EMDR Mechanism

You have said that EMDR is a method that enables "reprocessing dysfunctionally stored experiences". That phrase implies that most experiences, including those that carry high affective are stored in a "functional" way and therefore do no harm to the person.

How much can you say or speculate about such functional storage? How it occurs and where? And what are the conditions that lead to "dysfunctional storage? In other words, what usually "goes right" and what goes wrong in the case of trauma?

• Memory, affect, and learning by Francine Shapiro, 7/26/97