Holographic Reprocessing

A Cognitive-Experiential Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Trauma

Lori S. Katz

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9781135937522
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Clinical Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Holographic Reprocessing (HR) is a cognitive-experiential psychotherapy based on Seymour Epstein's theory of personality, cognitive experiential self-theory (CEST). According to CEST, people have a natural adaptive system for processing information. If an emotionally distressing event is not fully processed, people may attempt to resolve the stuck point, known as emotional blockage, by unconsciously setting up situations that recreate the original experience. A reenactment can facilitate a healthy confrontation of the issue, but it is not uncommon that this reenactment serves to reinforce negative perceptions and behavioral reactions. HR gives clients an opportunity to gain a new awareness and understanding of their re-enactments, thereby facilitating a constructive reorganization of their perceptual, emotional and behavioral tendencies.
The hologram is used as a model for describing a pattern of these re-enactments - as each experience is a whole experience unto itself as well as being a part of a larger whole, and each experience contains information consistent with the larger pattern. The experience is holographic, and is termed an experiential hologram. These experiential holograms are holistic, integrative, and unique in terms of existing constructs such as a schema, belief, expectation, self-fulfilling prophecy, sensitivity, or script - constructs that are largely cognitive and only part of the holographic picture. The hologram also activates an experiential reaction including affect, sensations, and associations. The model of the experiential hologram is intended to more closely explain human experience, as it is assumed that experience itself is processed in a complex array of cognitions, affective reactions, sensations and associations.

Written by a clinical psychologist specializing in the trauma therapy, this volume will guide mental health professionals through the use of holographic reprocessing in their treatment of trauma victims, from sufferers of PTSD to rape victims.

PART I
Theory

Chapter 1

Overview of Holographic Reprocessing

This chapter provides an overview of Holographic Reprocessing (HR). It begins with a case example that illustrates some of the main tenets of the therapy. The rest of the chapter describes the general theory and practice. This chapter prepares the reader for the rest of the book.

Case Example: Rescuing the Tiny Heart

This example highlights some of the techniques used in Holographic Reprocessing such as the rational versus experiential system distinction, identifying repeating patterns in relationships, using coping skills to tolerate and manage affect, and using reprocessing to help the client shift her perception of the event and release negative affect such as guilt and self-blame.

Kelly was a 33-year-old Caucasian female. She stated her goal for seeking psychotherapy was to be able to cultivate a romantic relationship that would lead to marriage. She felt that she had a tendency to “push people away in general and men in particular.” She admitted that people find her abrupt, even harsh, and was aware that this was inhibiting her from achieving success in the arena of intimate relationships.

Kelly was bright, attractive, and articulate. She had earned a degree in finance and held a managerial level job in a large corporation. She was also active in sports and had several casual friends. From all appearances, she seemed to be a highly successful, independent, and competent individual.

She shifted in her seat and assumed a rather critical demeanor. She began asking me a series of questions. After all, she was an educated consumer and wanted to be sure that she was not wasting her time. She focused on my credentials, the extent of my clinical experience, and stated outright that she was not sure if I would be able to help her. I responded by giving her the requested information, and we discussed the general process of psychotherapy. Silently, I hypothesized that coming to therapy must be very difficult for her. I thought that she wanted to be “in control.” I interpreted this as a defense or compensating strategy, but for what? I wondered what possibly was making her feel so “out of control.” Was admitting that she was “unhappy and less than perfect” triggering an emotional sensitivity, an unresolved emotional conflict or fear?

The likelihood that she would engage in therapy seemed to me tenuous at best. I knew she was looking for a reason to discontinue this process by discrediting the therapy and the therapist. If I only had this one opportunity to connect with Kelly, what could I give her that could be beneficial? How could I let her know that it was safe to be here and that I would do my best to understand her? I knew appealing to her rational mind would only give her fodder for further criticism. I had to appeal to the part of her that was in pain, wanting help, and desperately feeling alone. I knew this part was being protected and guarded by her intelligence and quick wit. I needed to bypass the “armed guards” of her rational mind. I had an idea…

