Stimulus Discrimination
This resource helps clients distinguish between past trauma and present safety, reducing distress related to trauma triggers.
Stimulus Discrimination
People who have experienced trauma often experience unwanted memories or ‘flashbacks’ of what happened to them.
When you have a flashback, it can feel as though the trauma is happening again right now. This can be very scary. It happens because, during trauma, the brain can have difficulty storing the memory as something that is clearly in the past.
This Stimulus Discrimination tool can help you notice the difference between the past and the present. This can help you place upsetting memories in the past, where they belong, so you feel less distressed.
Use this tool when your trauma memory has been ‘triggered’, or as your therapist has instructed.
Overview
Stimulus discrimination - often referred to as 'then vs. now' - is a therapeutic exercise designed to help trauma survivors differentiate between past traumatic events and present safety. By focusing on current sensory experiences and comparing them with past trauma, clients can reduce involuntary and distressing trauma recollections. This method is particularly effective in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), helping clients realize (cognitive and then emotionally) when they are genuinely safe, and mitigating avoidance behaviors.
Also available as:
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Review their responses before the next session.
Part of a complete library of evidence-based tools
Worksheets, guides, audio resources and interactive digital tools for mental health professionals.