What to Expect During the 8-Phased Approach in EMDR.
There are EIGHT phases to EMDR. Sounds crazy—right? Some of the phases go quickly, while others may take some time. Your therapist can help guide you on which phase you are in if you are ever curious. However, for the purpose of this blog, let’s define what happens during each of the phases.
Overview of the 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
1. History Taking and Treatment Planning
Goal: Understand your background and identify target memories.
During this phase, your therapist gathers a comprehensive history. You’ll discuss your current symptoms, past traumatic experiences, and what you hope to achieve through EMDR therapy. This sets the foundation for which memories or experiences will be targeted later on.
What to Expect:
A detailed intake session
Discussion of key life events
Identifying target memories, triggers, and current challenges
2. Preparation
Goal: Build trust and teach coping skills.
Before diving into trauma work, your therapist ensures you feel safe and equipped. You’ll learn grounding techniques, relaxation exercises, and how EMDR works. The therapeutic relationship is especially important in this phase.
What to Expect:
Learning about bilateral stimulation
Practicing self-soothing tools (like a “safe place” visualization and container)
Obtaining resources- what we call RDI (Resource Development and Installation) aka, finding positive skills we have as an individual when adverse situations happen.
3. Assessment
Goal: Identify specific memory components to target.
Here, you and your therapist identify the target memory, including the image, negative belief, emotions, and physical sensations connected to it. You’ll also identify the positive belief you’d prefer to have.
What to Expect:
Rating your distress using the SUD scale (Subjective Units of Disturbance)
Identifying negative/positive beliefs using the VOC scale (Validity of Cognition)
Preparing for reprocessing
4. Desensitization
Goal: Reprocess the memory to reduce emotional charge.
This is the core of EMDR therapy. Using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, using buzzies (tactile), and/or headphones auditory), your therapist guides you through processing the target memory. You’ll notice thoughts, emotions, or body sensations that arise, without judgment. OR sometimes you may notice nothing at all— and that is OK too. There is no wrong way in EMDR.
What to Expect:
Engaging in sets of bilateral stimulation
Observing changes in thoughts, feelings, and sensations
Gradual reduction in emotional distress
5. Installation
Goal: Strengthen the positive belief.
Once the distressing memory loses its intensity, your therapist helps you install a positive belief to replace the negative one. This strengthens resilience and helps rewire your response to the memory.
What to Expect:
Repeating the positive belief while using bilateral stimulation
Increasing the validity of your chosen positive thought
Feeling empowered and safe
6. Body Scan
Goal: Clear remaining physical tension.
Even after mental and emotional processing, trauma can linger in the body. A body scan helps detect and release any residual tension or discomfort.
What to Expect:
Quietly scanning your body for tension
Reprocessing if any physical discomfort remains
Achieving a sense of calm
7. Closure
Goal: Ensure stability and readiness between sessions.
Every EMDR session ends with a structured closure. Whether or not you’ve completed processing the memory, your therapist will help you return to a grounded, safe state.
What to Expect:
Reviewing progress and remaining targets
Practicing calming techniques
Discussing what to do between sessions if emotions arise
8. Re-evaluation
Goal: Assess progress and plan future sessions.
At the start of the next session, you’ll revisit previous memories to see if any residual distress exists. This ensures the effects are lasting and helps guide the next steps in therapy.
What to Expect:
Reflecting on changes since the last session
Re-assessing the SUD and VOC scores
Targeting new or related memories if needed
Because EMDR is customized to your needs and proceeds at your pace, it’s especially useful for people who have found traditional talk therapy overwhelming or ineffective!
