Notice That

• EMDR and The Brain's Networks: A Conversation About Modern Neruoscience

  Why Does EMDR Work? A Dive into Network Neuroscience and the Brain’s Healing PotentialEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has transformed trauma therapy, but an age-old question lingers: How does it actually work?For decades, the EMDR community has debated this question. Early theories focused on specific brain structures—the hippocampus for memory, the amygdala for fear, the prefrontal cortex for executive control. This modular perspective helped us make sense of a complex process. But neuroscience has evolved, and so has our understanding.In Episode 2 of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, Bridger Falkenstien and Jen Savage explore a paradigm shift—from modular to network neuroscience—and how this broader lens reshapes the way we think about trauma, healing, and EMDR.From Modules to Networks: A Shift in Understanding the BrainTraditionally, neuroscience taught us that individual brain regions had specific jobs. The amygdala processes fear. The hippocampus handles memory. The prefrontal cortex regulates impulses.This modular view isn’t wrong—it’s just incomplete.In reality, the brain functions as a dynamic, interconnected system of networks. Modern neuroscience shows us that even when one area specializes in a task, it does so within a web of relationships. Trauma doesn’t just impact a single region; it disrupts the collaboration between networks.This is where network neuroscience comes in. Instead of asking which part of the brain?, we ask:Which networks are interacting?How are they integrating—or failing to integrate—under stress?How does EMDR facilitate re-integration?Meet the Big Three: Core Brain Networks in Trauma and HealingResearch in network neuroscience highlights three large-scale networks that play a crucial role in both trauma and recovery:1. Salience Network (SN)Function: Detects and filters what’s important—internal sensations, external stimuli, emotional cues—and decides what deserves attention.Trauma Impact: Becomes hypervigilant or shut down, tagging even neutral cues as threats.In EMDR: Helps shift between the past (default mode) and present (executive control).2. Default Mode Network (DMN)Function: Self-reflection, autobiographical memory, mentalizing (“Who am I? What happened to me?”).Trauma Impact: Loops in shame, rumination, and “frozen” identity narratives.In EMDR: Holds the story of the traumatic experience and the meanings made from it.3. Central Executive Network (CEN)Function: Working memory, decision-making, regulating attention.Trauma Impact: Goes offline in overwhelm, leaving clients unable to think clearly or plan.In EMDR: Critical for top-down regulation of subcortical processes.These networks don’t operate in isolation—they’re in constant conversation. Trauma disrupts that conversation, leading to disintegration. Healing requires restoring their collaborative flow.How EMDR Works in the Brain: Beyond the ProtocolDuring EMDR, when a traumatic memory is activated (Phase 3) and bilateral stimulation (BLS) is applied, something remarkable happens:The SN flags the traumatic memory as salient—“Pay attention. This matters.”The DMN pulls up self-referential meaning—“This means I’m unsafe/useless/etc.”The CEN is invited back online through dual attention tasks, helping the client hold both the memory and the present moment in awareness.This isn’t just a mechanical process. It’s a forced redistribution of cognitive resources that breaks the brain out of its trauma-locked loop.As Bridger explains:“It’s like unpacking an avalanche—slowly taking out the debris so the mountain can reorganize.”The goal isn’t just to desensitize distress. It’s to help the networks regain their natural flow—so that the body and mind no longer behave as if the trauma is still happening.The Role of Working Memory TheoryWorking Memory Theory suggests that when we overload the brain’s working memory—by recalling the traumatic memory while engaging in a second task like BLS—the vividness and emotional charge of the memory fade.This theory helps explain why EMDR works, but it’s not the whole story.Strength: Shows how “dual attention” can disrupt trauma loops.Limitation: Doesn’t account for why some clients feel worse after sessions or why deeper transformation requires relational safety.This is why Beyond Healing integrates working memory theory within a larger, network-based, relational perspective.Why Therapists Should Care About NeuroscienceSome may wonder: Why bother with all this neuroscience? Isn’t it enough to follow the EMDR protocol?Here’s why it matters: ✅ Understanding networks builds confidence in the method. ✅ It empowers therapists to adjust their interventions with intention. ✅ It helps clinicians see why attunement and resourcing aren’t optional—they’re essential to reintegration.As Savage reflects in the episode:“This shifts us from memorizing a protocol to creatively, relationally helping clients heal.”Key Takeaways for CliniciansEMDR works by regulating relationships between the SN, DMN, and CEN.BLS is more than eye movements—it’s a physiological regulator.Attunement and relational safety are as critical as technical precision.Neuroscience doesn’t limit creativity—it expands it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Why Does EMDR Work? Exploring Working Memory, Bilateral Stimulation, and the Science of Change

  EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has transformed the way clinicians approach trauma. But what exactly makes it so effective? Is it the bilateral stimulation? The eight-phase protocol? Or is there something deeper at play in the brain?In this blog post, we unpack one of the leading theories behind EMDR’s effectiveness: working memory taxation. Drawing from neuroscience, clinical research, and therapist experience, we explore how EMDR works by engaging specific brain systems and redistributing attention and memory resources. This post is ideal for clinicians, students, and curious learners who want to understand the science behind EMDR in clear, accessible terms.What is Working Memory, and Why Does It Matter in Trauma Therapy?Working memory is your brain's ability to hold and manipulate information over short periods of time. It’s the mental workspace where you solve problems, remember a phone number long enough to dial it, or pay attention while taking notes.In the context of trauma, working memory becomes critical because:Traumatic memories often dominate attention.When the brain is flooded with fear or shame, it struggles to stay in the present.Engaging working memory during trauma recall may disrupt the brain’s typical response pattern.This is the heart of working memory theory in EMDR: if a client holds a traumatic image in mind while simultaneously completing a working memory task (like tracking a moving object), the emotional vividness of the memory is reduced."It’s not just distraction—it’s reconsolidation. You’re using one part of the brain to loosen the grip of another."Research supports this. Studies by Van den Hout, Engelhard, and others (2012) show that taxing working memory reduces the emotional intensity and vividness of traumatic memories.Understanding the Brain: From Modules to NetworksEarly neuroscience often focused on modular thinking:Fear = amygdalaMemory = hippocampusAttention = prefrontal cortexWhile useful, this model doesn’t explain why trauma affects everything at once.Enter network neuroscience, a more recent and comprehensive model. Instead of isolated parts, brain functions are distributed across large-scale systems called intrinsic connectivity networks. These networks regulate everything from thought and memory to emotion and attention.Among the most important are:Default Mode Network (DMN) – self-reflection, autobiographical memorySalience Network (SN) – threat detection, switching between networksCentral Executive Network (CEN) – working memory, decision-makingWhen trauma occurs, these networks lose synchrony. Clients may:Loop in shame (DMN)Feel hypervigilant or numb (SN)Struggle to think clearly (CEN)What EMDR Is Doing in the BrainDuring EMDR, when a distressing memory is activated:The Salience Network (SN) flags it as important.The Default Mode Network (DMN) brings up self-referential associations.The Central Executive Network (CEN) tries to stay present.Dual attention tasks, such as bilateral stimulation, tax the CEN, anchoring the client in the present moment. This reduces the cognitive resources available to the DMN, weakening the emotional grip of the memory. Meanwhile, the SN helps orchestrate the shift between past and present."The SN becomes the conductor, coordinating two orchestras: past (DMN) and present (CEN)."Memory Reconsolidation in EMDRNeuroscience shows that memories are not fixed. According to Nader et al. (2000), a memory becomes labile (changeable) when it is reactivated. If, during that reactivation, new information is introduced, the memory can be reconsolidated in a less distressing form.EMDR leverages this by:Activating the memory (DMN)Providing a new experience (CEN + therapeutic presence)Re-tagging the emotional salience (SN)It’s not that the memory disappears. It’s that the brain knows how to relate to it differently.Critiquing Working Memory Theory: What It Gets Right and What It MissesWhat It Gets Right:Working memory tasks disrupt trauma memory vividness.Bilateral stimulation engages attention and reduces fear.Dual-task interference is measurable and repeatable in lab settings.What It Misses:EMDR is not a mechanical task. Relationship matters.Trauma isn’t just about intensity—it’s about meaning.The SN requires emotional safety to flag experiences as worth integrating."The working memory load softens the emotional punch, but it’s the network reconnection—guided by safety and co-regulation—that allows transformation."Clinical Takeaways: How to Use This Understanding in PracticeWhen you slow down and attune to your client, you’re helping their Salience Network reclassify experience from threat to meaning.When you invite parts to speak, you’re engaging DMN + SN.When you use BLS while grounding, you’re co-activating CEN + SN.By working relationally with the client, you’re helping the brain do what it was always meant to do: integrate.Want More?Episode 2 of the series explores large-scale brain systems and how EMDR creates reconnection across networks.Upcoming episodes dive into AI-supported EMDR and EMDR 2.0 with Dr. Suzy Matthijssen.Further Reading:Van den Hout, M., & Engelhard, I. (2012). How does EMDR work? Journal of Experimental Psychopathology.Nader, K., Schafe, G. E., & LeDoux, J. E. (2000). Fear memories require protein synthesis in the amygdala for reconsolidation after retrieval. Nature.Chamberlin, E. (2022). The Neurophysiology of EMDR and the Three Core Networks.Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Human First: A Conversation with The EMDR Coach, Dana Carretta Stein

