Video 078 (PT 1.4) NAW

Use this solution

This technique can be used within the standard protocol:

 1. At the stabilization phase to help manage and soothe very difficult body sensations or feeling states that manifest in the body and interfere with the protocol.

2. As an interweave in the processing phase when it’s stuck or stalled by body sensations that seem to be related to traumatic events, such as fear, anxiety or pain.

It can also be used as a “stand-alone” technique to address  pain/distress, and can be taught to a client for self- administration between sessions (and without using bilateral stimulation if you think this would be safer).

Originator:

Janina Fisher

Video production

Matthew Davies Media Ltd, Llanidloes, Powys. www.matthewmedia.com

What this covers

NAW stands for Notice, Acknowledge and Welcome. It’s a technique borrowed from sensori-motor psychotherapy to address psychological and physically experienced pain and in this application is incorporated into the standard EMDR protocol. Please check out the first section of Video 017 on pain for the latest information on pain treatment, and the March 2022 News/Blog on Pain, which goes into more detail about the mechanism behind pain reduction through sensori-motor and EMDR interventions.

This video shows two case examples.  In the first, a 40 year old woman experienced lots of pain during the stabilization phase of the work with her therapist. In the second, the client had been in a traffic accident and became stuck, immobilized and despairing during the desensitization phase.

How long

14.13 minutes

Related videos

Video 017, Pain protocol for chronic pain; Video 70, Trouble shooting for the standard protocol

Go to ‘Take-away’?

See Aide mémoire for a step-by-step guide for using this technique with clients.  See Wrap-up for a vocabulary to help the client describe the sensations they are experiencing. See March 2022 Blog/News for latest understanding of pain and why NAW works.

Take-Away Section

+ Wrap up

You can copy and paste this text into a Word document, and can edit it, adding any additional text you might find helpful.

Below is a vocabulary to help the client describe as accurately and as vividly as possible the pain or distress they are experiencing. You will need to ask about body location, shape, size, colour and texture, etc. If needed, use this list with your client to help them identify any other characteristics.

Twitch

Radiating

Clammy

Bloated

Dull

Shudder

Jumpy

Flushed

Sharp

Numb

Jerky

Prickly

Achy

Flaccid

Energised

Buzzy

Pounding

Moist

Stringy

Flutter

Airy

Blocked

Damp

jumpy

Suffocating

Goose-bumps

Electric

Tremble

Congested

Tight-skin

Pressure

Sweaty

Shivery

Heavy

Light

Wobbly

Chills

Tight

Fuzzy

Tingly

Vibration

Puffy

Tense

Spinning

Itchy

Bubbly

Cool

Dizzy

Stringy

Tingly

Throbbing

Tremulous

Fluid

Shaky

Faint

Breathless

Frozen

Paralyzed

Quivering

Quake

Pulsing

Warm

Soft

Hard

+ Aide Mémoire

You can copy and paste this text into a Word document, and can edit it, adding any additional text you might find helpful.

NAW stands for NOTICE, ACKNOWLEDGE and WELCOME**

Steps in the process for using NAW

  1. Be sure to build a strong rapport with the client. Explain the technique and process with your client (see Presenter’s comment at the beginning of the video).

  2. NOTICE: When the client describes upset, pain, feeling uneasy, panicky, frightened, or if they are stuck with a disturbing image, ask the client to notice what happens inside their body.

  3. ACKNOWLEDGE – there are four aspects to acknowledging the focus for NAW. Ask the client to:

    • Recognise the body sensations as they focus on the thoughts / feelings / image etc.

    • Identify where the sensations are felt in the body (the sensations may occur in several body areas)

    • Name the sensations they feel in the body. You can use the list of words in the wrap up section to help the client to pick out those that name the sensations.

    • Describe the sensations by shape, size and colour, temperature, hardness, density etc.

  4. WELCOME, (or ACCEPT or EMBRACE) the sensations. Use 12 to 16 sweeps of BLS while the client accepts or welcomes the sensations.

  5. After BLS, ask the client what they notice? What changes do they notice? E.g. the shape might be bigger or smaller, denser, more diffuse, lighter, calmer, less intense, moved to another part of the body, darker or brighter, cooler or hotter etc.

  6. Welcome the new feelings or sensations or image with BLS.

  7. After BLS, ask, “What do you notice now/What changes do you notice now?”

  8. Keep asking the same question using BLS as the client welcomes the new feelings or sensations until there is no further change.

Blocked processing, Complex PTSDRichard Worthing-DaviesComment