Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are rising across many Asian communities, yet stigma, cultural barriers, and limited access to trauma-informed care often inhibit recovery. This oral presentation explores the culturally attuned use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for SUD treatment, particularly among Korean and broader Asian populations. Drawing on clinical experience and grounded in neuroscience and attachment theory, this presentation highlights how EMDR can target trauma-related roots of addiction, such as shame, family dynamics, and unprocessed grief. Cultural values like silence around mental health, hierarchical family systems, and achievement pressure can create unique challenges—and opportunities—for intervention. Attendees will learn how EMDR can be adapted with cultural humility to improve engagement, retention, and outcomes in Asian populations. Specific emphasis will be placed on future directions for research, training gaps, and the need for grant-funded studies focused on culturally responsive modalities. This session is ideal for clinicians, researchers, and educators seeking to expand culturally grounded, evidence-based approaches for working with substance use and trauma in underserved populations.

Authors:
Jina Uyeda, Centered Hawaii, LLC, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Jina Uyeda, PsyD, LMFT, CSAC, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor based in Hawai‘i, with over 12 years of experience in trauma-informed care, substance use treatment, and culturally responsive training.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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