  What If the Therapist Was the Most Powerful Intervention in EMDR?Reclaiming the Human Thread in Trauma TherapyIn the world of EMDR therapy, conversations about techniques, protocols, and procedures often dominate the training space. But what if something even more powerful has been quietly present all along? What if the most transformative tool in EMDR isn’t the protocol—it’s the presence of the therapist?In a recent episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, we sat down with Dana Carretta Stein—EMDR therapist, consultant, and creator of @the_emdr_coach—to talk about something we believe is foundational but too often overlooked: the humanness of the therapist.What started as a conversation about social media quickly became a deep dive into identity, presence, and the profound responsibility we carry as healing professionals. Together, we explored the tension between objectivity and authenticity, protocol and personhood—and how returning to our full humanity may be the very thing that deepens healing for everyone in the room.The Therapist Is Not a Blank SlateWhy Authenticity Isn’t a LiabilityFrom the earliest days of graduate training, many of us were taught to strive for neutrality. Keep your personal life out of the room. Don’t display family photos. Don’t self-disclose. Don’t “do therapy on your friends.” While some of this advice is meant to protect boundaries, it also sends a subtler message: your full self does not belong here.Dana, a deeply relational therapist and group practice owner, pushes back on that message with both clarity and warmth. She shares openly about the exhaustion of compartmentalization and the healing power of being “unavoidably authentic” in the therapy room.“Clients don’t need a perfect therapist,” Dana reminds us. “They need a human one.”This doesn’t mean we flood the space with our stories or blur boundaries. It means we let ourselves be present—not as clinical instruments, but as nervous systems, as parents, as people with real emotions, histories, and insight.Intersubjectivity Is Powerful—And NecessaryRelational Healing Requires a Relational PresenceOne of the core themes of this episode is the reclaiming of intersubjectivity—the idea that therapy is not just something we do to a client, but something we co-create with them. The standard EMDR model often emphasizes staying out of the way, trusting the protocol, and avoiding contamination of the client’s process.But what happens when we over-apply that detachment? What do we lose when we forget that transformation often happens between us, not just within them?We explore this together by naming what we see in our own work:Therapists who dissociate behind the scriptClients who learn to “perform” EMDR without truly connectingSessions that feel technically correct but relationally sterileInstead, we offer a vision of EMDR that is alive with presence. One where therapist and client are both brave enough to be real.Countertransference Isn’t the Problem—Disconnection IsWhy Your “Stuff” Belongs in the Room (with Reflection)Dana names something many of us intuitively feel but rarely say: the therapist’s unresolved material will show up in the work. The question is not whether it appears, but whether we recognize it, reflect on it, and take care of it somewhere outside the session.In this episode, we talk about the difference between:Reflexive self-disclosure and intentional vulnerabilityHidden agendas and clean attunementTransference reenactments and relational repairBridger names this beautifully: “What brought us into this field is often the same strategy we re-enact during the work itself.” Without awareness, this strategy can hijack the process. But with reflection, it becomes a strength—a superpower, as Dana says.Human First, Then TherapistWhy Presence Is the Foundation of ConceptualizationWhen Dana trains therapists in her practice, she begins with one simple phrase:“Human first. Then be a therapist.”This isn't just good advice for preventing burnout. It’s a core principle of case conceptualization. The more connected we are to our own internal world, the more intuitively and compassionately we can understand our clients.From this lens, the therapist’s body isn’t a neutral container—it’s an instrument of resonance.The therapeutic relationship isn’t a backdrop—it’s the medium through which healing travels.This conversation reaffirms what many therapists long to hear:You are not too much. Your humanness is not in the way. It is the way.Want to Go Deeper?If this conversation sparked something in you—if you’ve ever felt unsure how to bring your full self into EMDR therapy, or if you’re craving a framework that honors both person and protocol—we’d love to invite you into further learning:The SIP TrainingSomatic Integration and Processing (SIP) is our signature approach to relational, neurodevelopmentally-informed EMDR therapy. It helps therapists move beyond rigid techniques into real-time