Implicit Memory
In contrast with explicit memory, implicit memory, which contains procedural memory and our bodily conditioned responses, is central to trauma therapy—“the body remembers” (Rothschild, 2000) and “the body keeps the score” (van der Kolk, 2014).
In trauma—particularly trauma that has occurred repeatedly over time—trauma responses become both conditioned and part of our procedural learning as part of our implicit memory. Information about what is occurring in an overwhelming moment is not processed in the same way as non-threatening, non-overwhelming information; it is “scattered” by the thalamus rather than being processed together as an integrated whole by the brain’s sensory centers and then evaluated by the neocortex.
Note
The processing of implicit sensory content can occur without explicit recall of details of a trauma; explicit recall is in fact not required for integration and healing to occur.
Emotions and body sensations without accompanying narrative may seem bewildering for a client; the practitioner can assist this process by using empathic contact statements such as:
“the tears and trembling are showing us that whatever happened back then was too much for your system to stay with; it’s okay that the details aren’t coming, we can just let the wisdom of your body move this energy now, with me here in this room, your body knows the story – we don’t need to.”
If there is explicit recall attending the implicit content, an entirely new scenario with an alternative conclusion (re-storying) can be narrated through inviting the client to imagine what would have been a different/better outcome and brought into present moment felt experience with embodied inquiry into sensations and impulses.
Activity
For example, if a client experienced a near-drowning after capsizing while white-water rafting and then was put back into the raft to endure another 3 sets of rapids, how could we re-story this traumatic event?
They might imagine that instead they were transported in a van with their friends to the end of the river (the health professional could sit beside the client shoulder-to-shoulder and together they could pretend they are going down a bumpy forest road while bouncing on the couch to mimic how that would feel).
Once traumatic implicit memory is integrated, clients will often reflect that while they know the past can’t be changed, it is now felt to be more like a page in a history book rather than something that carries charge and negatively impacts their lives by colouring their perception of present moment experience.
References
Rothschild, B. (2000). The body remembers: The psychophysiology of trauma and trauma treatment. W. W. Norton.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Publishing Group.