Flash Training Step Five: Quickly Glance at the Memory and Contain the Microslice of Distress

This video is part of a Flash training playlist and may be out of context viewed individually. The full playlist is here: • Four Blinks Version of...
The goal in this step is to microactivate a tiny, tiny, piece of the memory content. We decrease activation by decreasing the amount of time that the client is exposed to the bad memory. Activating the memory too much may cause the following, all of which are problems that must be addressed and resolved immediately in this version of Flash:
*A part of the video of the memory plays (we want a single frame only from the bad memory… not video content).
*Body activation to appear (if body activation appears, see the Shop Vac resource in this guide or in the resource videos on EMDRThirdWeekend.com). Too much body activation may cause memories other than the one we are targeting to come into awareness.
*A flashback occurs (teach all clients the sensory grounding resource in this guide or use your own sensory grounding exercises).
*Problems containering are usually problems of overactivation.
In order to lightly activate the memory and container it, say something like one of the following:
“Very quickly, open the door on the bad memory and immediately close it. Whatever you notice in this millisecond, catch it, container it, and push it out of your awareness. Let me know when it is gone.”
“Check the memory for one millisecond and the instant that you find something, immediately container it and push the container out of your awareness. Let me know when it is gone.”
When the client indicates that the next micoslice of the the distressing memory is containered and sent out of awareness, quickly go back to Step Four and cycle between Steps Four and Five until the client can glance at the memory and can’t identify any distress.
If the client cannot find any distress when glancing at the memory, go to Step Six.
Important Safety Considerations:
Therapists should be comfortable using sensory grounding for clients who have flashbacks or other intrusive symptoms when glancing at the memory. It is essential that all Flash clients be taught sensory grounding exercises prior to engaging in direct trauma work. See the sensory ground resource available in this packet.
Carefully review the Troubleshooting and FAQ sections before working with clients in this version of Flash.