How I Start EMDR With a New Client

Starting with a new therapist can be hard- you’ve never met them and now they’re gonna ask you a million questions? Here’s what I typically focus on that first session/assessment for folks wanting EMDR Therapy and I hope it reduces some of that “this is new” anxiety.

Assessment Questions

• I’ll ask you to tell me what’s bothering you the most, why you’re seeking therapy right now
• I’ll go over some main categories with you such as childhood, relationships, education/vocation history, family stuff and health stuff
• I’m going to want to know more about how emotions were displayed/managed growing up and how problems were solved in your family

Exploring Patterns and Themes

During assessment you and I will be chatting about a lot of topics and I’ll likely begin asking you about any patterns you’ve noticed in relationship to current concerns. (You are the expert on your life, after all, so I want your feedback!)

For Example: You’re seeking therapy because you are constantly overwhelmed, irritated, stressed and can’t seem to find time to relax. You shared that when you were younger, you often watched your younger siblings while your parents worked which meant you had to miss out on a lot of *your* stuff/wants.

This pattern of caregiving, having to be responsible for others and having your needs/wants be skipped over, may be something we discuss a bit more during this first session and future sessions. This assessment session in itself is EMDR!

Goal Formulation

We’ve talked about current concerns, why you’re here today, and some history.

I like to end with you sharing about the goal/s you have for therapy.

Some goals I often hear:

• I want to feel less anxious and react less strongly

• I want to feel more connected to my kids/spouse/family

• I want to set and hold boundaries with my family even when it’s uncomfortable

• I want to have less frequent explosions

Remember: EMDR Is Therapy

Assessment is the first step in beginning EMDR with a new client.

It may not feel *super* different than other initial therapy sessions- that’s because there’s no replacing building a connection and learning about each other!

EMDR Therapy involves a different mechanism of action (the eye movement/bilateral stimulation), but therapy is therapy and we all start somewhere. Read more in-depth about EMDR here.