I just thought I'd add my comments on "Imaginal Nurturing". I'm not a therapist, just someone with experience, so take my words with whatever weight you see fit.

My therapist and I have worked together with EMDR for several months now. The "Imaginal Nurturing" in my case seemed to develop "organically" or instinctively. Early on, we were working on my inability to cry, and particularly the event that "froze" me. And that part of me was a younger part (16-year old) who needed some "adult protection" and "permission" and "loving encouragement" to get the emotions flowing. So the "ideal adult" and "16-year-old" started to get to know each other. And in a particularly stressing stimulation shortly after, a "5-year-old" me came into the picture. The 5-year-old was outside in the warm sun, alone, free, and innocent, drawing with chalk and playing. But he still needed others and was not afraid to need them. The adult and 16-year-old eventually "showed up" on scene. The 16-year-old very "stand-offish" and angry and distant in that initial meeting with the 5-year-old and he removed himself to sit far far away (and 5-year-old felt concern for him being so far away). In that initial meeting, the adult gave the 5-year-old room to be free, but was always close enough to let the kiddo know there was someone there protecting, permitting and encouraging.

These three (the 5-year-old, 16-year-old, and "ideal adult") have become sort of standard in my EMDR now. The "ideal adult" continues to protect, permit and encourage the younger ones. The 16-year-old has also been evolving in his relationship between the "innocent 5-year-old" and "ideal adult", dabbling at some of those "ideal" traits...with the encouragement of his adult. 16-year-old had been building concern and maybe even love for the 5-year-old--constrasted with the initial despisement of 5-year-old.

The part that takes effort is continually reminding myself that these three "people" are just one "me"...though the "ideal adult" takes much of that responsibility.

The most meaningful thing which has developed so far from this so called "imaginal nurturing" is that 16-year-old has found enough concern for 5-year-old (and, as I said, perhaps "love") that 16-year-old genuinely wants to help 5-year-old (make a safe place for him and find him). The 16-year-old isn't really consicous of the connection between himself and 5-year-old. The "ideal adult" says that by finding and helping 5-year-old, the 16-year-old is finding and helping and loving himself. The 16-year-old really does not believe "ideal adult's" words, but adult says, "That's okay, you don't have to believe it. It is enough for you to just move toward helping 5-year-old." The adult sees it as a "backdoor" to getting the 16-year-old to care for himself.

Much of my existence is influenced by a shy, unconfident, fearful 16-year-old and has been for over a decade. Sometimes, I wonder if it is a good approach to have these "three individuals", wonder if I'm disconnected from it too much (and I wonder if more "versions of me" will show up). However, it does seem the "ideal adult" is taking care of keeping it all connected. Also, part of this "breaking" my self into pieces is helping to show that the "uncared for self" is not the "whole-self", but just a part...and that I can be "salvaged". Plus a lot of other stuff that says this "nurturing" (both the adult of 16-year-old and 5-year-old and 16-year-old of 5-year-old) is helping in other ways for other issues (mainly related to not getting enough of the "good nurturing" and too much of the "wrong kind of nurtuing" growing up).

I'm not sure if this is what is "imaginal nurturing", but I just thought I'd add my experience with what I think are good effects of what I think may be "imaginal nurturing".