EMDR in practice

The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy follows a structured eight-phase approach designed to guide you through the desensitisation and reprocessing of traumatic memories:

1. History Taking

I gather a comprehensive history of your experiences and work to identify specific memories or issues to target during therapy. This phase also involves assessing readiness for EMDR and establishing current coping mechanisms.

2. Preparation

In this phase, education is provided on the EMDR process and techniques that may be used during sessions. Coping strategies, such as grounding exercises, to endure emotional safety throughout the therapy are also developed in this phase.

3. Assessment

The targeted traumatic memory is identified, along with the emotions, physical sensations, and cognitive distortions associated with it. We work with the "negative belief" tied to the memory and choose a preferred positive belief they wish to adopt.

4. Desensitisation

This is the core phase of EMDR therapy, where bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones) is used to help process the traumatic memory. You are asked to focus on the memory while following eye movements or tapping, allowing the brain to reprocess the experience.

5. Installation

Once the distress tied to the memory is reduced, we work to reinforce positive beliefs.

6. Body Scan

Guided body scans are used to check for any residual physical sensations linked to the original memory. Any remaining discomfort is addressed using additional bilateral stimulation.

7. Closure

Each session concludes with a closure phase to ensure the client leaves the session feeling stable and grounded. If necessary, the therapist may teach relaxation techniques or provide further coping strategies.

8. Reevaluation

In subsequent sessions, the therapist assesses the client’s progress and explores whether additional memories or beliefs need to be processed.