attunement, case conceptualization, and presence.If you want to understand what’s really happening in the space between you and your client—and how to work with it—this training is for you.EMDR Certification ProgramAlready trained in EMDR but feeling stuck in the structure? Our certification program is a mentorship-rich, community-based path to reclaiming your confidence and creativity as an EMDR therapist.We focus on real-world application, reflective consultation, and helping you become the therapist you were always meant to be.Free Resource: Exploring Your Humanness in TherapyWant to start now? Comment the word “mirror” on any of our social media posts and we’ll send you a free download of our chapter:A Window and a Mirror: Somatic Integration and Processing for Case Conceptualization. It’s a practical, reflective guide to help you see how your own story shows up in the therapy room—and how to make it your greatest asset.Takeaways for Your PracticeHere are a few questions to carry with you this week:What parts of yourself feel most at home in the therapy room? Which ones still feel left out?How does your own nervous system shape the intersubjective field?Are you hiding behind the protocol—or letting it support your presence?What would change if you trusted your intuition just a little more?The relational thread of therapy is not a liability to manage—it’s the fabric that holds the work together. When we remember this, the work becomes less about what we do, and more about who we are when we do it.Let’s keep walking that path. Together.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• EMDR, Cultural Humility, and Doing Your Own Work: Conversation with Mark Nickerson

  “To be a culturally competent therapist is to be a human first—curious, aware, humble, and willing to grow.”In this powerful episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, Jen Savage sits down with EMDR therapist, author, and cultural competence advocate Mark Nickerson, LICSW for a rich and timely conversation about what it really means to bring cultural responsiveness into our clinical work.This episode invites clinicians to think beyond checkboxes and intake forms—and to reflect on how their personal stories, social identities, and cultural histories shape the therapy they provide. Together, Jen and Mark explore how EMDR can help process both internalized oppression and social bias, and how the work of healing requires an ongoing willingness to look inward.“Cultural humility isn’t an add-on—it’s at the heart of any real change.” — Mark Nickerson, LICSWWhy This Conversation MattersTherapists often long to be affirming, inclusive, and aware—but aren’t sure where to begin. Mark’s insights offer both practical steps and deep philosophical grounding. His perspective is shaped by decades of clinical work, social advocacy, and a commitment to human rights.He shares stories from early workshops where EMDR was used to process two core themes:A memory of being excluded or discriminated againstA memory of holding bias or participating in exclusionIn both cases, EMDR offered clarity, healing, and increased self-awareness—making space for deeper empathy and greater readiness to grow.Featured Topics:What it means to do your own cultural work as a therapistHow identity, privilege, and power dynamics shape the therapy processUsing EMDR to target internalized oppression and social biasLegacy trauma, intergenerational pain, and cultural narrativesHow cultural humility invites us into lifelong self-examinationWhy EMDR is well-suited to address culturally based trauma—when practiced with awarenessAbout the BookMark is the editor and contributing author of the seminal book Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy (2nd ed., 2023).Spanning more than 400 pages, the book includes seven chapters by Mark and 20 more by authors with diverse identities, backgrounds, and clinical expertise. It addresses racial trauma, immigration and asylum seeking, social class, systemic oppression, and cultural adaptations of EMDR around the world.Whether you read it cover-to-cover or use it as a chapter-by-chapter resource, it’s an essential tool for therapists seeking to deepen their work.📘 Learn more about the book and Mark’s work at: markinickerson.comWant to Go Even Deeper?If this conversation stirred something in you—if you’re beginning to ask how your own story shows up in the therapy room—consider exploring the Somatic Integration and Processing (SIP) framework.SIP isn’t a replacement for EMDR. It’s a lens that helps therapists explore the worldview they bring into their work. It asks:Why do I respond this way in session?What does safety mean to me?What am I unconsciously avoiding?SIP helps therapists do their own work—by mapping how our nervous systems, identities, and histories shape our therapeutic presence.📥 Want to explore it for yourself? Comment “mirror” on our Instagram page or visit connectbeyondhealing.com and search “SIP” to receive a free PDF chapter on the SIP model.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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• Is EMDR Too Insular?: A Conversation with Derek Farrell

