Read more about EMDR
Adaptive Information Processing
EMDR therapy is founded on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which is a theory regarding the way your brain stores both normal and traumatic memories. This model, developed by Francine Shapiro, PhD—who is also the creator of EMDR—acknowledges the distinct ways that traumatic memories are processed compared to typical memories.
Trauma Therapy
During normal events, your brain stores memories smoothly and networks them, connecting them to other things you remember. However, during disturbing or upsetting events, this networking doesn’t occur correctly. The brain can go “offline,” leading to a disconnect between what you experience (feel, hear, see) and what your brain stores in memory through language. Often, trauma memories are stored in a way that hinders healthy healing, akin to a wound that your brain hasn’t been allowed to heal fully. Because it hasn’t had the chance to heal, your brain doesn’t receive the message that the danger has passed. This is where adaptive information processing comes into play, offering insights into how trauma memories can be processed to facilitate healing. Newer experiences can connect to earlier trauma experiences, reinforcing negative memories repeatedly. This disruption affects the links between your senses and memories, creating an injury to your mind. Just as your body is sensitive to pain from an injury, your mind becomes more sensitive to things you saw, heard, smelled, or felt during a trauma-related event. This sensitivity occurs not only with events you can remember, but also with suppressed memories. Much like learning not to touch a hot stove due to the pain it causes, your mind attempts to suppress painful memories to avoid accessing them. However, this suppression isn’t perfect, meaning the “injury” can still lead to negative symptoms, emotions, and behaviors. Trauma therapy techniques can help address these challenges by working through suppressed memories and promoting healthier memory integration.
Professional Publications
Francine Shapiro Library, a resource dedicated to understanding Adaptive Information Processing, plays a crucial role in the field of Trauma Therapy.