Once an adequate history has been taken, a Target Sequence Plan has been developed, and skills and techniques have been resourced, a client is then ready to begin the reprocessing phases of EMDR. First stop: Phase 3.

Phase 3 of EMDR is called Activation. This phase primes or activates the client for reprocessing through a series of structured questions. Overall, Phase 3 is very brief, upwards of 5 minutes.

To start, the client and clinician assess which target or memory that will be reprocessed. I encourage my clients to focus on the worst moment of the memory by taking “a mental snapshot” (some of my clients call this “the spicy image”).

How this may sound: If you were to take a mental snapshot of the worst moment, what comes up or what does that look like?

Once the worst moment or spicy image has been identified, the clinician will help the client identify the negative words that go along with the image or what negative words the client says about themselves in that moment. For example, “I’m helpless” may come up. 

How this may sound: What are the negative words that go along with that worst moment? What does this say or mean about you?

Once the negative cognition is identified, the clinician will ask the client how they would like to view themselves or what would be a more adaptive way of viewing themselves instead.

How this may sound: How would you like to view yourself instead?

It is okay if the negative and positive cognitions in Phase 3 are not the same from Phase 1.

Next, the clinician will ask the client to rate how true the positive cognition feels right now as the client holds the spicy image in their mind. This will be rated with the Validity of Cognition scale (VoC).

How this may sound: As you look at the image and hear those positive words, how true do those words feel to you right now on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is totally false and 7 is totally true?

Afterwards, the clinician has the client identify emotions, body sensations, and the disturbance level using the Subjective Units of Disturbance scale (SUD) as they hear the negative cognition and hold the spicy image in their mind.

How this may sound: As you look at the image and hear the negative words, what emotions are you experiencing and where do you feel that in your body right now?

How this may sound: How disturbing is all of this to you right now on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is no-disturbance-I’m-cool-as-a-cucumber and 10 is the most disturbed imaginable?

It’s also important to establish a stop signal or phrase if reprocessing becomes too much and the client wants to stop altogether. I usually encourage my clients to put both hands up and say, “Stephanie, I am done for the day.”

Once all of these questions have been answered and a stop signal has been established, you are ready to begin Phase 4, reprocessing.

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.