  What happens when a visionary academic, a few decades of lived EMDR experience, and a global perspective meet a pair of U.S.-based EMDR trainers hungry for evolution?You get a conversation that challenges everything we take for granted about training, research, and the future of trauma therapy.In a recent episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, we had the immense honor of sitting down with Dr. Derek Farrell—clinical psychologist, international EMDR leader, Trauma Aid Europe president, and editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of EMDR. His voice is rare in our community: one that spans the trenches of EMDR practice, the architecture of academic programs, and the politics of international research.And he’s not afraid to say what others only whisper.“EMDR is very, very good at talking to itself,” Farrell told us. “But it would be very useful to be more friendly with other organizations.”Farrell sees the echo chamber. He names the structural gaps. And he points toward the opportunities we’re missing if we don’t open up.The Missed Opportunities of a Siloed ModelSince his first training with Francine Shapiro in the 1990s, Farrell has witnessed the evolution of EMDR from fringe to globally recognized treatment. But he’s also watched how the field’s franchise-style model has limited its ability to join the larger scientific conversation.“If you look at the ISTSS annual conference, how many papers are based on EMDR? Very few,” he noted. “And that’s a missed opportunity, because they’re one of the major political players in informing health policy.”Farrell urges the EMDR community to step out of self-reinforcing training cycles and into more robust, interdisciplinary partnerships—particularly with academic institutions and trauma researchers in CBT and related fields.“We have to stop being so insular. If we don’t, we’ll lose space to something else. The future won’t be in our hands—it’ll move on.”The Case for Academic IntegrationFarrell isn’t calling for the abolition of professional trainings—but he’s asking us to see their limits. Especially in countries where trauma prevalence is high and mental health infrastructure is limited, the standard credentialing pipeline simply isn’t realistic—or ethical.“You can’t make decisions in first-world economies about how third-world health systems should deliver care,” he said, referencing his trauma capacity work in Iraq. “They don’t have 10 years to wait for an indigenous EMDR trainer.”In one particularly poignant story, Farrell described how a UK university removed EMDR from its trauma curriculum entirely because their two course leaders—both widely published psychologists—weren’t credentialed EMDR trainers. The credentialing system, he argued, had failed the field.“That would’ve been an amazing opportunity to bring EMDR into mainstream trauma psychology. And we missed it.”Credentialing Is Not the Enemy—But It Can’t Be the Only PathDespite his critiques, Farrell is no enemy of credentialing. In fact, he sees it as critical for clinician protection and client safety.“If a client is choosing between two EMDR therapists—one credentialed and one not—they will always choose the credentialed one,” he said. “And they should.”But he’s clear: our current model doesn’t serve the spectrum of learners, educators, and clients. We need both professional and academic pathways. We need to distinguish between basic attendance and demonstrated competence. And we need to stop pretending that a seven-day training is equivalent to a psychotherapy education.“The contradiction is we call it a basic training, but we also say EMDR is a powerful therapy,” he told us. “Those two things don’t go together.”What About the Protocol? Isn’t That Enough?In the trenches, EMDR therapists often cling to the eight-phase protocol as a kind of life raft. But Farrell challenged us to see it differently.“The protocol is highly forgiving,” he said. “We miss bits out, we forget the VOC or the negative cognition, and the client still processes. That’s the magic of it. But we need to teach people not just the steps—but why and how to break the rules wisely.”Farrell encourages trainers and educators to move beyond memorization and into meaning—especially when the bulk of clients are not single-incident trauma survivors.“We’re teaching to a model that doesn’t reflect the reality of most people’s caseloads,” he said. “It’s no wonder there’s burnout and drop-out after level one.”So… Where Do We Go From Here?Farrell’s parting thoughts were both sobering and deeply hopeful.“We need to get the AIP model into undergrad. Into graduate programs. Into social work and psychology and counseling degrees. Because when students understand that model, EMDR is no longer a leap. It’s a natural next step.”He’s also spearheading a massive academic effort to support that very integration: The Oxford Handbook of EMDR, set to release later this year.“We’ve built it as a robust, evidence-based academic text,” he shared. “Forty-five chapters. Past, present, and future. It will be the most definitive handbook we’ve had.”Farrell’s message to the EMDR community? The time is now. To break out of silos. To let go of professional tribalism. To prioritize accessibility and integrity over exclusivity.“Francine always said the future is in our hands. But if we’re not careful, it won’t be.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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