What is imagery rescripting?
Imagery rescripting (IR) focuses on editing and processing meaningful and often traumatic memories. During therapy, you recall a (part of a) painful or traumatic event from your memory. You then imagine how you would like to change this event – or the course of events – to a more positive outcome.
Express belatedly
Imagery rescripting offers you the opportunity to express the feelings, needs, and impulses that you had to suppress at that time. A vivid imagination of the original event and subsequently rewriting that memory provides an ‘as if it is real’ experience and can therefore have a healing, therapeutic effect.
New outcome
By reliving the traumatic experience with a new outcome, the negative associations and feelings linked to the event can be reduced and replaced by other associations and feelings. A sense of control can also be (re)gained by standing up for yourself in your mind.
How did imagery rescripting originate?
The imagery method was already described as early as the end of the 19th century, but research into this treatment method and its application have experienced enormous growth since the 1990s. Imagery rescripting was then used as one of the techniques within cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT for PTSD) and within schema therapy – a treatment for personality disorders that often involves trauma.
How does imagery rescripting work?
The treatment consists of 9 to 16 sessions of 90 minutes, taking place weekly. In the beginning, you get to know each other and the trauma, and you receive an explanation about the therapy.
Empathize
In the first phase of the exercise, you mentally return to the traumatic situation from back then. You explore this with your senses: what do you feel, smell, hear, and see when you imagine it as if it is happening again. The therapist encourages you to express yourself.
Rewrite
In the second phase of the exercise, this memory is rewritten. The first few times, the therapist will demonstrate this by stepping into the scene, doing what is necessary, and providing what you need. For the remainder of the therapy, you’ll step into the memory yourself as an adult. As your adult self, you’ll take care of yourself as the child/victim from back then. What should have happened? What would you have wanted to do?
Ratify
In the third phase, you go through this rescripting; rewriting the memory once more, but now again through the eyes of the child/victim that you were back then. And in doing so, you see how you, as an adult, step into the image and help. The child within you can also indicate what it would have needed at that moment. Perhaps it was furious, or needed comfort.
You are encouraged to repeat this new version of the event and imagine what it would have been like if this outcome had actually occurred.
What complaints is imagery rescripting for?
The treatment was developed for people with complex trauma, but is also used for negative memories and recurring unpleasant images in personality disorders, depression, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and recurring nightmares.
IR is also used as preparation for difficult, feared situations in the future.
Where can I follow imagery rescripting?
There are many therapists and psychologists who provide imagery rescripting from their practices. Institutions also offer it. It is often part of a broader treatment.
Imagery rescripting can be done face-to-face, but sometimes it can also be followed online.
Where can I find more information about imagery rescripting?
Reading tips
- Imagery rescripting – Remco van der Wijngaart
Viewing recommendations
- Imagery rescripting by the therapist – role play – Loes Marquenie – Psyflix
- Imagery rescripting in the brain
- DVD
Fine Tuning Imagery Rescripting, 36 scenes about the applications of ImRs
Watch tip
Imagery rescripting in the brain
Short explanatory video about IR.
In collaboration with
Remco van der Wijngaart
Psychotherapist and healthcare psychologist, supervisor and trainer in schema therapy (VSt and ISST) and cognitive behavioral therapy (VGCt). Working in Psychotherapy practice Perspectief Maastricht and director of Van Genderen Training.
