Awards
Ana was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Arizona Play Therapy Association in 2011.
In 2012, Ana received the Sierra Tucson "Hope Award" given to a professional that substantially contributed to education in the field of mental health.
Biography
Ana M Gomez, MC, LPC born in Colombia (South America) is a psychotherapist in private practice, author of several books, chapters and articles, and a lecturer internationally known for her innovative work with children and adolescents.
Ana Gomez is an EMDRIA approved consultant; an EMDRIA advanced training provider, an EMDR Institute and EMDR-IBA trainer and a trainer of trainers.
Furthermore, Ana has received training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, Sandtray Therapy, Theraplay, Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), and the use of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). She has worked with children, adolescents, adults and families affected by trauma and adversity for overt 25 years. Ana has presented in more than 40 cities in the USA. She has also presented in close to 30 cities in four continents: Canada (Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Penticton, Toronto), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne), New Zealand (Auckland), Japan (Tokyo), Denmark (Copenhagen) ,Spain (Madrid, Barcelona), Italy (Milan), UK (Edinburg, London), Argentina (Buenos Aires), Chile (Santiago de Chile), Brazil (Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba) , Ecuador (Quito), Colombia (Bogota, Medellin & Manizales), Guatemala and Costa Rica.
In addition to helping children and adolescents, Ana also specializes in working with adults dealing with issues of depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse, complex PTSD, dissociation and grief issues.
On a personal level, Ana enjoys nature and loves to dance to all kinds of music, especially salsa. She also loves to spend time with her husband, her family and friends, and her beloved pets. Ana treasures moments of silence, play, and laughter as well as the connection with others.
Keynote Addresses:
- EMDR Italy Association 2019 Conference: EMDR Therapy with Children with Complex Trauma: New Frontiers in Theory, Research and Clinical Practice. Milan, Italy, September 28, 2019.
- The Child & Adolescent Complex Trauma Conference: Generational Wounds: The Theory and practice of using Systemic-Attachment Informed EMDR Therapy with Parents and Children. Manchester, VT, August 8, 2019
- EMDR Japan Association Conference. Processing Memories of Trauma with Children and Adolescents with Developmental Trauma. Tokyo, Japan. May 31, 2019
- ECHO Conference: EMDR Therapy: New Frontiers in Theory, Research and Clinical practice. Los Angeles, CA, March 15, 2019.
- EMDR UK & Ireland Association 2018 Conference: Generational Wounds: Attachment & Dissociation in Children. London, UK, March 23, 2018.
- EMDR International Association 2017 conference: EMDR Therapy with Children with Complex Trauma: New Frontiers in Theory, Research and Clinical Practice. Bellevue, WA, August 26,2017.
- EMDR 18thEurope Conference. Generational Wounding: Ending the Cycle: Using EMDR Therapy with Children and Their Parents. .Barcelona, Spain. July 1, 2017.
- EMDR Japan Association Conference. EMDR Therapy with Children with Complex trauma. Tokyo, Japan. August 4, 2017
- EMDR Iberoamerica Conference. El trauma Intergeneracional: Un Modelo EMDR Enfocado En El Apego Para Sanar a Los Padres, al Niño y Fortalecer su Vinculo. Buenos Aires, Argentina. October 31, 2016.
- Annual Childhood Trauma Conference: Touchstone Behavioral health. Keeping the Right-Brain in Mind: The EMDR-Sandtray Protocol. Phoenix AZ. May 20, 2016.
- 46thAnnual Southwestern School for Behavioral Health Studies Conference. Broken Bonds, Broken Selves: Healing the Mind, the Heart, the Body and Integrating the Self. Tucson, AZ, August 20, 2015.
- Annual Childhood Trauma Conference: Touchstone Behavioral Health. Attachment, Trauma and the Legacy of Dissociation. Phoenix AZ. February 28, 2014.
- Annual Childhood Trauma Conference. Touchstone Behavioral health. I See You, I Feel You, I Know You: Mentalization and the Development of the Coherent Self.Phoenix AZ. February 28, 2013.
- EMDR Iberoamerica Conference. Te Veo, Te Siento, Te Conozco: El apego, La Mentalización y La TerapiaEMDR. San Jose, Costa Rica. October 31, 2013.
