An EMDR session follows a protocol structured into eight phases, which enable the patient to reprocess a traumatic memory and integrate it in a more adaptive way. Here's how it works in practice:

1. Anamnesis and assessment (Initial assessment)
During the first session, the EMDR therapist carries out an in-depth interview to understand the patient's problems. He asks questions about :

• Personal history and traumas experienced

• Current symptoms (anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, fears...)

• Patient's ability to manage emotions

• EMDR therapeutic goal

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If the patient is ready, we identify the negative memories or experiences to be treated.

2. Preparation and stabilization
Before beginning trauma work, the therapist ensures that the patient has stress management strategies in place.
These may include :

Breathing exercises and relaxation
Visualization of a safe place to create a sense of security
Grounding techniques (anchoring in the present)
The aim is to ensure that the patient does not feel overwhelmed when revisiting the painful memory.

3. Assessment of the memory to be reworked
The therapist helps the patient choose a specific memory to work on, and invites him/her to :

Identify the mental image that represents the worst moment in the memory.
Express the associated emotion (fear, sadness, anger, etc.)
Note the bodily sensations felt (tightness in the throat, pain in the chest, etc.).
Identify the associated negative belief (e.g. “I'm in danger” or “I'm worthless”).
Define a desired positive belief to integrate instead (e.g. “I'm safe now”).
The patient then rates the intensity of his or her discomfort on a scale from 0 to 10 (Subjective Units of Disturbance, SUDS).

4. Desensitization (EMDR's main phase)
The patient is asked to think back to the memory while the therapist uses bilateral stimulations:
🔹 Eye movements: the patient follows the therapist's fingers as they move from left to right.
🔹 Tapotements (tapping) on the knees or hands.
🔹 Alternating sounds played in each ear.

This allows the brain to “reprocess” the information in a healthier way, a bit like a corrupted computer file being repaired.

Between each series of stimulations, the patient expresses what comes to mind:

New thoughts? A different sensation? A changing emotion?

Gradually, the memory becomes less disturbing, until it loses its negative emotional charge.

5. Installing the positive belief
Once the memory has been desensitized, the therapist helps the patient to integrate the positive belief chosen at the outset.
For example, replace “I'm powerless” with “I'm in control now”.

With further bilateral stimulation, this new belief is reinforced, until it is perceived as true and natural by the patient.

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6. Body scan
The therapist then asks the patient to close his eyes and examine his body.
💡 Are there still any physical tensions linked to the memory?

If so, further rounds of stimulation are applied to clear any remaining blockages.

7. Closure and return to calm
The session ends with a return to calm.
The therapist can:

• Perform a breathing or visualization exercise.

• Check how the patient is feeling.

• Explain that the brain can continue to reprocess information in the following days (dreams, memories resurfacing...).

He also gives recommendations for taking care of oneself after the session.

8. Reassessment at the next session
At the next session, the therapist checks:
🔹 Whether the reprocessed memory is still neutral.
🔹 If other linked memories have arisen and need to be processed.
🔹 How the patient feels since the previous session.

The process is repeated with other memories until the patient no longer feels distress when thinking about past events.

How many sessions are needed?

This depends on the trauma and the individual:

A single, recent trauma can be treated in 2 to 3 sessions.

A more complex trauma (abuse, violence, multiple traumas) may require several months of therapy.