Summary
Highlights
The demonstration module begins with Mark and Jamie emphasizing the feasibility and effectiveness of online EMDR therapy. They explain that with proper setup and establishing a therapeutic frame, online EMDR can be as effective as in-person sessions. The session will focus on a standard protocol targeting a distressing experience, starting with Phase 2 preparation and resourcing.
Mark guides Jamie to identify and install a special place as a resource. Jamie chooses Lake Bled in Slovenia and envisions a light stream from that place. The butterfly hug technique is introduced for bilateral stimulation, where Jamie taps below her collarbone at a heart-like speed to internalize the calming sensation of her special place. Jamie notes that the experience makes her feel that 'Lake Bled is within' her.
Jamie expresses the importance of breathing and grounding techniques. She also identifies a 'circle of support' including Wonder Woman, historical figure Hannah Szenes, and the Divine Mother. Mark guides her to tap in these figures, and Jamie feels their collective presence surrounding her, offering strength and wisdom.
Jamie selects a recent distressing experience: receiving academic journal feedback stating, 'watch your tone,' after her paper was accepted. This experience resonates with her long-standing feeling of being a 'misfit sheep' due to her qualitative and 'dissociative' thinking style. The image of 'watch your tone' on a screen is chosen as the target.
Jamie identifies 'I don't belong' as the most impactful negative cognition associated with the 'watch your tone' feedback. Her preferred positive cognition is 'I'm a misfit and that's okay,' rated at a 4 on a 1-7 (True) scale. The emotional distress (ugh/despair/disgust) is rated at 5-6 on a 0-10 (SUDS) scale, with a physical sensation described as a line from her throat to her stomach.
Jamie taps on the distress, and new memories emerge, specifically a generalized feeling of not belonging in her family. This leads to the word 'disappointed,' a term frequently used by her parents. She also recognizes her own disappointments in the academic community and government responses. Mark facilitates the processing of these interconnected feelings.
To address the persistent feeling of 'I don't belong,' Mark guides Jamie to connect with her four-year-old self or 'ego state.' This 'little Jamie' emerges, offering the wisdom, 'You've worked so hard on all of this. Don't give up now,' and, 'You don't have to be everything for everybody.' Jamie visualizes little Jamie wearing Wonder Woman Underoos, a symbol of resilience.
Jamie's distress from the 'watch your tone' message significantly reduces. She realizes, 'Not everybody's gonna like you, and that's okay.' Mark encourages integrating this 'free child' energy with her responsible adult self. Jamie proposes a new positive cognition: 'I have an important voice.' She acknowledges that while others might not appreciate it, her voice is vital. She rates its truthfulness at 6/7.
Jamie identifies a remaining physical sensation around her third-eye area, which is linked to past self-injury and the need for her intuition to be met with 'love, not punishment.' This deepens her positive cognition to 'I am love,' which feels completely true (7/7). Mark suggests this is the ultimate positive cognition.
Jamie performs a body scan, feeling a 'nice, clear line of beautiful energy.' She anticipates future 'watch your tone' feedback but now approaches it with the understanding that 'I can handle this, for I am love.' The session concludes with a phase-seven closure, emphasizing the connection and intimacy achieved through online EMDR and the power of tapping into one's inner strength.