Phase 8: Reevaluation

  • Begin each session with reevaluation
  • Highlight changes in the client’s life resulting from processing
  • Assess
    • Client’s general progress
    • Changes in symptoms
    • Changes in behaviors and reaction to triggers
    • Specific target memory and relevant associations
      • Thoughts, insights, information
      • Dreams – these are great targets for processing
        • The unconscious brain processing what the conscious brain is unable to digest – REM sleep
      • Did the SUD remain at their previous level?
  • Add any new targets to treatment plan – remember once it’s begun, processing continues
  • Determine remaining targets

Four factors to address

  • Resolution of the individual target
  • Any activated associated material has been processed
  • All targets have been processed allowing the client to feel
    • At peace with the past
    • Empowered in the present
    • Able to make choices for the future
  • There is satisfactory integration within a balanced social network

How to Resume Processing Completed Target

  • As part of Phase 8 Reevaluation, ask the client to reflect on the processed target from the last session
    • Whatever s/he reports, add a set of reprocessing BLS
      • If positive, it will enhance integration into the adaptive memory network
      • If negative, it will start processing
        • Occasionally, when client reports 0/7/clear, after time “away” from it, other dysfunctional elements may become available – archeological dig

Unfinished Target

  • If the last session ended in incomplete processing (SUD > 0, VoC <7, or incomplete body scan) begin by reactivating the memory
    • Based on AIP, the memory processing continued on some level and the memory is now changed / transmuted
    • Use an abbreviate Phase 3 to access and activate the memory as it is currently stored
      • When you bring up the memory now, what’s the worst part of it (sensory elements)?
      • What emotions are you experiencing now?
      • On a scale of 0 – 10, how disturbing is it?
      • Where do you feel it in your body?
      • NOTE: it is not necessary to access the NC/PC or VoC
        • You just need to “finish cooking the meal or reheat it before serving”
    • Resume processing with Phase 4
      • Focus on the experience, notice where you feel it in your body and follow the back-andforth
      • Continue with reprocessing sets of BLS until Phases 4 – 6 are complete
        • SUD = 0, VoC = 7, clear body scan
  • Check target plan to see what to target next
    • After identifying the next target, use Phases 3 – 8 to process and reevaluate
  • Continue processing targets sequentially until all targets have been reprocessed

Completing the Second Prong of Three-Pronged Protocol – Present

  • Disturbance level of present triggers may have decreased due to processing
    • AIP predicts adaptive gains from processing will generalize to other targets
    • Some processing of triggers may have occurred while processing other targets
    • If any disturbance remains in present, the triggers will need to be targeted and processed
  • Due to processing, current experiences may now activate other maladaptively stored experiences that were previously unavailable and/or unidentified
  • Second-order conditioning may be activating current triggers
  • Current life experiences can result in dysfunctional responses that need to be processed
    • These experiences can be identified throughout the course of therapy during processing phases and reevaluation
  • Bring up the [name the trigger] and notice what you get now.
    • If client reports disturbance, target it using Phases 3 – 6 until 0/7/clear

Completing the Third Prong of the Three-Pronged Protocol – Future Templates

  • Includes psychoeducation, modeling and imaginal rehearsal
  • This is still processed using reprocessing speed BLS
  • May spontaneously occur throughout processing
  • Set the client up for successful living in the future
    • Emphasizes adaptive and flexible responses in future situations that would be reminiscent of past disturbing experiences
    • AIP facilitates integration of adaptive behaviors and experiences from processed memories
    • Create mental models for adaptive responses that promote positive life experiences
  • Targets may include:
    • Developing and strengthening skills, behaviors and emotional responses
    • Future-oriented anxiousness and anticipatory fears
    • Trouble-shooting future challenges
    • Specific targets involving significant people and situations
  • Make sure that you’ve done a future template for every target before termination
    • AIP may result in the client spontaneously doing a future template while processing the original target
    • Sometimes it will be important to do a future template at the end of each target
    • This strengthens the positive networks while reducing the possibility of additional potential disturbances in the present
    • Final option is to wait until all past targets and present triggers on the treatment plan have been processed before doing future templates
  • Blocking beliefs, feeder memories and fears may still arise at this point
  • May be appropriate to use it as a resource by inverting the protocol for poorly resourced clients
    • For these clients, use resourcing BLS at first to maximize an adaptive response and build resources
    • If processing goes well, consider gradually speeding up the BLS to reprocess disturbance

Method for the Future Template

  • Designed to help client
    • View adaptive goals for the future
    • Uncover developmental or informational gaps or skill deficits
    • Develop resources to fill in the gaps or deficits
  • Have the client run a movie, seeing her/himself behaving or handling things in an adaptive way
    • Adding continuous reprocessing speed BLS will catalyze the potential of any disturbance arising
      • Should disturbance arise, target and process it
        • Address any issues that might come up
      • If there is no disturbance, add PC, emotions and body sensations and enhance the positive networks with sets of reprocessing speed BLS
    • Next, have the client run the movie with challenges, and see her/himself handling the “hiccups”
      • Should disturbance arise, target and process it
        • Address any issues that might come up
      • If there is no disturbance, add PC, emotions and body sensations and enhance the positive networks with sets of reprocessing speed BLS
    • Continue exploring challenges until the client is able to adaptively handle worst case scenarios

Future Template Flow Chart

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