Let's choose an appropriate memory to work with.

Think about a bad memory you have (if you don't have a specific bad memory, think of the body sensation you have, the negative thoughts you have or the negative emotions you have associated with what you want to work on).

If you wrote everything about that memory, it might take up a whole journal. Flash is meant to tackle just one page of the journal. Working on that one page might help erase multiple pages, but you still want to focus on the single page during FLASH.

Flash could take multiple sessions for each bad memory to improve.

Each session generally ranges between 40-70 minutes, but you can use the tool for shorter/longer periods of time.

Be patient because healing takes time.

For example:

Test anxiety: If you have test anxiety, perhaps focus on the book assigned for the class or your pencil.

Anger: If you are angry because your friend disrespected you, perhaps focus on where you met your friend or their hair color or their couch in their living room.

Military trauma: If you served in Iraq (or any war), the fragment of the memory you choose could be the feeling of sand, or seeing a uniform, or being in a tank., etc.

Performance anxiety: If you struck out at all your “at bats” in baseball in the last game, perhaps focus on your bat, or batting helmet, or the number on your jersey.

Specific fears: If you have a fear of flying, perhaps focus on your suitcase or imagine the airlines booking website.

Trauma/abuse: If your parent always told you “I (fill in the blank) you” or “you are a (fill in the blank)”, focus on the “you” and not any part of the sentence (or perhaps just the sound the Y makes in the word you”.

Anxiety/fear or panic attacks without a bad memory associated: You can focus on the paper bag you use to breathe into to calm down, the pillow on the couch where you lay down when you have a panic attack, or the bottle of prescribed anxiety medication you take to help you with anxiety.

Relationship resentment: If you are resentful at your spouse for not helping with chores around the house, perhaps think about ONE dish or ONE sock on the floor.

Work stress: If you are ready to quit your job because your boss is always yelling at you, perhaps think about your badge or your briefcase, or your email login page.

What if you don't have a specific memory that is causing you problems (like anxiety)? ANSWER: Focus on body sensations or things that you experience during the panic attack. Where do you feel the problem the most: (nausea, chest is tight, etc.) or focus on what you do when you have a panic attack (if you lay on your bed, focus on your pillow or leg of the bed).

Once you have chosen your memory, push it away and continue to the next step.

Welcome to the EMDRremote Blog!