Flash Technique · Ottawa & online
Flash Technique Therapy in Ottawa
Turn the volume down before you turn toward it.
Some memories feel too big to look at directly. The Flash Technique is a gentle, evidence-informed way to lower a memory’s emotional charge without having to focus on it or retell it, so the harder work of processing becomes possible when you’re ready.
Lower the charge first. Approach the memory second.
What is the Flash Technique?
The Flash Technique is a gentle, evidence-informed intervention used most often in the preparation phase of EMDR therapy. It helps reduce the disturbance attached to a difficult memory without requiring you to consciously focus on the memory or describe what happened.
That matters because, for many people, the hardest part of trauma work is the fear of being flooded by the memory itself. Flash lets us take the edge off first, so that when we do approach the material, your nervous system has room to stay regulated rather than overwhelmed.
The Four-Blink method
I trained in the Four-Blink version of the Flash Technique with Thomas Zimmerman, one of the clinicians who has developed and taught this approach.
In practice, you keep your attention on something positive and engaging, a memory or image that feels genuinely good, while I guide brief, light sets of eye blinks. You are not asked to hold the distressing memory in mind. Many people notice that, by the end, the troubling memory simply feels less loud, less sharp, further away. There is nothing to perform and nothing you have to say out loud.
How Flash fits with EMDR and complex trauma
Flash is rarely the whole plan; it’s a doorway. Once a memory’s charge is lower, we can move into full EMDR reprocessing more safely, or keep using somatic and grounding work to build stability first.
For complex PTSD, where diving straight into a memory can overwhelm the nervous system, Flash is especially useful: it lets us reduce distress without forcing your protective parts to lower their guard all at once. It pairs naturally with parts work and with the phased, safety-first approach I use throughout trauma therapy.
Who it can help
- You want to work on a memory that feels too overwhelming to approach head-on.
- You’ve tried to talk about something and found yourself flooded or shut down.
- You’re preparing for EMDR and want a gentler on-ramp.
- You’d rather not recount the details of what happened, at least not yet.
As with all trauma work, Flash is used thoughtfully and at your pace. It may help reduce the intensity of a memory; it is not a guaranteed or instant fix, and we only use it once you feel steady enough to begin.
Fees and practical details
- Free 15-minute consultation. No forms, no pressure, just a conversation about fit.
- Individual session (50 minutes): $200.
- Insurance: you pay per session and receive a detailed receipt with my CRPO registration number (#11921) to claim through your extended health plan. Most Ontario plans cover Registered Psychotherapists. I don’t bill insurance directly.
- In person at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, Ottawa, or online across Ontario. No referral needed.
Questions people ask about the Flash Technique
Do I have to think about the trauma during Flash?
No. That’s the point of it. You keep your attention on something positive while brief sets of eye blinks are guided. You’re not asked to focus on the distressing memory or describe it.
Is the Flash Technique evidence-based?
Flash is a newer, evidence-informed intervention with a growing research base, used widely within the EMDR community in the preparation phase. It’s best understood as one tool inside a larger, established EMDR and trauma-therapy approach rather than a standalone cure.
Is it safe for complex PTSD?
Used carefully, it’s often gentler than approaching a memory directly, which is why it can suit complex trauma. We still build stability and grounding first, and we go at the pace your nervous system can tolerate.
Can Flash be done online?
Yes. Like EMDR, the Flash Technique adapts well to secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario, with the same preparation and pacing as in person.
One small ripple is enough to start.
A free 15-minute call. No forms, no pressure to tell your story before you’re ready.
Book a free 15-minute call