How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory
ObjectiveNursing students are at risk for traumatic stress, but current treatments have limited benefits. Regenerating Images in Memory (RIM) is a verbal psychotherapeutic approach to help people safely re-experience troubling memories, then integrate them into meaningful life narratives. RIM’s deve...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539079/full |
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| author | Paul F. Cook Laurra M. Aagaard Lisa Krug Avery Nichole Long Allen Alford Deborah Sandella |
| author_facet | Paul F. Cook Laurra M. Aagaard Lisa Krug Avery Nichole Long Allen Alford Deborah Sandella |
| author_sort | Paul F. Cook |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveNursing students are at risk for traumatic stress, but current treatments have limited benefits. Regenerating Images in Memory (RIM) is a verbal psychotherapeutic approach to help people safely re-experience troubling memories, then integrate them into meaningful life narratives. RIM’s developers propose a mechanism of action based on nonconscious processes like emotional processing and body awareness. Two Minds Theory (TMT) is a health behavior model that suggests coping arises primarily from the speedy and non-conscious Intuitive Mind. This study was designed to test a potential mechanism of action for RIM based on TMT, where the Intuitive Mind suggests solutions that are later integrated into the Narrative Mind.MethodsIn this exploratory, descriptive, mechanistic study with no comparison group, 30 nursing students received RIM during the late COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed validated symptom questionnaires before and after 1 RIM session lasting 1–2 h. As an exploratory measure, we measured altered states of consciousness using a scale linked to rapid improvement in studies of psychedelic treatments. Sessions were audio-recorded and participants’ brainwaves were monitored using a MUSE S (Gen 1) 5-lead EEG headband with MindMonitor software.ResultsStudents reported pre-post improvements (Cohen’s d = 1.93–2.75) on 4 of 5 questionnaires. Participants reported levels of altered consciousness similar to those in psychedelic drug studies, particularly on an “ineffability” subscale linked to symptom improvement. EEG readings showed a significant shift away from the frontal lobes (associated with the Narrative Mind) and into the temporal lobes (associated with the Intuitive Mind), χ2 = 11.0 × 104, p < 0.001, during the middle stage of RIM. This was followed by frontal and temporal lobe co-activation during the final stage of RIM, a finding that also mirrors psychedelic studies’ finding of increased synchronization across brain areas during treatment.ConclusionReplicating prior pre-post RIM studies, nursing students reported symptom improvement. These changes co-occurred with altered consciousness and increased temporal-lobe brain activity, findings that are consistent with RIM’s proposed mechanism of action based on TMT. Although this uncontrolled trial does not allow conclusions about treatment efficacy, RIM is a brief verbal psychotherapeutic intervention that merits further study. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4685781a2184d949e3ac87ab2f6369a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4685781a2184d949e3ac87ab2f6369a2025-08-20T03:49:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-05-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15390791539079How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in MemoryPaul F. Cook0Laurra M. Aagaard1Lisa Krug Avery2Nichole Long3Allen Alford4Deborah Sandella5University of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, United StatesUniversity of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, United StatesUniversity of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, United StatesUniversity of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, United StatesUniversity of Colorado College of Nursing, Aurora, CO, United StatesRIM Institute, Denver, CO, United StatesObjectiveNursing students are at risk for traumatic stress, but current treatments have limited benefits. Regenerating Images in Memory (RIM) is a verbal psychotherapeutic approach to help people safely re-experience troubling memories, then integrate them into meaningful life narratives. RIM’s developers propose a mechanism of action based on nonconscious processes like emotional processing and body awareness. Two Minds Theory (TMT) is a health behavior model that suggests coping arises primarily from the speedy and non-conscious Intuitive Mind. This study was designed to test a potential mechanism of action for RIM based on TMT, where the Intuitive Mind suggests solutions that are later integrated into the Narrative Mind.MethodsIn this exploratory, descriptive, mechanistic study with no comparison group, 30 nursing students received RIM during the late COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed validated symptom questionnaires before and after 1 RIM session lasting 1–2 h. As an exploratory measure, we measured altered states of consciousness using a scale linked to rapid improvement in studies of psychedelic treatments. Sessions were audio-recorded and participants’ brainwaves were monitored using a MUSE S (Gen 1) 5-lead EEG headband with MindMonitor software.ResultsStudents reported pre-post improvements (Cohen’s d = 1.93–2.75) on 4 of 5 questionnaires. Participants reported levels of altered consciousness similar to those in psychedelic drug studies, particularly on an “ineffability” subscale linked to symptom improvement. EEG readings showed a significant shift away from the frontal lobes (associated with the Narrative Mind) and into the temporal lobes (associated with the Intuitive Mind), χ2 = 11.0 × 104, p < 0.001, during the middle stage of RIM. This was followed by frontal and temporal lobe co-activation during the final stage of RIM, a finding that also mirrors psychedelic studies’ finding of increased synchronization across brain areas during treatment.ConclusionReplicating prior pre-post RIM studies, nursing students reported symptom improvement. These changes co-occurred with altered consciousness and increased temporal-lobe brain activity, findings that are consistent with RIM’s proposed mechanism of action based on TMT. Although this uncontrolled trial does not allow conclusions about treatment efficacy, RIM is a brief verbal psychotherapeutic intervention that merits further study.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539079/fullbrief therapycognitive neuroscienceEEGimagerymystical experiencestress |
| spellingShingle | Paul F. Cook Laurra M. Aagaard Lisa Krug Avery Nichole Long Allen Alford Deborah Sandella How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory Frontiers in Psychology brief therapy cognitive neuroscience EEG imagery mystical experience stress |
| title | How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory |
| title_full | How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory |
| title_fullStr | How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory |
| title_full_unstemmed | How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory |
| title_short | How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory |
| title_sort | how is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with regenerating images in memory |
| topic | brief therapy cognitive neuroscience EEG imagery mystical experience stress |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539079/full |
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