The Flash Technique

Most people assume that working through trauma means delving into painful memories — bracing themselves for the hard work of excavating the past.

The Flash Technique takes a remarkably different approach.

Developed by Philip Manfield, PhD, the Flash Technique can reduce the emotional charge of a disturbing or traumatic memory without requiring you to spend the session immersed in it.

In fact, you spend most of the time focused on something you genuinely enjoy.

A wonderful trip. A person you adore. A place that makes you happy. Something you're passionate about.

The experience can be surprisingly pleasant, sometimes even playful.

It's one of the most unexpected trauma approaches I offer — and one of my favorites to use.

You begin by recalling the difficult memory for just a few seconds. You don't need to tell me about it or spend time reliving it.

Then we leave it alone.

Your attention shifts to something positive and engaging — what Flash calls a Positive Engaging Focus.

This is where the session gets interesting.

When we've finished the Flash process, we return to the original memory and see how it feels.

This is often the surprising part.

Something that felt intensely upsetting at the beginning may feel less vivid, less immediate, farther away, have less charge — or no emotional charge at all.

Flash may be worth considering if you:

• Have a memory or experience that feels too intense to approach directly
• Have found other forms of trauma processing difficult to tolerate
• Understand something intellectually but still feel a strong emotional or physical reaction to it
• Feel nervous about what trauma therapy might stir up
• Or are simply intrigued by the possibility that trauma work doesn't always have to hurt

Flash can be used on its own for particular disturbing memories, or integrated with other trauma approaches when appropriate.

What I particularly appreciate about it is that it gives us an enjoyable way to heal.

Reach out. If you'd like to learn more, or see if The Flash Technique might help you, I'd love to talk.