A process and a memory architecture for operating a charge trapping memory cell is provided. The method for operating the memory cell includes establishing a high threshold state in the memory cell by injecting negative charge into the charge trapping structure to set a high state threshold. The method includes using a self-converging biasing procedure to establish a low threshold state for the memory cell by reducing the negative charge in the charge trapping structure to set the threshold voltage for the cell to a low threshold state. The negative charge is reduced in the memory cell by applying a bias procedure including at least one bias pulse. The bias pulse balances charge flow into and out of the charge trapping layer to achieve self-convergence on a desired threshold level. Thereby, an over-erase condition is avoided.