AIP Model

The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model is the theory behind EMDR therapy and how the brain processes traumatic information. According to the AIP model, one of the reasons that it can be hard to heal after a traumatic event is because your brain continues to filter information related to what happened through the threat response system.

That means that the brain assigns more importance to what you learned through that traumatic experience (for example: I’m bad).

And because the brain is filtering information through the threat response system, other information is ignored or filtered out as irrelevant to immediate survival.

So vital, relevant and important information is not taken in by the traumatized brain. Information like the fact that the trauma is done, that you got yourself out, that you are safe now, etc.

Your brain and nervous system are trying to keep you safe, but when the events have been maladaptively processed and stored, they remain activated and not filed away with other past events in the narrative of your life.

It is not your fault that your brain is doing this, but time is not likely to heal this type of trauma and often needs therapeutic interventions.

EMDR therapy is great at helping people let go of the pain of their past, live more fully in the present and develop hope for the future. To learn more about EMDR therapy, me and my practice, click the link in my bio.