An Emerging Therapy: EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

The Gift of Mobility: Luke's Story

By 7017444915 • December 23, 2025
For the entire beginning of his life, Luke lived life on the floor. We met him on our fourth distribution day in Kenya. His arrival at the site was quiet, but his story spoke volumes. Luke, 11, lives with cerebral palsy. Before he was brought to a children’s home for the disabled, he had endured years of neglect. He was tied up, unable to move around, and kept inside his home so his disability would remain hidden. When they found him, he was emaciated, in constant pain, and X-rays revealed a broken hip that had gone untreated for years. His caregiver, Don, brought Luke to our distribution site for the first wheelchair he has ever owned. Fitting his chair took more than two hours, but Luke smiled through every moment of it. He seemed to understand that his world was opening up for the first time. During the fitting, one of our team members stayed by Luke’s side, comforting him. She shared, “I spent a lot of time with him, praying and singing and just stroking the side of his face. And I think that’s one of the things that really got me, I don’t think he’s had much human contact. He would just lean into me, wanting me to keep going, and he grabbed at my hands like he didn’t want to let go.” Every wheelchair you help provide becomes a turning point - a chance for a child to sit upright for the first time, attend school, join their peers, or simply experience life beyond the walls where they were once hidden. For Luke, it meant being seen, supported, and cared for in ways he had never known. This Christmas season, you can give the gift of mobility and change a life forever. Your support ensures that the most vulnerable are not forgotten and brings dignity and hope to children who have endured far too much. Luke is not alone — children like him are waiting across the world. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” — Matthew 25:40 You can change a life today. Every gift brings light into the darkness and gives children like Luke a future filled with possibility. Thank you for giving children like Luke, and so many others, a chance at dignity and hope. If you wish to contribute, please CLICK HERE to donate today. We are deeply grateful for your support and prayers as we continue our mission to serve and uplift those in need.
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If you weren’t sure what EMDR stood for you’re probably not alone. This highly regarded type of therapy has been practiced since its invention in the 1980s but is continually gaining awareness for its effectiveness in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment.

What exactly is EMDR? It stands for E ye M ovement D esensitization and R eprocessing. And what does that mean? Simply put EMDR is a type of therapy with an eight step process in which the individual is asked to recall traumatic images while the therapist creates a sensory input such as side-to-side eye movements or hand tapping.

Darci Grave a Mental Health Therapist with Hope Haven specializes in EMDR therapy. In order to offer this treatment Grave underwent extensive training and education to learn the proper methods – including 50 hours of training and nine months of EMDR consultation. “This is a deeper way to deal with trauma ” stresses Grave emphasizing that thorough training is crucial when identifying a therapist who is well qualified to practice EMDR.

How do you know if you’re a candidate for EMDR therapy? This treatment was developed specifically for individuals who have a trauma disorder or who struggle with their trauma experiences. Trauma is more common than often perceived so it’s well suited for a variety of people:  victims of any type of abuse witness to abuse or violence those dealing with loss or grief issues victims of natural or man-made disasters war veterans and more.

And how long does treatment typically take? Grave says it varies based on the individual “The actual reprocessing therapy can be short but it’s the preparation stages that can take some time.