A Step-by-Step Look At What Happens Throughout An EMDR Session

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a structured approach used to assist folks recover from traumatic experiences, nervousness, panic attacks, and other distressing memories. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR has become a widely recognized method for treating trauma-associated conditions similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you’ve ever wondered what an EMDR session actually involves, this guide takes you through each part so you know precisely what to expect.

1. The Initial Session and Preparation

The EMDR process begins with an assessment session the place your therapist gathers information about your history, current challenges, and goals for therapy. This part helps the therapist determine whether EMDR is appropriate for you.

During this stage, you’ll also talk about any past traumatic occasions, emotional triggers, and signs you need to address. The therapist will explain how EMDR works and answer questions to ensure you feel comfortable and informed.

Preparation additionally consists of learning self-soothing techniques—reminiscent of breathing exercises, visualization, or grounding strategies—that allow you to stay calm during or after a session. These tools are essential for sustaining emotional balance throughout the treatment process.

2. Figuring out Target Memories

Once you and your therapist are ready to start, the next step is to establish the particular recollections that will be processed. These may embrace traumatic experiences, distressing thoughts, or painful emotions that proceed to have an effect on your each day life.

Each target memory is analyzed in terms of three elements:

The image that represents the worst part of the memory

The negative belief about yourself related to that occasion

The physical sensations or emotions you are feeling when recalling it

You’ll additionally create a positive perception to replace the negative one—corresponding to transforming "I am energyless" into "I am in control now."

3. Desensitization: The Eye Movement Process

This is the core of EMDR therapy. Throughout desensitization, the therapist asks you to deal with the chosen memory while concurrently guiding your eye movements from side to side. This is usually done by following the therapist’s fingers, a moving light, or rhythmic sounds.

These bilateral stimulations are thought to help the brain reprocess the memory, reducing its emotional intensity. As the session continues, it's possible you'll notice the memory turning into less vivid or distressing. Some shoppers experience new insights or connections as their brain integrates the experience in a healthier way.

4. Set up of Positive Beliefs

As soon as the distress around the goal memory decreases, the therapist helps you strengthen the positive belief you created earlier. You’ll deal with that perception—reminiscent of "I'm safe now" or "I am sturdy"—while persevering with the eye movement stimulation.

This step helps reinforce a more adaptive way of thinking and builds emotional resilience. The goal is for the positive belief to really feel true on both a cognitive and emotional level.

5. Body Scan

After the positive belief is installed, your therapist will guide you through a body scan. You’ll mentally check for any lingering physical stress or discomfort related to the memory. If you still feel any unease, additional processing could take place till your body feels calm and relaxed.

This step ensures that the healing isn't just mental but also physical, serving to you achieve a way of complete relief.

6. Closure and Reflection

Every EMDR session ends with a closure phase. Your therapist ensures you allow the session feeling stable and grounded, even when the processing isn’t absolutely complete. You might be asked to use the relaxation techniques realized earlier if any residual misery arises.

You’ll also discuss what you seen in the course of the session—reminiscent of emotions, images, or thoughts that surfaced—and how you are feeling afterward. It’s common for processing to continue between periods, so journaling or reflection can help track your progress.

7. Reevaluation

At the start of your subsequent session, your therapist will check how you’re feeling and evaluate the progress made. If the goal memory still causes misery, additional processing will occur. If not, you’ll move on to new targets. This ongoing analysis helps make sure that all elements of trauma are effectively addressed over time.

EMDR therapy is a powerful tool for healing emotional wounds and restoring mental balance. By following this structured, evidence-based mostly process, individuals usually discover relief from painful memories and start to rebuild their sense of safety, confidence, and well-being.

With a trained EMDR therapist, recovery becomes not just possible—however really transformative.