Memory reconsolidation, emotional arousal, and the process of change in psychotherapy: New insights from brain science

Richard D. Lane, Lee Ryan, Lynn Nadel, Leslie Greenberg

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

345 Scopus citations

Abstract

Since Freud, clinicians have understood that disturbing memories contribute to psychopathology and that new emotional experiences contribute to therapeutic change. Yet, controversy remains about what is truly essential to bring about psychotherapeutic change. Mounting evidence from empirical studies suggests that emotional arousal is a key ingredient in therapeutic change in many modalities. In addition, memory seems to play an important role but there is a lack of consensus on the role of understanding what happened in the past in bringing about therapeutic change. The core idea of this paper is that therapeutic change in a variety of modalities, including behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy, results from the updating of prior emotional memories through a process of reconsolidation that incorporates new emotional experiences. We present an integrated memory model with three interactive components - autobiographical (event) memories, semantic structures, and emotional responses - supported by emerging evidence from cognitive neuroscience on implicit and explicit emotion, implicit and explicit memory, emotion-memory interactions, memory reconsolidation, and the relationship between autobiographical and semantic memory. We propose that the essential ingredients of therapeutic change include: (1) reactivating old memories; (2) engaging in new emotional experiences that are incorporated into these reactivated memories via the process of reconsolidation; and (3) reinforcing the integrated memory structure by practicing a new way of behaving and experiencing the world in a variety of contexts. The implications of this new, neurobiologically grounded synthesis for research, clinical practice, and teaching are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere1
JournalBehavioral and Brain Sciences
Volume38
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015

Keywords

  • change processes
  • emotion
  • implicit processes
  • memory
  • neuroscience
  • psychotherapy
  • reconsolidation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
  • Physiology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Memory reconsolidation, emotional arousal, and the process of change in psychotherapy: New insights from brain science'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this