In this return to our Back to Basics series, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood—and often over-scripted—parts of EMDR therapy: interweaves.
If you were trained to think of interweaves as something you “pull out of a list” when a client gets stuck, you’re not alone. But what if interweaves aren’t about saying the right thing… and instead about understanding what the system needs next?
In this episode, we explore:
What interweaves are actually doing in the brain and nervous system
Why “cognitive interweaves” are only part of the story
How stuckness in EMDR often reflects deeper relational and developmental patterns
The difference between interrupting processing vs. supporting movement
How to move from rigid scripts to relational, somatic, and intuitive interweaves
Why some interweaves increase distress—and why that’s not a failure
We walk through core categories from Francine Shapiro's EMDR: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (responsibility, safety, and choice), while also expanding into a more integrative framework that includes:
Somatic interweaves
Affective interweaves
Relational and resource-based interweaves
You’ll also hear real clinical reflections on:
Why “I’m confused…” doesn’t always land
How metaphor, imagery, and even humor can unlock stuck processing
When to stay out of the way… and when your presence matters most
Ultimately, this conversation reframes interweaves not as a technique—but as a relational intervention grounded in attunement, timing, and case conceptualization.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking:
“What do I say right now?”
This episode will help you shift toward:
“What does my client’s system need right now?”
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