There is a condition called Aphantasia which is the inability to see images in the mind’s eye. It is not certain if this is caused by trauma or if it is a genetic condition. It’s important for us as EMDR therapists to know that aphantasia affects 1-2% of the population (I believe it is more than that) and that clients coming to us who cannot visualize are not necessarily being non compliant or difficult but that there actually is a reason they cannot visualize. Thanks for some very good tips on how to navigate this kind of situation!
P.S.-had a flash session with my client who has aphantasia. It was profoundly wonderful. She was able to tune into the places where the disturbance settled in her body to collect it for the container which was physically located in the room with us. She was able to use hand gestures to ball it all up and then push the container away. Mission accomplished. Thanks for your suggestions and encouragement.
I’m a licensed mental health counselor, trained in EMDR, and have aphantasia. I have taken to asking my clients if they can visualize, see mental pictures, etc. and if they can’t, I use alternate strategies. We should be careful not to make assumptions about our clients.
I am a neurodiverse (ADHD and autism) counselor specializing in neurodiverse populations and have recently been through EMDR training. I believe EMDR will be SO beneficial to my client population. I think that most neurodiverse people likely have complex PTSD - trauma by a thousand papercuts when living in a neurotypical society and reduced capacity for processing when we are in "overwhelm" - AKA fight/flight/freeze. I just wanted to add that a lot of autistics have trouble EXPLAINING their visualizations. It might be worth asking the client if they can see it even if it is too difficult to describe. In that case, the visualization can work for processing as long as the client can do the checking in with you between processing sets to make sure they are not dissociating completely. Or maybe ask them to just say words, not necessarily full sentences to describe their visualization and/or what they are getting during re-processing.
I remember as a VERY YOUNG child I would sometimes see shapes briefly when my eyes were closed at bedtime and I was trying to fall asleep. That is the closest that I have ever had to 'visualizing'. I haven't had that experience ever since and absolutely cannot visualize. In my case, I was traumatized in the pre-verbal years and that just continued to snowball into an onion of trauma. 49 years of it now that I am trying to unravel.
I'm autistic and adhd and cptsd and one of those can't visualize clients. I also have a really hard time with abstract concepts like the container exercise. I understand a piece of paper in a box, but how does that translate to memories, physical memories, and distress. They aren't physical so how do I put them in anything?? (I realize this video is 2 years old but here's hoping you'll answer.)
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There is a condition called Aphantasia which is the inability to see images in the mind’s eye. It is not certain if this is caused by trauma or if it is a genetic condition. It’s important for us as EMDR therapists to know that aphantasia affects 1-2% of the population (I believe it is more than that) and that clients coming to us who cannot visualize are not necessarily being non compliant or difficult but that there actually is a reason they cannot visualize. Thanks for some very good tips on how to navigate this kind of situation!
P.S.-had a flash session with my client who has aphantasia. It was profoundly wonderful. She was able to tune into the places where the disturbance settled in her body to collect it for the container which was physically located in the room with us. She was able to use hand gestures to ball it all up and then push the container away. Mission accomplished. Thanks for your suggestions and encouragement.
I’m a licensed mental health counselor, trained in EMDR, and have aphantasia. I have taken to asking my clients if they can visualize, see mental pictures, etc. and if they can’t, I use alternate strategies. We should be careful not to make assumptions about our clients.
I have aphantasia, what other alternate strategies are helpful?
I am a neurodiverse (ADHD and autism) counselor specializing in neurodiverse populations and have recently been through EMDR training. I believe EMDR will be SO beneficial to my client population. I think that most neurodiverse people likely have complex PTSD - trauma by a thousand papercuts when living in a neurotypical society and reduced capacity for processing when we are in "overwhelm" - AKA fight/flight/freeze. I just wanted to add that a lot of autistics have trouble EXPLAINING their visualizations. It might be worth asking the client if they can see it even if it is too difficult to describe. In that case, the visualization can work for processing as long as the client can do the checking in with you between processing sets to make sure they are not dissociating completely. Or maybe ask them to just say words, not necessarily full sentences to describe their visualization and/or what they are getting during re-processing.
Those are very helpful tips I would not have thought of on my own. Thank you
I remember as a VERY YOUNG child I would sometimes see shapes briefly when my eyes were closed at bedtime and I was trying to fall asleep. That is the closest that I have ever had to 'visualizing'. I haven't had that experience ever since and absolutely cannot visualize. In my case, I was traumatized in the pre-verbal years and that just continued to snowball into an onion of trauma. 49 years of it now that I am trying to unravel.
Very helpful. Thank you. Not seeing the link you referenced in the video. Can you let me know where to find it?
So helpful. Thank you
I'm autistic and adhd and cptsd and one of those can't visualize clients. I also have a really hard time with abstract concepts like the container exercise. I understand a piece of paper in a box, but how does that translate to memories, physical memories, and distress. They aren't physical so how do I put them in anything?? (I realize this video is 2 years old but here's hoping you'll answer.)
I cannot visualize a simple red square. Its all blackness...
CALM. NO FUN NO LIKE. Was liking til heard this. GO is what I want. aphantasia. This means nothing to me