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Imagery rescripting
Imagery Rescripting (IR) is an effective treatment method for PTSD and trauma-related complaints. With IR, you rewrite negative or traumatic memories. On this page, you can read how IR works.
What is imagery rescripting?
With Imagery Rescripting (IR), you rewrite memories of distressing or traumatic events. You bring a memory back from your mind as if you are reliving it. Then, you imagine how the situation could have ended differently, or what you would have wanted to do differently at that moment.
IR gives you the opportunity to express feelings, emotions, or needs that you may have suppressed at the time. Through imagery rescripting, you give a traumatic memory a new meaning and rewrite it in your mind. In a way, your memory gets an “update.”
Imagery Rescripting is often used within cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or schema therapy. IR helps you revisit and process earlier experiences, leading to positive changes in emotions and behaviour.
How does IR work?
Together with your psychologist, you first recall (part of) the memory. Then, you explore how the memory can be changed in a more positive way. Your psychologist may ask questions such as:
- What did you need during that difficult moment?
- What would you have wanted to do differently?
- How would the situation have ended then?
By imagining a new ending and creating a different mental image, you rewrite the memory. This allows you to change the meaning of a past event into a more positive outcome.
When and for whom
IR is helpful for negative or traumatic memories that affect your mental health. It is an effective treatment technique if you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also help with trauma or distressing memories related to other mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders, depression, postpartum depression, phobias, and some eating disorders.
IR can also be effective if you struggle with low self-esteem, negative thoughts, beliefs, or a negative interpretation of an event. Imagery rescripting helps transform these negative experiences into more positive thoughts.
IR can be used as an alternative to EMDR. In some cases, a combination of both techniques is used in the treatment of PTSD.
Imagery Rescripting versus Imaginal Exposure
The difference between imagery rescripting and imaginal exposure (IE) is that, with IR, you rewrite the memory into a more positive alternative. With IE, you are repeatedly confronted with the painful memory. This is done by talking about it in detail over and over again or by deliberately facing related situations. These two techniques are sometimes used alongside each other.
More information
Do you have questions about what EMDR could do for you? Or are you unsure whether it’s the right time to see a psychologist?
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With a referral from your GP, treatment costs are reimbursed by almost all health insurers.
FAQ
Do I have to fully relive my trauma during Imagery Rescripting?
No — not in the same way as with exposure therapy. With IR, you do return to a memory, but together with your psychologist you focus on what you needed in that moment and how the situation could have ended differently. The goal is to make the memory feel less overwhelming and to give it a new meaning.
What does Imagery Rescripting help with?
IR helps with memories that still affect you and trigger feelings like fear, shame, guilt, or powerlessness. This can involve a traumatic event or PTSD, but also experiences such as bullying, rejection, or growing up in an unsafe environment. IR helps rewrite experiences that still influence how you think, feel, or react today.
What works better: EMDR, exposure, or Imagery Rescripting?
There isn’t one therapy that works best for everyone. EMDR, exposure, and Imagery Rescripting (IR) are all scientifically proven and effective treatments. Which approach suits you best depends on your symptoms and your personal situation. Together with your psychologist, you decide what fits you best. Sometimes one method is used, sometimes different techniques are combined or alternated. The starting point is always a treatment that works for you.
