Dr. Jamie Marich

Dr. Jamie Marich is a clinical trauma specialist, TEDx speaker, author, researcher, educator, singer-songwriter, and recovery advocate whose work has influenced approaches to trauma therapy and mental health. Marich is the founder of the Institute for Creative Mindfulness and the developer of the Dancing Mindfulness approach to expressive arts therapy. She began her career as a humanitarian aid worker in Bosnia-Hercegovina, primarily teaching English and music while participating in various projects. This early cross-cultural experience informed her ongoing commitment to trauma-informed care and creative healing modalities.

Marich is recognized for her expertise in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, both as a trainer and for sharing her personal experiences with dissociative disorders. She launched an EMDRIA-approved EMDR therapy training curriculum and trains EMDR clinicians globally with her team of faculty and consultants. Marich has served on the clinical workgroup of the EMDRIA Council of Scholars and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research. She was interviewed as a master clinician in the DVD "Trauma Treatment: Psychotherapy for the 21st Century" alongside Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Robert Scaer, and Belleruth Naparstek.

Marich is the author of more than 15 books and manuals in trauma, recovery, and expressive arts, including "EMDR Made Simple," "Trauma and the Twelve Steps," "Trauma Made Simple," "Dancing Mindfulness: A Creative Path to Healing and Transformation," "Process Not Perfection: Expressive Arts Solutions for Trauma Recovery," "Dissociation Made Simple," and the memoir "You Lied to Me About God." The New York Times featured her work with Dancing Mindfulness in its Meditation for Real Life series.

Marich's interest in experience-oriented healing methods led her to explore the conscious dance scene and integrate these practices into trauma recovery. After training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts and engaging with various conscious dance practices, she developed Dancing Mindfulness. Marich has taught conscious dance seminars at conferences nationally, internationally, and online, and has trained more than 500 facilitators in the Dancing Mindfulness practice. She is a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT) through the International Association of Expressive Arts Therapists and offers a certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness.

Marich's contributions extend into advocacy and media. NALGAP: The Association of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and Their Allies recognized her with the President's Award for her work as an LGBT advocate. The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) honored her with the Advocacy in EMDR Award for advancing awareness about EMDR therapy and reducing stigma around mental health. Marich has directed the short film "I Wanted to Write You a Think Piece," served as consulting producer and on-call trauma therapist for the short film "Garage," co-produced the short film "Silk," and appeared as herself in the documentary "Stop Breathe Let Go." Marich continues to contribute to the fields of trauma therapy, expressive arts, and mental health advocacy through her clinical work, writing, and public speaking.