EMDR FORUM ARCHIVE, 2000
Re:generalization
Sandra Paulsen Inobe, PhD · 01/15/03 at 10:57 ET
I think you have described the subjective experience of generalization perfectly. Generalization is when skills or insights learned in one domain or situation or environment move over to another domain/situation/environment. In cognitive behavior therapy, this is done deliberately, consciously, cognitively, and with practice. In EMDR, we see it happen spontaneously, in the days and weeks following an EMDR session especially, or a sequence of sessions. It is one of the really fabulous things I like about working with EMDR. The generalization just moves, like so many dominoes, for many people. In EMDR, clinicians can increase the likelihood of generalization by deliberately, at the end of a session, installing the positive cognition not only with the original target, but also with other images, so long as they are similar (too different and it might kick up new material that would need processing). Especially taking it into future templates, we can say, "imagine what it would be like if you took that self-statement (or skill or insight) with you tomorrow as you went to work, or next week with your family (or whatever), what you'd feel like, act like, talk like." And voila, increased generalization. In short, generalization is when you realize you are already wearing the ruby red slippers, and you already know how to get home.
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