EMDR Self-Practice Tool

A guided resource for personal processing

👋 Welcome to the EMDR Practice Tool

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people process and heal from traumatic or distressing memories. It reduces emotional intensity linked to past experiences, allowing individuals to build healthier beliefs and regain a sense of calm and control.

Despite its proven effectiveness, many postgraduate (PG) residents in psychiatry and psychology are still unfamiliar with EMDR or receive limited exposure during training. This lack of awareness can delay its adoption in clinical practice. Our app can serve as an accessible learning and practice tool, helping trainees understand EMDR’s phases and techniques in a safe, guided, and interactive way.

Developer Information

Dr Vikas Gaur - MBBS; M.D (Psychiatry), MSc Health Informatics

drvikasgaur@gmail.com

For Educational Use: This tool is designed for educational and supplemental purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapy or supervision.

Learn More About EMDR

What Even Is EMDR?

During typical events, your brain is thought to store and connect memories smoothly, including any sensory details and emotional meaning. But when something overwhelming or traumatic happens, this process can get interrupted.

The interrupted processing can cause a disconnect between the sensory parts of the experience (what you felt, saw, heard, tasted, smelled during the event) and what your brain stores about it through language. This is why certain sights, sounds, or smells similar to a traumatic event can trigger strong reactions like overwhelming fear, panic, or anger.

EMDR helps the brain finish processing these memories. It uses bilateral stimulation (BLS)—like tapping, eye movements, or alternating sounds–which is thought to mimic the brain’s natural processing during REM sleep.

The 8 Phases of EMDR

Your therapist will get to know your background–your history, what your current life is like, and what your supports you already have in place. Together you’ll identify specific memories or themes to target.

You’ll learn the basics of how EMDR works and what to expect. Your therapist will teach you emotional regulation strategies (such as grounding, visualization, and breathing) so you’ll be able to cope when things get intense.

You’ll pick a memory (called a “target”) to focus on and rate its distress. You’ll also identify negative beliefs tied to the memory and choose a positive belief you’d rather have instead.

This is where the BLS begins. You’ll focus on the memory while engaging in BLS. You’ll continue until the memory no longer feels distressing.

You’ll focus on the positive belief while using BLS to strengthen it until it feels completely true.

You’ll scan your body for any lingering physical sensations and use BLS to clear them.

Each session ends with closure, ensuring you return to a calm, grounded state.

At the start of the next session, your therapist will revisit the target memory to ensure the distress is still low before moving on.

What to Expect After a Session

EMDR is intense–mentally, emotionally, and physically. Many clients experience an EMDR “hangover” after sessions:

  • Fatigue
  • Feeling emotionally “raw”
  • Headaches or dizziness
  • Intense dreams

This is normal, but make sure to report how you’re feeling to your therapist. Practice extra self-care after a session. Be kind to yourself!