The Curious Psych - Therapies

More than talk therapy...

Many of us hold an idea that coming to therapy means talking in detail about your life, with an intention to explore new ideas, beliefs and ways of thinking about your challenges. Of course, this has an important place in therapy, and it will be one element of what we do together. However, we are complex emotional, physical, spiritual AND thinking beings. Our minds and bodies are intricately connected. So, when we experience stress, or feel 'triggered', there is a whole brain, mind and body impact. Here are some ways we could work together...

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is an evidence-based approach to processing distress and disturbance linked to memory. It is a neuroscientific approach which focusses on the role of maladaptive or unhlepful memories in the development of mental health challenges. EMDR is based on the theory that our brains have in-built biological ways to heal psychological wounds, just as we heal from a physical cut or injury, and that we are all capable of positive mental health.

EMDR aims to replicate the brain's biological healing processes, which naturally occur during our Rapid Eye Movement sleep cycles. Suffering can occur when this process becomes blocked or interrupted, resulting in incomplete processing of key emotional, sensory and embodied memories.

To learn more, watch this video:

EMDR 2.0

EMDR 2.0 takes the EMDR standard protocol (described above) and incorporates Working Memory Theory (WMT) into it's approach. In recent years, researchers have found that we can fast track how we process unpleasant memories when we 'tax' or stress the working memory. Working memory describes the part of our brain that performs tasks like problem solving, decision making, learning and planning. In EMDR 2.0, we occupy the working memory while holding in mind the traumatic memory we want to process. As our working memories have a very limited capacity to hold information in mind, performing tasks like counting, spelling and tapping makes it harder to hold on to distress or disturbance. So, it's forced to process any emotional distress associated with the memory. It's very cool stuff.

Internal Family Systems-Informed Therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach which is widely used around the world and more recently in Australia. IFS is built on the premise that each person has a core Self, or the essence of who they are, which is capable of leading their system through challenges. To get through challenging times, the mind forms multiple Parts, or neural networks, that protect us by managing day to day tasks, responding to stessors and alerting us to potential danger. Using IFS methods, we become aware of the Parts of us who protect us from what they predict might happen in a given situation, while building healthy relationships between the Self and Parts of your system. It's about knowing your own system, and building awareness that the healthy, unharmed adult Self can lead, guide and support Parts when they feel triggered or afraid. IFS is a non-judgemental, self-compassionate therapy. Here's a great introduction to the IFS model:

Flash Technique & Four Blinks

Sometimes commencing EMDR therapy might feel challenging. For people affected by complex PTSD, or who have a lot of traumatic memory to process, the Flash Technique can be a great way to begin processing without having to 'be in' the trauma. This works by bringing front to mind a microslice of a traumatic memory at a time, containing it and very quickly focussing your conscious attention on a calm, disconfirming or positive scene. While in the scene, I'll ask you to blink to 'break up' the memory we are working on into tiny slices that are processed while watching something light, funny, calming or peaceful.

Attachment-Focussed EMDR

In order to process outdated, maladaptive information, we need to have enough access to 'adaptive' memory. Adaptive memory refers to the minds capacity to take information that was processed during EMDR sessions and integrate this into healthier or 'adult brain' memory networks. If there's no healthy place for the processed information to 'land', then EMDR processing may not be successful. This can sometimes happen for people who have experienced attachment wounding, or early childhood traumas that impeded the young child's ability to form healthy attachments with important adults.Attachment-focussed EMDR aims to make the adaptive memory 'bigger', so that there is sufficient space for processed memories to land. We do this by developing and installing wise, safe, nurturing and capable adult Attachment Figure Resources that support the person to process information during EMDR therapy.

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