Treating Panic Attacks Using Emotional-Image Therapy (EIT)

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of N.D. Linde’s Emotional-Image Therapy (EIT) for treating panic attacks (PA). The method is considered a highly effective tool aimed at resolving a deep in-trapersonal conflict caused by the rejection of an “unwanted” part of the personality, most often associated with childhood psychological trauma (the Inner Child). The EIT theoretical model receives a strong scientific justifi-cation through integration with modern research confirming the key role of low self-acceptance and emotional dysregulation in the genesis of panic. The work also takes into account related psychodynamic concepts, par-ticularly the role of impaired containment function of the psyche and dissociative processes. It is emphasized that EIT, through work with unconscious imagery, offers direct access to these deep structures. Based on the analysis of clinical cases, the algorithm of the technique is demonstrated, along with its ability to provide rapid (1‒3 sessions) and sustained relief of symptoms. This is achieved not only by alleviating the acute symptom but also by eliminating its psychological cause through the mechanism of accepting and integrating the reject-ed experience.