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SUMMARY:Emotional disorders and mental imagery  - Professor Emily A.  Holm
 es\, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit\,  Cambridge
DTSTART:20130503T153000Z
DTEND:20130503T170000Z
UID:TALK44191@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Louise White
DESCRIPTION:We experience mental imagery when we see in our mind’s eye\,
  hear with our mind’s ear and so forth. Imagery allows us to remember or
  make creative leaps. However\, emotional images cause distress across psy
 chological disorders. Flashbacks - image-based involuntary memories to tra
 uma characterise post-traumatic stress disorder. Flashforwards - future im
 agery of manic pursuits occur in bipolar disorder. Our work suggests that 
 compared to verbal thoughts\, mental imagery has a more powerful impact on
  emotion and is judged to be more real. Three areas of treatment innovatio
 n will be discussed. (1) Imagery-interfering cognitive tasks to prevent ne
 gative flashbacks\, including computer game play after analogue trauma dur
 ing the time window for memory consolidation. (2) Imagery-generation train
 ing to boost positive affect in depression via a computerised cognitive bi
 as modification procedure. (3) Imagery-based cognitive therapy development
  for bipolar disorder. In summary\, understanding mental imagery as an emo
 tional amplifier affords new options for psychological treatment informed 
 by cognitive science.  \n\n  \n\nBiography \n\nProfessor Emily Holmes is a
  Programme Leader at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridg
 e. She is an Honorary Professor of Clinical Psychology\, University of Oxf
 ord and a Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellow. Her research bridges cognitive s
 cience with clinical psychology and psychiatry with a focus on PTSD (Postt
 raumatic Stress Disorder)\, depression and bipolar disorder.  Her overarch
 ing interest is the role of emotional mental imagery\, from flashbacks to 
 flashforwards\, and associated opportunities for treatment innovation. Hol
 mes received her degree in Experimental Psychology at the University of Ox
 ford. She completed her clinical psychological training at Royal Holloway 
 University of London\, and a PhD at the MRC CBU. At the Department of Psyc
 hiatry\, University of Oxford she established the group “Experimental Ps
 ychopathology and Cognitive Therapies”. She recently returned Cambridge.
  Website: http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/people/emily.holmes/ \n\n  \n\n  \n
LOCATION:Ground Floor Lecture Theatre\, Department of Psychology
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