I asked if I could tell her a story. I did not have a story prepared and was not at all sure what I was going to say. However, it was necessary to shift the conversation away from a rational discourse, and storytelling evokes imagery, emotions, and associations—a perfect combination to reach her experiential system. She listened as I described a fairytale like story of a tiny heart that wanted to love. This precious heart was kept in a steel box—hard and cold on the outside but lined with soft purple velvet on the inside. It was locked in this box by an evil force and was then hidden in a big stone castle surrounded by a moat filled with sharp-toothed alligators that would “snap” and by clever guards who could “outwit” any approaching visitors. The description, of course, was about her, her presenting problem, and her defenses. The story continued. A young female warrior (the part of Kelly who sought psychotherapy) made a vow to rescue the heart. This warrior effortlessly maneuvered through the defense system of the castle, but then had to contend with the “evil force.” She thought that confronting the evil would be terrifying and had to muster all of her courage to continue forward on her quest. But in actuality, she saw that the force was really just a cloud of fear and it dissolved when she had the courage to confront it. Finally, she could reach the tiny heart which was so small and timid as it had shrunk from undernourishment. She opened the lid of the box and set it free. The tiny heart grew bigger and stronger. As it emitted an endless amount of love to the world, the castle began to transform. The cold stone melted into a beautiful warm palace complete with white marble columns and a fresh water pond. Visitors, including a prince charming, were invited to the palace and welcomed to stay.

Kelly liked the story. It was admittedly laden with positive suggestions about her being “courageous to continue forward in her quest” and reassurances that her fears would “dissolve” and, ultimately, she would be successful. The final image of a warm welcoming palace appealed to her stated reason of why she was seeking therapy. The story was constructed on what I believed she was telling me about herself and her desires. The intention was simply to let her know that I heard her. If there were parts that were incorrect, or did not resonate with her, I trusted she would either verbally or nonverbally indicate this to me. She seemed to feel understood and her demeanor softened. We discussed the distinction between the “rational” and “experiential” systems (which will be explained in detail in chapter 2) in terms of “her head and her heart.” She stated that she tried to run her life according to her “head” (seeking achievement, doing what seemed logically good for her rather than following what she truly desired) and it was her “heart” (emotional needs) that felt ignored. She hoped therapy would help her “listen to her heart” so she could learn how to have better relationships. She was willing to explore the underlying feelings that could lead us to clues about the “evil force” which trapped her heart. By the end of the first hour, she was hopeful and agreed to meet for weekly therapy sessions.

In subsequent sessions, by listening to themes in situations where she was having interpersonal conflicts and by using experiential techniques such as associating to images, body sensations, and feelings, we identified a very consistent pattern in her relationships. She tended to feel ignored and neglected, demanded attention in ways that offended others, and then felt “guilty and ashamed.” Others avoided her because she seemed “harsh” which only magnified her feelings of being alone. Not only was this pattern evident in her romantic and current work relationships, but it was also consistent with the relationship she had with her mother. Her mother admitted that she tended to ignore Kelly because she was so “competent and independent.” In HR, this pattern is called an “experiential hologram.” (A complete explanation of experiential holograms is the topic of chapter 3.) The outcome of this hologram was that it prevented Kelly from forming and sustaining close relationships.

We had been working on ensuring a foundation of coping skills to help her identify, tolerate, and manage affect (e.g., relaxation skills) throughout our therapy sessions. We agreed that Kelly had an adequate level of mastery of these skills and was ready to proceed forward—ready to explore the content of the origins of her experiential hologram. During one session, she stated she was feeling guilty and ashamed. She was asked if she remembered a time when she felt that way before. By asking questions to help her focus on the feeling, she was able to associate to a memory. By the shrinking of her body posture, I knew that she knew what these feelings were about. She was embarrassed, but we had established a solid rapport and she had developed sufficient trust that it was safe to share what she had just remembered. She stated that she was responsible for a sexual encounter she had with her stepfather. She was 9 years old, but blamed herself for being old enough to know better and that “it should not have happened.” No attempts were made to “argue” her out of this belief as she admitted that she knew in her rational mind that she was “just a child” but experientially, continued to feel the guilt and shame. In HR, her statements are accepted as her truth given her perspective of herself in the situation. We did a holographic reprocessing procedure where she revisited the traumatic event remaining anchored in her current-aged self and from the vantage point of an observer. From this vantage point, she was able to see a different truth.

What was revealed was that when Kelly was 9 years old, she did flirt and invite certain attentions from her new stepfather. She saw that her mother got attention this way and figured it would make her special and loved by him as well. However, she did not expect to have a sexual encounter with him. She felt violated and hurt by his actions and had assumed it was her fault. She also assumed his subsequent rejection of her was also her fault. In the reprocessing, she saw that the 9-year-old girl was really innocent. She was lonely, neglected, and merely wanted attention and affection, all normal desires of 9-year-olds. Now that she is in her thirties herself, she realized that it was the 38-year-old man who should have known better. At an emotional level she realized that it was not the child’s fault and thus, it was not her fault. She was able to shift her perception of the scene, imaginally deliver communications to both her stepfather and her younger self, as well as release the feelings of guilt and shame. After the reprocessing she reported feeling lighter and having a deep sense of relief.

Additional therapy sessions addressed her interpersonal relationships, specifically to encourage empathy for herself and toward others. She also learned more effective ways to get her needs met. We developed a set of “counter-images” to help her break old patterns and encourage new behaviors (“counter-images” are explained in chapter 14). A year later, Kelly called to schedule a session. She had needle-pointed a “therapy in session” sign for my door. She wanted to tell me in person how dramatically her life has improved since her therapy. She stated she is a “softer person” now. She feels her feelings and is more forgiving toward herself and others. She reported that her personal and professional relationships had significantly improved.

Holographic Reprocessing

Holographic Reprocessing is a cognitive-experiential approach to psychotherapy (Katz, 2001, 2003). It is based on Epstein’s Cognitive Experiential Self-Theory of personality (CEST) (For review of the overall theory of CEST and its supporting empirical research see S.Epstein, 1991, 1994, 1998). CEST is a dual processing theory, which states that we have two systems for processing information: the rational and experiential systems. (These will be explained in greater detail in chapter 2.) Suffice it to say, that the rational system processes information logically and linearly, while the experiential system processes information emotionally and by associations. Both systems provide necessary and adaptive functions. The experiential system in particular, can help facilitate the retrieval and reprocessing of information that may otherwise be difficult to access or alter. HR uses the principles of CEST to access information about the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral tendencies that lead to the replication of situations that replay aspects of a previous trauma as well as to alter those patterns.

In HR, a pattern of reenactments is described using the hologram as a model. A hologram is a projected three-dimensional image that appears to be suspended in space. What is particularly interesting about holograms, is that the image is produced on special holographic film where by the whole image is embedded through out the film (details are explained in chapter 3). This creates a phenomenon where the whole is contained in the parts. In terms of explaining a repeating pattern of certain experiences, each cycle of a reenactment contains information consistent with the whole pattern of experiences. Although the experiences are certainly real, they also serve as a backdrop for clients to project their beliefs about themselves, others and the world. Just like a hologram, these beliefs appear to be supported by these experiences, when in fact the client contributes to their creation. In other words, the “experience is holographic,” and thus, it is termed an “experiential hologram” (Katz, 2001).

Experiential holograms are holistic, integrative, and unique in terms of existing constructs. Experiential holograms are more than a schema, belief, expectation, selffulfilling prophecy, sensitivity, or script, although all of these constructs may be useful parts of what is activated by an experiential hologram. These constructs are largely cognitive and only part of the holographic picture. What is also activated is an experiential reaction including affect, sensations, and associations. The model of an experiential hologram is intended to more closely explain human experience, as it is assumed that experience itself is processed in a complex array of cognitions, affective reactions, sensations, and associations (Epstein, 1992).

Each holographic reenactment cycles through the six components which will be discussed in chapter 4. Distinguishing these various components gives clients and therapists a user-friendly way to explain complex behavior. It also creates a template so that presenting problems can be understood in a holistic fashion. For example, a client may present with symptoms of social avoidance. Although this may be a problem in its own right, it may also be a part of a larger problem that encompasses a repeating pattern of feeling rejected in relationships. To address social avoidance without contextualizing it within the broader experiential hologram would be missing vital information about the source of the problem.

Once the experiential hologram is articulated by the client and therapist, the therapy shifts to focus on a series of techniques to “reprocess” the experience. Reprocessing facilitates adaptive perceptual changes of the situation, so that the client has a broader understanding of the event and has an increased feeling of emotional peace or “completion” with the experience. Reprocessing may include a non-arousing revisiting of the event. The client remains anchored to the here-and-now by remaining their current aged self, and imaginally reviews the event that happened to the younger version of the self. This technique is not limite...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Part I: Theory
• Part II: Practice
• Appendices
• Bibliography
• Index