We were sad to learn of the recent passing of Dee Blinka Terry of Alpine, Texas, on April 1, 2025. She was 92. Blinka was a longtime EMDRIA™ member who received the Francine Shapiro Award in 2017. Her accomplishments greatly impacted her Texas borderland community, as she sustained EMDR trainings and their continuing education; she developed a sizable, selfless network of mental health practitioners, and she continued to build a strong system of EMDR-trained clinicians, treating everything from performance enhancement to suicidality. She served as the EMDRIA™ West Texas Regional Coordinator.

Blinka’s colleagues who nominated her for the 2017 Francine Shapiro Award said, “She had the work ethic of an 84-year-old soul and the exuberance of an eight-year-old. She is, without a doubt, selfless, honest, and a respected leader in our borderland community. Dee’s extraordinary service and diligence extend not only to the practice of EMDR but also to the people she encounters daily. She advocates for the ethical practice of EMDR and upholds its standards, while encouraging new practitioners to build their confidence in using EMDR. She is a compassionate leader among the EMDR community and a driving force in obtaining training for practitioners in such rural areas.”

A survivor of World War II bombings in the UK, a graduate of Oxford University, a researcher on moral injury, practitioner, friend, wife, and mother, she dedicated her life to the compassionate care of those affected by traumatic stress and dissociation. She began her practice in 1956. In 1961, Blinka went to Botswana as a social worker with the role to “bring a tribe up to the 20th century,” but as she often reminded us with humility and insight, it was the tribe who truly brought her into the 20th century. Blinka became an EMDRIA™ Certified Therapist at 69, proving that learning is lifelong and that it’s never too late to pursue education. Along with her devoted husband, Dr. Martin Terry (who stood consistently by her side at every workshop and event), Blinka inspired a generation of clinicians to not only learn and implement EMDR therapy, but also to cultivate lasting professional and personal connections throughout El Paso, Austin, Alpine, Waco, and beyond.

At press time, we do not have Blinka’s official obituary. However, a member, Cheri Yadon, LPC, LMHC, recorded Blinka’s Francine Shapiro Award acceptance speech in this YouTube video starting at the 4:30 minute mark. Thank you to EMDRIA members Dr. Temperance Cervantes, Cheri Yadon, and Fabiola Ekleberry, LPC-S, who contributed to this announcement. EMDRIA sends its heartfelt condolences to Blinka’s family.

 

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Date
April 9, 2025

Audience
EMDRIA members

Content Type
Blog/Blog Post

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