EMDR and the Working Memory Theory

The "Taxation" of the Mind

The working memory account of EMDR suggests that bilateral tasks 'tax' the brain's limited cognitive capacity. By filling working memory with a rhythmic task, the brain has fewer resources to maintain the vividness and emotional intensity of a traumatic memory.

How Competition for Resources Leads to Relief:

• Cognitive Competition: Both the memory and the bilateral stimulation compete for the same limited pool of working memory resources.
• Degradation of Vividness: Because the brain cannot fully support the high-intensity imagery of the memory while tracking the visual stimulus, the memory becomes "blurry" or less vivid.
• Emotional Distancing: As the vividness of the memory decreases, the physiological distress (anxiety) associated with it also drops. This process is known as "taxation".

Why Speed Matters

According to this theory, the stimulation must be "taxing" enough to compete with the memory but not so intense that the user loses track of the task entirely. This is why the Alternation Rate control on Bilateral Focus is so critical; it allows users to find the "sweet spot" where the memory starts to lose its grip.

Permanent Re-storage

When a memory is recalled, it becomes "labile" or changeable. By processing it under the condition of working memory taxation, the brain eventually re-stores (reconsolidates) the memory in a less distressing form. It doesn't delete the memory, but it removes the "emotional sting."