Eye Movement Integration (EMI) is a brief neurotherapeutic approach which teaches clients how to use their voluntary eye movements to become “unstuck” from frozen trauma in one’s short-term memory. EMI is the processing of different trauma-associated memories while consciously moving eyes back and forth in a repetitive and meditative manner. The goal is to push the trauma into the brain’s long-term memory, so that an individual experiences the memories as more passive than active in daily life. The brain can then move forward without the fear of flashbacks about past events. EMI works through “adaptive information processing” and creates new orienting responses (OR’s). These orienting responses are key in retrieving information from previous experiences and integrating them into positive emotional and cognitive schema. These new orienting responses desensitize an individual to anxiety and trauma triggers through this adaptive information process.
HOW DOES EMI WORK?
Eye Movement Integration (EMI) has its roots in the Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) approach. In Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) studies, the associations between eye movements and specific sensory brain areas, combined with the mental reprocessing of images and related self-talk, provided the first empirical evidence that eye movements might be associated with neurological processes which perpetuate trauma responses. A dual-attention stimulus, such as eye movement, is an integral component of EMI therapies, because it induces certain physiological conditions that activate information processing. We acquire attitudes, beliefs, values, behaviors, and language from our experiences, and they form organized and systematic patterns. They also tend to be enduring human attributes. However, if interrupted, habitual patterns, such as images of traumatic memories, will reorganize. EMI techniques use eye movements to interrupt dysfunctional patterns.
The primary goal of EMI is to move traumatic memories from one’s implicit memory to one’s explicit memory. Traumatic experiences are encoded in implicit memory, which contains unconscious, uncontrollable, and automatic images and other sensory reactions from one’s past. Due to an individual’s “freeze” response, traumatic experiences do not get moved into one’s explicit memory, which contains information and past experiences which are consciously recalled and which are much more controllable than those in one’s implicit memory. Thus, past traumas tend to stay very active in one’s implicit memory in fragmented pieces of images, thoughts, sounds, smells, physical sensations, and highly charged emotions. Implicit memory has no sense of time, so when a traumatic incident is remembered, it is also re-experienced. Stress hormones are released all over again. The sympathetic nervous system goes into crisis mode, causing the heart to race, muscles to tense, and the brain’s executive functions to “freeze.” Instead of remembering the past, it feels as if it is happening in the present. EMI works by teaching a client how to consciously retrieve past painful visualizations while using meditative eye movements to calm oneself enough to go to the next step of consciously push these memories aside while visualizing situations and interactions which represented strength, courage, perseverance, compassion, or wisdom. This reprocessing can be done in as few as four sessions, but chronic trauma or multiple traumas would certainly require more time to sort through the experiences which have gotten “stuck” in one’s implicit memory.
SELF-ADMINISTERED EMI TECHNIQUES
EMI is effective for regulating one’s traumatic thoughts and emotions by using interruptive strategies and changing one’s sensory responses to trauma, abandonment, insecurities, or fears. When a pattern is interrupted, it can then reorganize. The most desirable aspect of EMI techniques is that, after they are learned during therapy sessions, the client can self-administer them as needed. EMI is typically recommended for those with PTSD or an anxiety disorder, and it should be used with other approaches, such as Solution-Focused Therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in order to address a client’s present life challenges and personal goals. While self-administration of EMI techniques can be extremely liberating and life-changing, it is important that the client maintains ongoing contact with the therapist and attends therapy sessions at least once per month.
The Anchoring Word and Resource State technique guides the client in remembering and describing a positive or proud moment in one’s life. The client is directed to visualize the context, to visualize who was there, what actions were done, what words were said, when it occurred, what the outcome was, and what “resources” the client used to create this outcome. The client is then asked to identify one “anchor” word which represents one’s “resources” and will be used for refocusing when triggered by stress or a traumatic memory. This “anchor” will be used as an empowering personal “mantra” to apply to one’s sensory, emotional, and cognitive systems when feeling weakened or scared.
Therapeutic Dissociation is a very effective technique for preventing or minimizing the emotional and physiological arousal which results from trauma and anxiety triggers. Prior to starting this process, the therapist must clearly explain that this type of “dissociation” is intentional, controlled, and mindful. The client is taught how to “dissociate” when feeling triggered by stressors or trauma-related memories. Therapeutic Dissociation occurs when the client learns how to project one’s visual field and mental attention out and away from a distressing moment. This is achieved by consciously fixating one’s sight on an image or any spot or object in one’s immediate surroundings. By doing this, the client is consciously interrupting a dysfunctional, trauma-filled reactionary pattern. The client is no longer associating with this pattern. The client learns to consciously refocus on the present moment and one’s sense of control, rather than being consumed again by the toxic reaction. When the limbic system is in a state of extreme arousal, it may be difficult for a person to regulate their emotions, and “dissociation” can either completely quash or, at least, minimize one’s physiological and emotional arousal. To purposefully “dissociate” does NOT mean that a person is avoiding or denying an experience. Rather, it is about giving oneself the freedom to acknowledge that the painful memory has no positive effect on the present moment.
The Conducting a Rehearsal technique involves teaching a client to imagine a triggering situation, either in session or self-administered in one’s daily life. Trauma reactions tend to be physical, visceral sensations and can even lead to panic attacks. Therefore, “rehearsing” one’s coping strategies is as important as practicing a sport or preparing for a presentation. The “rehearsal” process consists of visualizing the triggering scenario and then practicing, writing down, or verbally describing what will be done to dissociate and/or to be in one’s “resource” state. Conducting a Rehearsal is also considered to be a distress tolerance skill, in that an “armor” is created for managing situations which one cannot change. “Rehearsal” also provides a sense of control over one’s emotions and actions. Another benefit is that distress tolerance skills can help you to cope with their feelings even when you may not know exactly what you want or need at a given moment. This technique also involves the therapist and client engaging in collaborative discussions with the goal of creating a short-term relief plan for distressful situations. This collaborative approach promotes trust and respect toward the client in determining what new coping behaviors and communication styles are the most comfortable for the client to implement. This “rehearsal” process also helps to minimize the risk of the client’s impulsive or self-destructive responses to triggering memories and events.
FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT EMI
In sum, our thoughts and emotions are primarily experienced through our memories of visual experiences. By consciously focusing on one’s eye movements, an individual can mindfully control and redirect responses to painful memories. Self-defeating reactionary patterns can be reorganized into a more distant compartment of one’s life narrative, making room for an individual to tap into one’s “resources.” Emotional pain is an inevitable aspect of the natural order of life but feeling overwhelmed and “frozen” is not natural and can negatively impact an individual’s sense of self, one’s relationship satisfaction, and one’s work and academic performance. EMI has been successful in helping trauma survivors to restructure their current perceptions about past events, so that they can move beyond the shame, self-blame, and sense of powerless over their traumatic memories.
