The first phase is about getting to know you.

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We'll talk about what has brought you to therapy, what you are experiencing now, your history and what you would like to be different.

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We'll explore experiences that may be contributing to your current difficulties and begin to identify what we might work on together.

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This isn't about making you tell your whole life story. It's about developing an understanding of you as a person and working out how EMDR might best fit your needs.

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We'll also consider whether EMDR is the right approach for you at this point in your life.

Before we work directly with distressing experiences, we'll make sure you understand EMDR and know what to expect.

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We'll also develop ways of helping you manage difficult emotions and stay grounded.

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This might include learning techniques to help you feel calmer, creating a sense of safety, developing resources or practising ways of bringing your attention back to the present.

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This phase can be particularly important if you have been feeling overwhelmed or don't yet feel confident about managing difficult emotions.

When you're ready, we'll identify particular experiences, memories, situations or patterns that you would like to work on.

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We look at the different elements of the experience, including:

• what you remember or picture

• what feels most difficult about it

• what you believe about yourself because of it

• how you feel emotionally

• what you notice happening in your body

• how disturbing it feels now​

 

You don't necessarily have to describe every detail of what happened.

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The focus is on identifying the parts of the experience that are still causing difficulty.

This is the part of EMDR that most people have heard about.

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You bring a particular memory, image, feeling or other aspect of the experience to mind while following some form of bilateral stimulation (BLS).

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BLS can involve eye movements, alternating tapping or sounds, or other forms of left-right stimulation. We'll agree together what feels most comfortable for you. For online EMDR I use a combination of software that I can easily link you to and self-tapping on your chest or knees. 

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You aren't being asked to force yourself to think about the experience in a particular way.

Instead, you notice what comes up and allow your mind to make connections and process the material.

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You might notice memories, thoughts, feelings, images or physical sensations changing or moving. Sometimes unexpected memories or connections emerge.

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There is no "right" way to experience this.

As the distress connected with an experience reduces, we work with a more positive or adaptive belief about yourself.

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Perhaps you have previously felt:

"I'm powerless."

"It's my fault."

"I'm not good enough."

"I'm not safe."

"I can't trust anyone."

Through the EMDR process, you may find that a different belief begins to feel more true:

"I have choices now."

"It wasn't my fault."

"I am good enough."

"I am safe now."

"I can trust my judgement."

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The positive belief isn't something I choose for you. We find the belief that feels meaningful and appropriate to you.

Our experiences aren't held only in our thoughts.

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Sometimes we can understand something intellectually while our body continues to respond as though there is a threat.

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In this phase, we bring the experience to mind and notice what is happening physically.

You might notice tightness in your chest, a sensation in your stomach, tension in your shoulders or another physical response.

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We pay attention to this without judging it, and if there is still disturbance, we continue processing until it has reduced.

EMDR sessions need to finish with you feeling sufficiently grounded and able to return to your everyday life.

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Sometimes processing of a particular experience will be complete within a session.

At other times, we may reach the end of the session while there is still more to work on.

If that happens, we don't simply leave you sitting with difficult emotions. We'll use appropriate strategies to help you settle, reconnect with the present and finish the session safely.

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You may notice some continued processing between sessions, so I'll also help you understand what you might notice afterwards.

At the beginning of the next session, we'll review what has happened since we last met.

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You may notice changes in your thoughts, feelings, dreams, reactions or behaviour. Sometimes you discover that a situation that previously triggered you no longer has the same impact. We'll also return to the experiences we've been working on and see how they feel now. This helps us decide what needs attention next.

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Sometimes there is another memory to process. Sometimes there is a present-day situation that needs attention. Sometimes we work towards the future using a future template, helping you imagine and rehearse responding differently to a situation you anticipate finding difficult.

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You remain in control throughout

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The eight phases provide a framework, but your therapy is not a rigid programme.

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We may move backwards and forwards between phases. We may spend longer preparing. We may pause processing if circumstances in your life change.

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And you can always tell me if you need to slow down, take a break, change the type of bilateral stimulation or stop.

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EMDR isn't something that is done to you. It is something we do together.

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My role is to guide you through the process, while you remain the expert on your own experience.

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