Why am I not a fan of talk therapy? – Part 2
So, we looked a little at how talk therapy cannot address the parts of memory that are stored in the unconscious parts of the brain.
The second thing about the thinking part of the brain is it only processes about 6 bits of information per second. The other than conscious parts of the brain process billions of bits of information per second. Which is why EMDR therapy is so effective. It allows all parts of the brain to do the work of clearing the traumatic material. Not just the thinking part of the brain but the other parts of the brain that store the emotions, sensations, sounds, smells, etc. As a matter-in-fact thinking stops reprocessing in EMDR therapy. Many clients (and therapists train to become EMDR practitioners) are shocked at how much gets done in a short period of time when they are reprocessing. And, that when they think the reprocessing stops. I have many clients say to me: “I know why this works. It won’t let me think.”
Other experiential and energetic forms of treatment don’t use the thinking part of the brain either.
When you experience experiential and energetic forms of change a whole new world opens up. You discover your innate wisdom has always known how to move you to health and back to your authentic self.
Rediscovering your authentic self is empowering. When you realize you have innate wisdom that always supports you there are fundamental shifts in your life. You return to trusting yourself. Making choices for yourself instead of against yourself. You begin to realize all of that thinking, figuring, rationalizing, justifying has been blocking who you are.
Much of talk therapy is buying more concepts about what is true. Understanding and developing insight as to why you are having difficult physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. The question is, if you buy the concept, does your experience of life change? Do you have to keep making yourself do something different or do you find yourself spontaneously doing things differently? If you are making yourself do something different, is it effortless, organic, just happens; or does it take a great deal of energy, or do you feel like a fraud? Do the uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms begin to spontaneously fade and eventually disappear? Or do you still have to use managing mechanisms to handle them?
When an issue is resolved the symptoms fade organically. Most people think they have to live with difficult symptoms their whole life. I often hear, “That is just the way I am.” Those same people are shocked at how different they become over time. Without effort other than the reprocessing of the memory networks that are driving their difficulty symptoms and behavior in session.