Eye Movement Therapy

This involves gathering information about the client's history, presenting problems, symptoms, and goals for therapy. It may include structured interviews, questionnaires, and self-report measures to assess the severity and nature of the client's symptoms.

EMDR therapy typically involves identifying specific target memories or experiences to process during treatment. The therapist may use techniques such as the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale to assess the level of distress associated with each memory.

Throughout the course of EMDR therapy, therapists continually assess the client's progress and adjust treatment as needed. This may involve tracking changes in symptoms, distress levels, and cognitive beliefs using standardized measures and client feedback.

EMDR therapists often conduct a thorough assessment of the client's trauma history to identify significant past events and their impact on the client's current functioning.

​Negative beliefs or self-perceptions related to traumatic experiences are often targeted in EMDR therapy. The therapist may use methods such as the Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale to assess the validity and intensity of negative cognitions.

Psychological tests may be used to assess various aspects of the client's psychological functioning, such as mood, anxiety, dissociation, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Common tests include the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).

EMDR therapists pay attention to somatic (bodily) sensations that arise during processing as they can provide valuable information about unresolved trauma. Clients may be asked to notice bodily sensations associated with traumatic memories and rate their intensity.