Rewinding PTSD  has  become internationally recognised as indispensable to treat PTSD.  
Rewinding was first introduced into the literature of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Dr.David Muss (founder of this association) back in 1991; ** "A new technique for treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder". British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1991, 30,91-92. 19 policeman with PTSD were treated with the Rewind and followed for two years. All reported being well, returned to work and there wasn't a single relapse.
MANY HAVE COPIED IT SINCE-claiming it was their idea or modifying the technique with little changes so as to appear original. None none in the UK have had academic confirmation(RCT) other than that of Dr. Muss, 

MEET THE ORIGINATOR DURING A RADIO CAMBRIDGE INTERVIEW DECEMBER 2024
20241220 Interview with Dr David Muss on Cambridge Radio.mp3



It is easily learnt; applicable to survivors trans culturally and usually requires no more than two sessions to bring about closure for single traumas. The results are enduring** - a follow up of two years showed no relapses in that period of time.   



The Rewind is different from other imaginal exposure therapies because no details are disclosed to the therapist Hence the treatment is known as "closure without disclosure"
The benefits of non disclosure include:

• Minimizing the risk of the client being re-traumatized.   
• There is no fear of disclosing sensitive information e.g. In the case of servicemen, for example, about deployment. 
• For survivors of rape and sexual abuse the benefit of not having to disclose details of the event to a stranger is self-evident 
• Minimizing the risk to the counsellor of developing compassion fatigue, particularly for those therapists involved with heavy workloads. 

The Rewind  offers a way of permanently stopping the involuntary recall by filing the traumatic event so it comes under control..Voluntary recall remains.

***FOR SINGLE EVENT TRAUMAS, two to three sessions at most are required.  

FOR MULTIPLE EVENT TRAUMAS, such as: combat, sexual abuse; domestic violence; etc. each traumatic event can be dealt with separately over separate sessions but, depending on the way the involuntary recall represents, can also be dealt with in one session.
                   

SOME RESEARCH EXPLANATIONS FOR HOW THE REWIND WORKS AT NEURONAL LEVEL

The exact science of the Rewind treatment,as for all treatments,is unknown, but attempts have been put forth to explain the mechanism by:

Changes in the integration of the memory mediated by the modulation of arousal (Dietrich,2000), and dissociation from the traumatic sequellae (Dietrich et al,2000). 

Bio Informational Theory (Foa et al.) 1997Treatment aimed at introducing new information incompatible with some or all of the memory structure at the root of PTSD symptoms

Classical Learning ( rooted in basic behavioural psychology)Conditioning paradigm, the Trauamtic Memory is associated with implicit and explicit cues which evoke the memory outside of the conscious control of the suffferer. 

Dual Representational Theory (Cognitive) Brewin , Dagleish, Joseph 1968Traumatic memeories are held in two separate forms,explicit verbally accessible memories and implicit situationally accessibe memories 

Temporal Dynamics Model of Emotional Memory Processing (Diamond , Campbell, Park et al (2007) based on animal studies.

Most recent thinking, based on neuronal research, suggests the mechanism of the intervention may be explained in terms of memory restructuring through the mechanism of reconsolidation Riccio,D.C., Millin,P.M. & Bogart,A.R. (2006). 


For the self help e-book "The Trauma Trap" visit Amazon: