Flash Technique

The Flash Technique is a recently developed, minimally intrusive therapeutic intervention that allows clients to process traumatic memories without becoming distressed or overwhelmed. Created by Dr. Philip Manfield, this approach differs from traditional trauma therapies by enabling memory reprocessing while clients remain in a positive emotional state, never requiring them to consciously focus on or verbally describe the traumatic content. During a Flash Technique session, clients engage positive imagery or thoughts while briefly "flashing" to the traumatic memory in their peripheral awareness, allowing the brain to desensitize and integrate the material without activating the trauma response. This makes it particularly valuable for clients who are highly avoidant, struggle with emotional regulation, or find traditional exposure-based methods too activating. The technique is efficient, often producing significant symptom reduction in just one or two sessions, and can be used as a standalone intervention or integrated with other trauma therapies like EMDR to prepare clients for deeper processing work.

Mindfulness + Somatic Practices

Mindfulness encompasses two key ingredients: awareness and acceptance. Awareness is the knowledge and ability to focus attention on one’s inner processes and experiences, such as the experience of the present moment. Acceptance is the ability to observe and accept—rather than judge or avoid—those streams of thought. The goal of mindfulness is to cultivate perspective on one’s consciousness and identity that can bring greater peace mentally and relationally. It incorporates mindfulness practices that include present moment awareness, meditation, and breathing exercises.

Somatic therapy emphasizes helping you develop resources within yourself in order to self-regulate your emotions, or to move out of the fight/flight/freeze response and into a higher-functioning mode where you can think more clearly. Through developing awareness of the mind-body connection and using specific interventions, somatic therapy helps to release the tension, anger, frustration, and other emotions that remain in your body from these past negative experiences. The goal is to help free you from what is preventing you from fully engaging in your lives. Treatment techniques include deep breathing, relaxation exercises, and meditation, each used to help relieve symptoms. Physical awareness is a key part and centering is a foundational practice in which you develops a calm home base in your body. It is achieved through building awareness of one’s muscles, breath, and mood. By slowing down one’s breathing, you are able to “feel” more of what’s going on around and inside yourself.