depth of processing
 

I find that clearing almost always happens more quickly when what the client focuses on during processing is somatic/emotional content as opposed to more cognitive content. I guess the first part of my question is: do others find this to be true?
The second part of my question is, if this is true, how to guide a client into more somatic, less cerebral realms of attention and still respect the integrity of his/her process.
Some clients, particularly the ones who have had a lot of trauma, seem to really want to just loop at a really cognitive level...and the SUDS rarely changes when they do this.

Re: depth of processing
 

One of the assumptions underlying the standard EMDR protocol -- and Adaptive Information Processing Theory itself -- is that we don't emphasize one channel of information more than another. Once the network is "lit up," and the bilateral stim begins, the processing continues until the SUD is 0 and the VOC 7.

In the course of that processing, the client may initially be more in one channel than another, or may process more than one channel simultaneously. If we just stay off the track and go back to target until SUD 0/VOC 7 is achieved, all that needs clearing will clear.

Some individuals are very heady and use cognition as a defense. In that case, the EMDR may loop, and its a "legal" move to invite attention to go to a somatic or emotional channel.

Some people need to be invited to go the cognitive channel to really clear something.

I value somatic interventions, and will present at the EMDRIA conference in September about where and how to utilize somatic interventions in the EMDR protocol while still being true to the standard protocol.