Most of us have been trained—at least in part—to appeal to the cognitive mind of our clients.
But, according to Courtney Armstrong— who trains mental health professionals in creative techniques for healing trauma—that’s taking the long way round. Why? Because most client issues are rooted in the emotional brain where memories and attachment schemas are stored, not the cognitive brain.
In this clip, Courtney walks us through an approach that taps directly into the emotional brain’s storehouse of powerful embodied memories. She calls this approach “Improvisational Imagery,” illustrating how and why it works with an example from her own clinical work.
Rich Simon
Richard Simon, PhD, founded Psychotherapy Networker and served as the editor for more than 40 years. He received every major magazine industry honor, including the National Magazine Award. Rich passed away November 2020, and we honor his memory and contributions to the field every day.
Courtney Armstrong
Courtney Armstrong, LPC, MHSP, is a Board Certified Fellow in Clinical Hypnotherapy and has trained thousands of mental health professionals in creative, brain-based strategies for healing trauma. She’s a bestselling author of the book, The Therapeutic “Aha!”: 10 Strategies for Getting Clients Unstuck and Transforming Traumatic Grief and is the owner/director of Tamarisk: A Center for Mind-Body Therapy in the state of Tennessee.
