Adapting Language for First Responders
EMDR for First RespondersIn EMDR therapy, we all know that the theoretical foundation of EMDR is the Adaptive Information Processing model. As we take this AIP model into our work with first responders, we've gotta think about something. Because of the work they do, because the ongoing exposure to the worst of human tragedy, the likelihood that our first responders have this pile up of dysfunctionally stored memories is very high. This is why it's so important with our first responders to use EMDR therapy to be able to jump-start this linkage between the adaptive and maladaptive memories to be able to file it in a normal and healthy way.
How I like to explain this is that their brain and nervous system is a supercomputer, and it takes in all the memories, holographically, sights, sounds, smells, sensations. And in that, based on the exposure to trauma that they have in their career, that some of that memory could be stuck in their system which creates whatever the symptoms they come in with. Sleep, hypervigilance, intrusive images. And this really makes sense to them because they get that this is a supercomputer, and there's not something wrong with them. This is an example of how important it is to use their language and their concepts that are gonna make sense to them.
It's not psychobabble. They definitely don't wanna hear psychobabble.