MEMORY RECONSOLIDATION: Key To Transformational Change in Psychotherapy — Bruce Ecker, LMFT

MEMORY RECONSOLIDATION: Key To Transformational Change in Psychotherapy — Bruce Ecker, LMFT

This has application to using with EMDR. I think EMDR works well without understanding the underlying emotional learning that has taken place in implicit learning that is one of the benefits of EMDR. However, working in the way he suggests with implicit emotional learning, could be an important part of the overall therapy process.

Here are my notes:

Markers of Change:

Symptom Cessation
Behaviors, emotions, thoughts and somatic disappear

Non-reativation
A specific emotional activation is no lingered triggered

Effortless Performance
Non-Recurrence continues without counteractive or preventative measures.

New learning competes with old learning, as new learning creates new neural circuits but doesn’t resolve the old ones.

The new circuits land on the old circuits and in the process unwiring and rewiring the old circuits to the new circuits.

Emotional learnings are implicit learnings.

emotional learnings are brought into explicit awareness, and are felt emotionally and are put into words.

Core belief: “If I feel sad or hurt or scared I’ll be attacked and humiliated, so I’ve got to keep my feelings pushed away.

If I feel sad (from loss of a relationship (attachment break)) or hurt (from being angered against) or scared (fear of being attacked by an attachment figure) I’ll be attacked (assaulted) and humiliated (shame)

So I’ve got to keep my feelings pushed away; meaning I’ve got to avoid feeling the feelings that are appearing in my field of awareness.
So, there are avoidance strategies that are dysfunctional – cause energy loss (e.g. denial).
I don’t get the benefit of the information the feeling is bringing me. I don’t know what is not being felt so I don’t know how to effectively monitor my environment.

The root cause of all our problems is emotional learnings in implicit memory.

1. Reactivate target schema as a conscious emotional experience.

2. Guide a contradictory experience. This juxtaposition unlocks (de-consolidates) the target schema’s memory circuits. (“Mismatch”/“prediction error” experience.)

3. Repeat contradictory experience in juxtaposition with target schema. This re-writes and erases target schema.

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Dr. Amber Quaranta-Leech, LPC-S

Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy. 

Dr. Jose Carbajal, LCSW

Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.

Dr. Amanda Martin, LMFT-S, LPC, BCN

Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.

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