Video 006 Flash Technique (revised)

Use this solution

To process traumatic memories that clients might otherwise find too difficult to access with the standard protocol. Clients in this category may dissociate and become emotionally overwhelmed or shut down.

Originator

Dr Philip Manfield, is a marriage and family therapist. He has authored or edited five books about psychotherapy and the use of EMDR. We are grateful to Dr. Manfield and Dr. Havens who generously gave emdrgateway their time and advice to create this video.

Video production

Matthew Davies Media Ltd, Llanidloes, Powys.
www.matthewmedia.com

What this covers

The case involves a woman with a history of severe traumatic episodes, including sexual abuse by her father that started when she was at 12 years old. She was extremely worried at the thought of facing what had happened to her and felt deeply ashamed by it. This video shows how to use Flash, a simple, brief and effective technique to facilitate processing of traumatic memories without the client having to actively bring to full consciousness the most disturbing memories.

How long

12.32 minutes

Flash Training

To learn more about this important innovation in trauma treatment, consider attending Flash training by Phil Manfield/Justin Havens.  Details of training workshops can usually be found on the ‘Events’ section of this website via the home page.

Go to ‘Take-away’?

For the downloadable Aide mémoire,

For Wrap up, where you will find an article featuring correspondence between Phil Manfield and Derek Farrell about ‘What exactly is the Flash Technique?

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Take-Away Section

+ Wrap up

What exactly is the Flash Technique? An open letter in response to some FAQs.

Reprinted from the Winter 2019 European Journal of EMDR Therapy, with permission.

+ Aide-mémoire for Flash technique

You can copy and paste this text into a Word document, and can edit it, adding any additional text you might find helpful.

1. Identify target memory with the client. If there are several, address in ascending time sequence, unless client wants to do a later event. You may go with this unless there is an earlier ‘touchstone event’, which should be processed first. Also check that there are no obvious feeder memories linked to the client’s desired target (see Trouble Shooting below). Generally the target should be disturbing with a SUD’s of 6 or more.
2. With a ‘light touch’ determine level of disturbance. Avoid any direct reference to the target. Use words such as ‘If you were to know how disturbing the memory is from 0-10, where 0 means no disturbance and 10 is most disturbing, what number would it be now?’ Note SUD’s level and tell client to set the target aside, (e.g. in the next room, under a piece of paper, etc.).
3. Identify Positive Engaging Focus (PEF) not related to trauma. Must be engaging and fully capture client’s attention. Can be intensified through therapist talking and engaging client – what do you see, feel, smell, hear, taste, etc. Best to be an activity such as doing some special activity, listening to favourite music, etc. and strengthen with a few slow leg taps or eye movements. Should be broader than a calm/happy place.
4. Therapist demonstrates ‘Flash’. Therapist rapidly blinks three times (equivalent to one set, see below) and asks client to practice this until they are proficient.
5. Start slow eye movements or thigh taps and instruct client to rapidly blink 3 times when you, the therapist, says ‘Blink’, and instruct them to stay with the PEF without thinking of the memory. When using tapping, have the client do it in sync with you, the therapist – this should help them to tap and blink at the same time, which some client find difficult to do. Therapist does 5 or 6 sets of triple blinks anywhere from 3 to 6 seconds apart (allowing no more than a 6 second window between sets of triple blinks).
6. Stop and check in, asking client whether ‘they notice any change’? Typically, the target memory may seem further away, or less distinct. As client reports reduced intensity/other significant changes, check for SUD’s without identifying the target directly. Use words like, ‘If you were to take a quick peak at what we started off with today, what would be the level of disturbance now?’
7. Continue with further sets of triple blinks until SUD’s=0. Decide on a relevant PC and install as usual, followed by a Body Scan.
8. Or, if after two lots of 5-6 sets of triple blinks there is no further movement, commence EMDR Phase 3. Do assessment and processing.

Trouble shooting note.

1. If SUD’s are not lower after two rounds of Flash, the client may:
   • Be maintaining a minimum connection with the trauma image, perhaps to see if the technique is working. Remind them that this will affect the effectiveness of the processing
   • Be too involved with the memory. Check by asking, ‘When you blinked, did you see, hear, or feel anything related to the memory?’ These clients may be offered a blank piece of paper or a blank screen to represent the trauma without causing them to access it consciously.
   • Be required to strengthen the PEF so that it is fully engaging and distracting.
   • Be affected by a feeder memory (an earlier unprocessed memory that has links to the target). Test for this by using the somatic bridge technique starting with the body sensations the client experiences when they think about the target memory. If one emerges, target this memory first and then go back to the original target.
   • Be affected by blocking beliefs. If so, deal with these before going back to the original target.
2. Some clients may be negatively affected by the word ‘Flash’- especially with sexual and military traumas. Some therapists always refer to ‘Blinks’ rather than ‘Flash’.

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