EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) was first observed and later developed into a treatment by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Since then, the process and therapy have evolved through the contributions of therapists and researchers alike, resulting in standardized protocols incorporating elements from different approaches.
Phase 1: History and Planning
In this phase, the therapist takes a detailed history to develop a treatment plan. The client and therapist discuss specific issues that may be addressed in therapy, while the therapist identifies potential target memories to use in the EMDR process.
Phase 2: Preparation
During this phase, the therapist teaches the client techniques to manage disturbances that may arise during processing sessions. The preparation period varies for each client based on several factors, including the severity of traumatic events, coping skills, prior therapy experience, and their level of differentiation. The client will also receive more information about the EMDR process and have the opportunity to ask any lingering questions.
Phase 3: Assessment – Looking for the targets
The clinician gathers additional information on the selected target memory in this phase. The goal is to understand how that specific event has affected the client’s present-day life, what negative beliefs resulted from that moment, and what positive beliefs the client would like to adopt.
Phase 4: Desensitization
This is the juice. Your therapist and you will work in that space on the agreed-upon target that has bled over into your life. Here, the client can process discomfort, gain new insights, and reduce the distress associated with the memory, ultimately rendering it less potent. This phase may require several sessions, but the aim is to progress quickly and safely.
Phase 5: Installation
This phase focuses on strengthening the new positive belief or cognition that will replace the previous negative. The client must genuinely feel this new belief, ensuring that it carries more weight than mere words when it is articulated.
Phase 6: Scan – Get it ALL out
The client is scanning for residual tension in the body. Most of us are familiar with the concept and recognize that trauma can be stored physically. While the goal is to alleviate this tension, this phase also helps identify the direction needed for further work, as some targets are deeply rooted and might not yield a clear scan.
Phase 7: Closure
Closure is essential in every EMDR session, regardless of the outcomes. Whether or not an entire session is completed, progress toward healing has occurred. To conclude the session, therapists often employ calming techniques or grounding exercises to help the client return to a stable emotional state.
Phase 8: Reevaluation – Rinse/Repeat
Each new session begins with a reevaluation of gains made in previous sessions. The therapist checks the installed cognition’s validity, ensuring that the negative belief remains at bay. Treatment plans are continuously updated, and there is an open dialogue about the treatment process and any adverse side effects that may arise following sessions.
