Explore what the Flash Technique is, how it supports EMDR therapy, and what to expect during a therapist-guided session.
What is the Flash Technique? It is a therapist-guided approach intended to reduce the emotional intensity of disturbing memories. It can be used during preparation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, alongside EMDR, or in some cases as an intervention on its own.
Over the years, I have often used the Flash Technique, developed by Dr. Philip Manfield, PhD, with clients who are afraid to revisit traumatic experiences. When a traumatic memory is activated, these clients can quickly feel overwhelmed or dysregulated, which makes it hard for them to process what happened. The Flash Technique offers a gentler way to lower the emotional intensity of the memory before EMDR processing begins or, in some cases, as an intervention on its own. Dr. Manfield describes the Flash Technique as based on Adaptive Information Processing (AIP). He stresses that, like EMDR, it addresses disturbing memories both associated with PTSD and not associated with PTSD.
How does the Flash Technique differ from EMDR?
In standard EMDR, clients spend more time focusing directly on a traumatic memory, and that can feel overwhelming. The Flash Technique takes a gentler approach. The client keeps most of their attention on a positive image or memory and brings the traumatic memory to mind for only a split second. These quick “flashes” usually cause very little discomfort. The idea is that, while the person stays connected to something pleasant, the brain has a chance to update the traumatic memory so it feels less painful and intense. This process is often described as memory reconsolidation.
Because clients do not have to stay focused on the trauma for long, the Flash Technique can be especially helpful for people who are highly avoidant, easily overwhelmed, or not yet ready to face a traumatic memory directly. By lowering distress first, it can help prepare them for further trauma processing.
The Flash Technique can be used with both children and adults under the guidance of a trained therapist. It can support treatment in several ways: during the preparation phase of EMDR to lower the intensity of a traumatic memory before processing begins; on its own when a client is not ready to approach the trauma directly or is working through a single-incident trauma; or alongside standard EMDR to make the target memory feel more manageable before moving into the full protocol.
What happens during a Flash Technique session?
This article provides a general overview of the Flash Technique, not instructions for self-treatment. The technique is used under the guidance of a trained therapist, who considers whether it fits the client’s needs and readiness.
In a typical session, the client first identifies the target memory and rates the distress it causes on a scale from 0 to 10 using the Subjective Units of Disturbance, or SUD, scale. Next, the client chooses a Positive Engaging Focus (PEF), such as an absorbing memory, activity, or image, and selects a form of bilateral stimulation, such as tapping or eye movements. While talking about the PEF, the client responds to the therapist’s “Flash” cue by blinking rapidly three times and then returning their attention to the PEF. After four or five cycles, the therapist checks the distress level again. The cycles continue until the memory feels neutral or manageable. The therapist may then resume the remaining phases of EMDR, including Installation and the Body Scan.
The assessment can be brief because the client only needs to identify the traumatic event or situation, not describe it in detail. As the flash cycles continue, the client may notice that the memory looks less vivid, seems farther away, or feels less emotionally intense. The therapist keeps checking for these changes until the memory no longer causes significant discomfort. With a straightforward experience, such as a single traumatic event, the client may notice results in just one session.
The Umbrella Technique and complex PTSD
Another procedure built on the Flash Technique by Dr. Manfield is called the Umbrella Technique. It is intended for treating complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) arising from repeated developmental injury. Rather than focusing on only one memory, it uses the feature shared by a whole series of memories as the focus of treatment, which is processed using the Flash Technique. More than one memory can be processed simultaneously; feeder memories and blocking beliefs can also be targeted and resolved by this technique.
Who may benefit from the Flash Technique?
The Flash Technique may be especially helpful for clients who are not in crisis, have developed stabilization skills, and can maintain a Positive Engaging Focus. It has shown promise for people dealing with PTSD, complex trauma, panic attacks, phobias, dissociative states, and depression. It has also been used with people affected by racial trauma, earthquakes, traffic accidents, childhood trauma, and breast cancer, as well as with healthcare providers and adolescents experiencing depression or test anxiety.
Flash Technique and EMDR therapy in Millcreek, Utah
I offer the Flash Technique, EMDR, and the Umbrella Technique for children, teens, and adults at my office in Millcreek, and by secure video for clients anywhere in Utah. Sessions are available Monday through Saturday. If you’re unsure whether the Flash Technique is a good fit, see the FAQ or request an appointment.
