Meet Deany Laliotis

Founder of The Center

I’m Deany Laliotis and I am passionate about the power of EMDR therapy to transform lives. Since 1993, I have had the privilege of working very closely with Dr. Francine Shapiro, the originator of EMDR, I was the Director of Training for the EMDR Institute, the training program developed by Dr. Shapiro that trained clinicians all over the world. My husband, Dan Merlis was also on the teaching faculty of the EMDR Institute. We have trained thousands of EMDR therapists over the years and now run a Center for EMDR therapy training, headquartered in Washington DC.

Meet Deany

EMDR is an Integrated Psychotherapy for Transformational Healing

I travel all over the US and abroad, teaching therapists how to apply EMDR therapy as a comprehensive relational psychotherapy. I focus on the treatment of complex trauma, healing wounds of attachment and other challenging presentations. In this EMDR video tutorial, I unpack all the elements that are part of EMDR Therapy—attachment theory, somatic therapy, parts work, the therapeutic relationship and more. Then I explain how they work together with EMDR to offer clients transformational healing that lasts.

Trainees Asked. Deany Laliotis Answered.

Now, over the years, my trainees have told me that they could not find a training program that adequately prepared them for treating more complex and challenging clinical presentations. Nor could they find other trainings that viewed EMDR as a comprehensive therapy for the broad range of common issues clients bring into their practices every day. After training with me, therapists experienced how EMDR Therapy accelerated healing for their clients and created lasting change in their lives. They saw how EMDR therapy was compatible with other approaches—cognitive behavioral, psychodynamic, somatic, and relational. And they wanted more training that could help them grow into full EMDR Mastery.

Personal Growth and Professional Development

After training with me, therapists experience how EMDR therapy accelerates healing for their clients and creates lasting change in their lives.I also train therapists to use EMDR therapy to streamline the resolution of everyday issues related to relationships, substance abuse, depression and anxiety. In all of my trainings, I actively promote personal growth as well as professional development.

Introducing the Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy Training

It was their enthusiasm for my approach and their expressed desire for a path to professional and personal growth that inspired me to establish a new Center for EMDR therapy training and certification. The Center offers a complete continuum of EMDR trainings—from EMDRIA-approved basic trainings to a variety of advanced and specialty offerings, and finally to EMDR Masterclass courses and retreats.

Learn More About Deany's Philosophy on Mentorship

No one gets to where we are alone.  If we're fortunate enough to encounter people in our lives that see something special in us and take us under their wing, we can rise to the challenge.  Francine Shapiro was that person for me.

Here's what a colleague says about Deany:

Hosting Deany for a training with our EMDR community in Brazil has been a delightful experience! Her radiance comes through the screen as she shows us how the craft for the clinical practice and the technical skills can complement one another. Deany brings the relational perspective of EMDR, expanding our options for therapists who want to master the "go with that," but "stay with me," principles during reprocessing. We are thrilled to have her as a mentor to our community!

André Monteiro , Ph.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Former President, EMDR Brazil Association
Brasília, Brazil
Andre Monteiro. Ph.D.