In this first phase, the therapist takes a thorough history of the client and develops a treatment plan.

The clinician will explain EMDR and what to expect during and after treatment. Additionally, the clinician will teach the client a variety of resources to use during processing.

The third phase is used to activate each target in a controlled and standardized way so it can be effectively processed.

The therapist leads the client in sets of eye movements while the different associations to the memory are followed. The clinician guides the client to a complete resolution of the target.

During this phase, the client's positive cognition will be strengthened and installed. How deeply the person believes that positive cognition is then measured using the Validity of Cognition [VOC] scale.

After installation, the client will be asked to bring up the original target to see if any residual tension is noticed in the body. If so, these physical sensations are then targeted for reprocessing.

[ends each treatment session] If the processing of the target event is not complete in a single session, the therapist will assist the person in order to regain a sense of equilibrium.

[opens each treatment session] The therapist checks that positive results have been maintained and will continue to reprocess the additional targets. This phase is vital in order to determine the success of the treatment over time.