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.