When every client is different and the script no longer fits, CMI™ helps you, the Clinician, follow what’s true.

For mental health professionals, including Social Workers, Counselors, Psychologists and Psychiatrists, Critical Memory Integration (CMI) is a body-informed, signal-following approach that adapts to each individual, because healing can’t be forced, and real change doesn’t always follow steps.

Discover. Learn. Transform.

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CMI is Designed for Clinicians Who…

Want a more attuned and intuitive way to guide healing, beyond rigid protocols, scripted steps, or burnout

Believe every client’s path is unique and are committed to following their inner cues, not overriding them

Are curious, experienced, and ready to integrate somatic and experiential work into something that feels both grounded and effective

Healing is Personal.

So is the Way You Guide It.

CMI helps clinicians tune into what’s uniquely true for each client, beyond diagnostic labels or scripted protocols. It supports the deep, body-informed work your clients need, while honoring your instincts as a clinician.

  • Supports somatic and experiential work with clarity and purpose
  • Reduces therapist fatigue by working with the nervous system, not against it
  • Encourages faster insight and integration without rehashing stories
  • Works alongside your current tools, not in place of them

Choose the Information Session That Fits Your Needs

We offer two ways to learn about Critical Memory Integration (CMI):

On-Demand: Watch a pre-recorded overview any time that works for you. This session explains what CMI is, how it works, and who it is designed to support—perfect for clinicians exploring the framework at their own pace.

1:1 Live: Meet individually with a member of our team for deeper guidance. In this personalized conversation, we’ll answer your questions, discuss clinical fit, and help you determine whether CMI is the right next step for your practice.

Request an Info SessionOn-Demand Session

Testimonials

Not only have I seen changes with my clients, I have been able to feel a shift and healing taking place within myself. It has been wonderful having support from the CMI community as I make my own discoveries through learning to tune into my own needs, which benefits me as a clinician, as a parent and partner, and as a human being.

Holly C., LCSWIdaho

Based off client experience, CMI is an effective protocol centered on a self-guided, explorative journey to core issues. This free-flowing technique has produced powerful results in my clients, which many of are in treatment involuntarily and unmotivated towards change initially. With CMI they have been able to discover that it’s “not really about the constant noise” they hear (in their head) daily; it is truly about connecting to their CORE self. I am thankful to participate in this journey with the knowledgeable, friendly, and supportive people at ARISE. In this field, that is truly hard to come by

Makame, LCSWTripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii

CMI has been a great tool to assist my work in direct patient care. I find that my patients are more willing to embrace CMI because of its quicker access to one’s core self and core barriers. Separately, CMI has been a great foundation in my approach to psychedelic, ketamine, and TMS treatment. CMI is a meaningful complement to these other therapeutics. CMI just makes sense when I think about my philosophy in treatment. To truly heal, we need to go straight to one’s core self.

Chung Trinh, MD, MHACEO of Lighthouse Psychiatry Brain Health Center

Critical Memory Integration (CMI™) Frequently Asked Questions

What is Critical Memory Integration™?

Critical Memory Integration (CMI™) is a comprehensive therapeutic system that uses science-based mind, body, and memory approaches to guide individuals toward optimal mental wellness. CMI™ helps individuals understand their reactions as adaptive responses to life’s difficulties rather than viewing mental health challenges as illness. Through CMI™, clients explore their relationships with emotions and experiences to enhance their sense of self. CMI™ techniques help clients gain insight to integrate critical memories, leading to a healthier nervous system, increased agency, and improved well-being.

How is CMI different from other approaches?

Many therapies today fall into the category of “cognitive-behavioral therapies,” or CBT. CMI™ differs from CBT in many ways. Where CBT targets thinking and behavioral patterns as the leverage points for change, CMI™ is an experiential approach that privileges sensations and emotions as a means to initiate meaningful changes. CMI™ is also designed to support the therapist as a person within the therapeutic relationship.

What would make a person a good fit for CMI?

Individuals who recognize patterns in their thinking, behaviors, or interactions with others that they want to change are ideal candidates for CMI™. CMI™ requires a willingness to explore sensation and emotion responses as a source of important information. The CMI™ clinician supports the individual in expanding their capacity for emotion and exploring the individual’s experiences.

Can this treatment only be used to target specific trauma?

Critical memories do not need to be traumatic to influence us. Very important experiences can often be processed to help individuals renew their stories. These experiences can be processed with CMI™ in support of different therapeutic approaches.

Is CMI a technique I can weave into modalities I currently use, or is it a stand-alone treatment?

The CMI™ training is designed to provide clinicians with the knowledge and skills to use CMI™ as an independent treatment modality. Many CMI-trained therapists seamlessly integrate CMI™ techniques within other treatment modalities they typically use.

How effective is CMI™ across diverse populations?

CMI™ is well positioned for diverse populations because it focuses on the individual’s experience and how they form their sense of self.

Is there any research on the effectiveness of CMI™?

The mechanisms of CMI™ are informed by the evidence base found across other treatment modalities and the most recent neuroscience findings on memory, emotions, and self-concepts.

What is a typical CMI™ session like?

How long does a typical CMI™ session last?

CMI™ is flexible in how it may be deployed. An intervention can be as short as 20-30 minutes or as long as an hour.

What is the typical number of sessions?

CMI™ does not require a minimum or maximum number of sessions. While the CMI™ process can be facilitated within one session for a specific issue, the process of self-discovery is ongoing. It’s typical for individuals to engage in around 6 sessions of CMI; however, some individuals may need more or fewer sessions to achieve their goals.

What kind of homework do clients need to do with CMI™?

Although the CMI™ protocol does not include written homework, the clinician might suggest some skill practice, such as exploring emotions or practicing self-compassion.

Discover. Learn. Transform.