Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses research in the fields of cognitive science, education, communication, and language and memory. It shows how research findings in these areas can inform our understanding of the brain's memory systems and information processing abilities and how these findings can potentially inform the practice of psychotherapy. The book illustrates various ways to use visuals to address and explain universal therapy topics, such as mindfulness, stress, ambivalence, communication, and uncertainty. It reviews the components of the Visually Enhanced Therapy (VET) model, provides a diagram that illustrates the various components of the VET model, and offers some general recommendations for using visually mediated strategies. The book offers various tips on how to use visuals and visually mediated activities to more actively engage your clients in the therapy session.