Manda has researched the efficacy of EMDR and published extensively.Manda has a special interest in phantom limb and other chronic pain conditions which seems very accessible to EMDR
Dr David Blore
EMDR Europe accredited consultant and facilitator, clinical director of David Blore Associates.
David has a background in mental health nursing. He is a BABCP accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and specialises in EMDR provision for trauma generated within the working environment. He is well known for his work amongst traumatised coal miners and railway workers. David has had numerous papers published over the past 10 years including two on EMDR cited in the EMDR Institute training manuals. He also contributed to Francine Shapiro's second book 'EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy'. He was a founding editor of The EMDR Practitioner and a Past President of the EMDR Association UK & Ireland. David has completed his PhD on EMDR and positive growth, research which is innovative and challenges many common perceptions of the role of diagnosing mental ill health while disregarding growth and resilience.
Fokkina McDonnell
With a Masters in Occupational Psychology, Fokkina’s first career was working in Assessment and Development. She has been a UKCP registered Psychotherapist since 1998. She has qualifications in Coaching, Supervision and Hypnotherapy, and runs a private therapy and supervision practice in Manchester. Fokkina has a special interest in using EMDR with professional musicians, singers and actors on performance anxiety issues. She has been using EMDR for over ten years and is an EMDR Europe Approved Consultant and a qualified EMDR facilitator.
Matthew Wesson
Matt is a mental health nursing officer with over 18 years experience working in the military. He is an EMDR Europe-accredited Consultant and has been an EMDR facilitator for the past two years. He is also a BABCP-accredited cognitive behavioural therapist. He specialises in the treatment of trauma and PTSD with over ten years experience of using EMDR in both the UK and combat zones abroad. He has a particular interest in the use of EMDR on military operations and was until recently the highest trained EMDR specialist in the military: He left the MOD in February 2013 and is now available for supervision. He is also in a part time capacity working as a clinical consultant with Moving Minds. Matt has had papers published on both EMDR and CBT, and has presented at various international conferences. Along with working full time for the MOD, Matt is planning to become a trainer with EMDR Extra.
Susan Darker-Smith
Susan is currently training to become a facilitator with EMDR Extra. Susan specialises in working with children and uses EMDR creatively. She also has an interest in EMDR and personality disorders.
