Study Seeks Participants on EMDR and Family Ties

Columbus therapist Yvonne Judge is recruiting adults nationwide for a doctoral study on how individual EMDR therapy may affect family relationships.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Sex Life

Study Seeks Participants on EMDR and Family Ties

Yvonne Judge, founder of Revitalize You in Columbus, Ohio, is recruiting United States adults for a voluntary, unpaid doctoral study at National University. The research examines how individual EMDR therapy may influence family relationships.

Why it matters

The study looks at whether benefits from individual trauma treatment extend beyond the patient to their family system, a question that can inform how therapists think about the reach of EMDR. Findings could add to the research base on how individual therapy interacts with family dynamics across the country.

Eligible participants must be at least 18, have completed at least eight individual EMDR sessions within the past five years, and not have received couples or family therapy during that treatment. The study's total sample size and completion timeline have not been disclosed.

The players

Yvonne Judge

Yvonne Judge is the founder of Revitalize You in Columbus, Ohio, and a doctoral student in Marriage and Family Therapy at National University.

National University

National University is the institution conducting the doctoral study on EMDR therapy and family relationships.

The details

Participants complete a confidential 30-60 minute individual online interview followed by an email verification of their interview transcript. The study is voluntary and unpaid and is conducted by Judge as a doctoral student in Marriage and Family Therapy at National University.

Recruitment was announced on November 8, 2026, via a Newsfile press release.
Eligible participants must have completed their qualifying EMDR sessions within the past five years.

Clinical Frontier

The study extends the body of EMDR research, which was developed by Francine Shapiro, by asking whether individual trauma treatment shapes family relationships rather than only the individual patient. It is positioned as a doctoral inquiry within National University's Marriage and Family Therapy program.

Adults who completed at least eight individual EMDR sessions within the past five years may qualify to take part in the online interview. Participation is voluntary and unpaid, requiring a 30-60 minute confidential interview and email transcript verification.

The takeaway

Adults who have recently completed individual EMDR treatment and want to contribute to research on family relationships can check whether they meet the three eligibility criteria before contacting the researcher. Understanding whether individual therapy spills over into family life may matter to anyone weighing EMDR for a relationship-related concern.