Phase 5 of EMDR is called Integration. It is during this phase that the positive cognition identified in Phase 3 is integrated with Bilateral Stimulation (BLS). The clinician and client will transition to this phase once a Subjective Unit of Disturbance (SUD) is reported as a 0 or an ecological rating in Phase 4. The goal of this phase is for the client to hold the memory along with the positive cognition and for this positive cognition to feel totally true.

Once reprocessing has been completed for a target, the clinician will assess if the previously identified positive cognition still fits or if there is something different now when the client looks at the target or “spicy image.” For example, the positive cognition “I am important” may have been identified in Phase 3; however, after reprocessing and some shifts occurring, the positive cognition may change to “I have worth regardless.” It’s okay if the positive cognition changes or not! Go with that!

How this may sound: When you look at the image, however it presents now, and you hear the words "I am important", do those words still fit? Or is there something more appropriate or different now?

Once the positive cognition has been assessed, the clinician will ask the client how true those words feel now on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is totally false and 7 is totally true. This is the Validity of Cognition scale (VoC).

How this may sound: When you look at the image and you hear the words, “I have worth regardless”, on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is totally false and 7 is totally true, how true do those words feel to you right now?

Once a rating is provided, BLS is then administered while the client holds the image and the positive cognition in their mind. BLS in this phase is also fast but a lot shorter, typically about 5-10 seconds or 5-10 passes for eye movements (think EMD pacing). After every set, the clinician will check in to see where the VoC is now. This is repeated until the client reports a 7 or an ecological rating.

This phase may take just a few sets or it could take some time with transitioning back into reprocessing should other maladaptive material come up. That’s okay! That can happen and is all part of the process.

Upon receiving a rating of 7 or an ecological rating on the VoC, the clinician and client will move onto Phase 6: Body Scan.

If you are curious to learn more about EMDR or are interested in beginning your EMDR therapy journey, please reach out to me via the Contact Me page on my website. You can also learn more about EMDR as well as additional EMDR therapists in your area by visiting the EMDR International Association’s website here.

Reminder: these blog posts are meant to be purely educational and/or entertainment tools and do NOT replace psychotherapy and/or other medically necessary treatments.