- EMDR Brazil Association Conference. EMDR with Children & Adolescents. Brasilia, Brazil. September, 2009.
Ana has developed seven Advanced Workshops with over 80 hours of content and teaching materials. These workshops have been presented in person and virtually to large audiences in over 20 countries and 100 cities on four continents. Furthermore, Ana developed the following protocols:
- The EMDR-Sandtray protocol
- An attachment-informed EMDR program for healing intergenerational wounding and repairing the parent-child attachment bond
- The safe-calm place protocol and RDI using olfactory stimulation.
- A 90-hour graduate program in traumatology and EMDR therapy that she has taught at the "Universidad del Rosario" in Bogota- Colombia.
She is the author of ”Dark, Bad Day...Go Away", a book for children about trauma and EMDR which has been translated into four languages. Ana also developed and created “The Thoughts Kit for Kids” which is part of a series of games and tools designed to make EMDR treatment developmentally appropriate for children. Ana Co-authored with Dr. Francine Shapiro, an article on the use of EMDR therapy with children, published in 2013 in Canada. Her latest book published in the US is titled "EMDR Therapy and Adjunct Approaches with Children: Complex Trauma, Attachment and Dissociation", this book has already been translated and published in Portuguese and will be released this year in Spanish.
Publications and Workshops:
Ana is the author of ”Dark, Bad Day...Go Away", a book for children about trauma and EMDR which has been translated into four languages. Ana also developed and created “The Thoughts Kit for Kids” which is part of a series of games and tools designed to make EMDR treatment developmentally appropriate for children. Ana Co-authored with Dr. Francine Shapiro, an article on the use of EMDR therapy with children, published in 2013 in Canada. Her latest book published in the US is titled "EMDR Therapy and Adjunct Approaches with Children: Complex Trauma, Attachment, and Dissociation", this book has already been translated and published in Portuguese and will be released this year in Spanish.
- Gómez, A. M.(2019). Let’s Have a Visit with Our feelings: A Book for Children to Increase Emotional Tolerance and Acceptance. Agate Books: Phoenix, AZ.
- Gómez, A. M.(2018). Stories and Storytellers: The Thinking Mind, the Heart and the Body- A Book for Children about Healing and EMDR Therapy. Phoenix, AZ.
- Gómez, A.M. & Paulsen, S. (2016). All the Colors of Me: My First Book about Dissociation. Phoenix, AZ: AGATE Books.
- Gomez, A. M. (2013). EMDR and Adjunct Approaches with Children: Complex Trauma, Attachment, and Dissociation. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
- Gomez, A. M., & Shapiro, F. (2013). EMDR Therapy with Children: Journey Into Wholeness. Child and Family Professional, 15 (3), 20-30.
- Gomez, A. M. (2012). Healing the Caregiver System: Working with Parents within a Comprehensive EMDR Treatment. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 6(30, 136-144. doi: 10.1891/1933.6.3.136.
- Gomez, A. M. (2009). The Thought Kit for Kids. Phoenix, AZ. Author.
- Gomez, A. M(. 2009). Using Olfactory Stimulation with Children to Cue Resource Development and Installation (RDI). In Luber, M. (Ed.), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Scripted Protocol Special Populations. New York: Springer.
- Gomez, A. M(. 2009). Using Olfactory Stimulation with Children to Cue the Safe or Happy Place. In Luber, M. (Ed.), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Scripted Protocols Special Populations. New York: Springer.
- Gomez, A. M.(2007). Dark, Bad…Day Go Away: A Book for Children About Trauma and EMDR. Phoenix, AZ.
Ana has developed seven Advanced Workshops with over 80 hours of content and teaching materials. These workshops have been presented in person and virtually to large audiences in over 20 countries and 100 cities on four continents. Furthermore, Ana developed the following protocols:
- The EMDR-Sandtray protocol
- An attachment-informed EMDR program for healing intergenerational wounding and repairing the parent-child attachment bond
- The safe-calm place protocol and RDI using olfactory stimulation.
- A 90-hour graduate program in traumatology and EMDR therapy that she has taught at the "Universidad del Rosario" in Bogota- Colombia.