Professor in Trauma Psychology & Veterans Affairs Derek (Paddy) Farrell

Prof Derek Farrell MBE is a Professor in Trauma Psychology and Veterans Affairs at the University of Northumbria (Newcastle), and Queen's University Belfast. Derek is President of Trauma Aid Europe, Trauma Response Network Ireland, and President-Elect of EMDR All Ireland. He has been involved in several Humanitarian Trauma capacity-building programmes, including Pakistan, Turkey, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Lebanon, Poland, Philippines, Palestine, and Iraq. Derek has authored over 50 academic peer-reviewed publications and several book chapters. Additionally, Derek is Co-Editor of the Oxford Handbook of EMDR and the Journal of EMDR Practice & Research

As a keynote speaker – Derek has presented in the USA, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, Pakistan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, and Norway. Derek is also involved in several ongoing research programmes, including treating moral injury with Law Enforcement (Vermont, USA), EMDR with adults with intellectual disabilities, and Death by suicide within military/ veteran populations.

In Geneva in 2013, Derek received the ‘David Servan Schreiber Award’ for Outstanding Contribution to EMDR Therapy. In addition, Derek was also shortlisted for the prestigious Times Higher Education Supplement (TES) Awards (2017) for ‘International Impact’ due to his Humanitarian Trauma Capacity Building work in Iraq with the Free Yezidi Foundation and the Jiyan Foundation for Torture and Human Rights. In June 2018 Derek was also awarded the Trauma Aid Europe ‘Humanitarian of the Year Award, in Strasbourg, France. In June 2020 Derek was awarded the Member of the (Most Excellent Order of the) British Empire (MBE) as part of Queen Elizabeth II Birthday Honours List, receiving his Award at Windsor Castle in December 2021. In September 2024, Derek was awarded the prestigious Francine Shapiro Award from EMDRIA.

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• A multicentred two-arm parallel single-blind superiority randomised controlled trial comparing psychological and emotional stabilisation with eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and treatment-as-usual to treatment-as-usual with adults with intellectual disabilities who have post-traumatic stress disorder (the Trauma-AID trial): protocol, Willner, P., Anderson, P., Bisson, J., Clifford, C., Cooper, V., Farrell, D., Harris, S., Hiles, S., Holland, G., Hutchings, H., Murphy, G., Rose, J., Stenfert-Kroese, B., Unwin, G., Watkins, A., Willott, S., Langdon, P. 17 Dec 2025, In: BMJ Open
• Editorial Retraction, Rydberg, J., Farrell, D. 1 Dec 2025, In: Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
• Intensive Trauma Treatment, Farrell, D., de Jongh, A., Kiernan, M. 21 Aug 2025, The Oxford Handbook of EMDR Therapy, Oxford, United Kingdom, Oxford University Press
• An Interview With Ad de Jongh, Farrell, D. 1 Dec 2024, In: Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
• An Interview With Matthew Kiernan, Farrell, D. 1 Dec 2024, In: Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
• A Note From the Editors, Farrell, D., Rydberg, J. 1 Oct 2024, In: Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
• EMDR Therapy and the Working Memory Hypothesis, Smith, C., Farrell, D. 22 Oct 2024, The Oxford Handbook of EMDR, Oxford, United Kingdom, Oxford University Press
• Eye movement desensitization reprocessing as a treatment for PTSD in conflict-affected areas, Wippich, A., Howatson, G., Allen, G., Farrell, D., Kiernan, M., Scott-Bell, A. 1 Dec 2024, In: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
• What do adults with visual impairment mean by well-being? Identifying the building blocks of well-being in the context of visual impairment, Heinze, N., Davies, F., York, S., Chan, S., Farrell, D., Gomes, R. 22 Aug 2024, In: Frontiers in Psychology
• Group early intervention eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy as a video-conference psychotherapy with frontline/emergency workers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and moral injury—An RCT study, Farrell, D., Moran, J., Zat, Z., Miller, P., Knibbs, L., Papanikolopoulos, P., Prattos, T., McGowan, I., McLaughlin, D., Barron, I., Mattheß, C., Kiernan, M. 23 Mar 2023, In: Frontiers in Psychology

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Relationships among Adverse Childhood Experiences, Benevolent and Positive Childhood Experiences of Military Connected Children and Young People., Watson, P. (Principal Investigator), Farrell, D. (Co Investigator), Forces Children’s Trust, 01/09/24 - 28/02/26, £35,487.00

Carol Royle Start Date: 01/05/2024

PhD June 19 2003