How to Write an EMDR Treatment Plan? Components & Example

on May 20, 2025

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6 min read

Key Takeaways

Roadmap Clarity: A clear, measurable treatment plan transforms EMDR from a modality into a predictable roadmap for healing outcomes.
Phase Mapping: Aligning past memories, present triggers and future fears with the eight EMDR phases keeps progress transparent and on‑track.
Data‑Guided Sessions: Monitoring SUD and VOC scores drives session‑by‑session refinements and documents objective results.

Writing a clear, goal‑oriented EMDR treatment plan turns a powerful modality into a predictable, measurable roadmap for healing. Whether you are a seasoned EMDR therapist or new to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, a well‑structured plan helps clients move from traumatic memories and negative beliefs toward adaptive information processing and lasting relief.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an eight‑phase, evidence‑based approach that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps or tones) to reduce the emotional charge of distressing past memories and install new positive cognition. Originally developed by Francine Shapiro, EMDR has been shown to relieve symptoms of post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, complicated grief, phobias and more.

During an EMDR session, clients recall target memories, associated physical sensations, emotions and negative beliefs (e.g., “I am powerless”) while following the therapist’s fingers back and forth. This activates the brain’s natural ability to reprocess experiences and integrate new learning.

How to Develop an EMDR Treatment Plan

Think of the treatment plan as the GPS coordinates that keep therapy on course.

Comprehensive assessment – gather history, trauma timeline, presenting symptoms and current functioning.
Diagnosis & case formulation – identify primary disorders and confirm EMDR suitability.
Define goals – measurable clinical outcomes the client wants (e.g., sleep through the night, drive on highways).
Select targets – past memories, present triggers and future fears linked to the problem.
Plan phased interventions – map targets onto the eight EMDR phases, session by session.
Choose measures – SUD (Subjective Units of Distress), VOC (Validity of Cognition) scales, psychometrics.
Review & adapt – update after every treatment session as new material surfaces.

Key Components of an EMDR Treatment Plan

Each element of your plan answers a different “who, what, when and how” so nothing slips through the cracks.

Component	Why It Matters	Practical Tips
Diagnosis	Guides target selection & outcome measures	Use DSM-5 and medical history; rule out dissociative disorders
Goals	Clarifies what success looks like	Tie goals to functional improvements, not only symptom reduction
Objectives	Session-level steps toward goals	Phrase as client will reduce SUD from 8→3 on target memory X
Interventions	Specific EMDR techniques & resources	Include bilateral stimulation type, safe-place rehearsal, cognitive interweaves

The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy

Phases act like mile-markers - follow them in order and you’ll reach your clinical destination safely.

Phase 1 – History Taking & Treatment Planning

Collect a comprehensive biopsychosocial and trauma history, screen for dissociation and medical contraindications, and co‑create a treatment roadmap that prioritizes target memories.

Phase 2 – Preparation

Teach and rehearse affect‑regulation skills (e.g., safe‑place imagery, light‑stream, container), explain bilateral stimulation mechanics, and confirm the client can shift back to dual awareness on demand.

Phase 3 – Assessment (SUD & VOC)

Define the target image, negative cognition, desired positive cognition, linked emotions and body sensations, then record baseline SUD (0–10) and VOC (1–7) scores to anchor measurable change.

Phase 4 – Desensitization

Administer sets of bilateral stimulation to activate the Adaptive Information Processing system; pause for associative links, continue until SUD drops to 0–1, and observe spontaneous cognition shifts.

Phase 5 – Installation

Strengthen the selected positive cognition with additional stimulation until VOC reaches 6–7, ensuring the new belief feels completely true while the target memory remains neutral.

Phase 6 – Body Scan

Guide the client to scan head‑to‑toe for residual tension; if sensations surface, reprocess them with brief sets until the body registers calm neutrality.

Phase 7 – Closure

Return the client to full present‑moment orientation, deploy grounding strategies, assign between‑session resources, and document end‑of‑session SUD/VOC for continuity.

Phase 8 – Re‑evaluation

At the start of each new session, review resolved targets, check for emergent material, and decide whether to deepen processing, shift targets, or move into future templates.

EMDR Treatment Plan for PTSD: Example

Seeing a sample plan makes abstract concepts concrete—feel free to borrow and tweak for your own cases.

Section	Example Content
Diagnosis	PTSD, single-incident (MVA, 2022)
History-Taking & Planning	Target past memory of collision, present trigger (engine rev), future template (driving to work)
Preparation	Safe-place imagery, 4-element breathing, container exercise
Targets	Flash of windshield shatter, 2) Sound of siren, 3) Anticipated future highway drive
Treatment Plan Updates	After session 3, add cognitive interweave “You did the best you could” to address stuck processing

Tip: Download our ready‑to‑use EMDR note template and trauma timeline template to speed documentation.

Best Practices for Effective EMDR Planning

Great plans share common DNA - copy these habits to avoid reinventing the wheel.

Best Practice	Why It Works	How to Implement
Collaborative goal-setting with clients	Increases engagement & ownership	Co-write goals during Phase 1; confirm wording in client’s language
Adjust plans based on client response	Honors the adaptive information processing model	Use SUD/VOC and psychometric data to pivot targets or pacing
Avoid common pitfalls (e.g., premature processing, insufficient prep)	Minimizes abreactions & dropouts	Ensure resource installation is solid; delay trauma targets if stabilization is weak

Challenges in EMDR Treatment Planning

Every modality has its speed‑bumps—here’s how to glide over the common ones.

Challenge	Description	Mitigation Strategy
Working with complex trauma cases	Numerous past memories, dissociation, attachment injuries	Break into smaller target clusters; integrate parts work & ego-state interventions
Resistance to processing or closure	Client avoids distressing content or cannot self-soothe after session	Extend Phase 2, deepen resources, use shorter bilateral sets
Managing session variability	SUD may spike or new material surfaces unexpectedly	Build flexibility into the plan; schedule longer treatment sessions when needed

How Twofold Supports EMDR Treatment Planning

From intake to final re-evaluation, Twofold’s AI-powered scribe keeps you focused on therapy— not paperwork.

Real-time EMDR note automation turns every EMDR session into structured SOAP notes, treatment plan updates and progress reports in seconds.
Smart templates (e.g., EMDR treatment plan, PTSD progress note) auto-pull SUD/VOC scores, bilateral stimulation type and therapist observations.
Compliance & security—our HIPAA-compliant platform encrypts sensitive data end-to-end.
Analytics dashboard tracks goal attainment, session counts and plan adjustments, making outcome reporting effortless.

Explore our medical scribe software to see how effortless EMDR documentation can be.

Conclusion

Creating an effective EMDR treatment plan is equal parts art and science. By grounding each intervention in the eight‑phase framework, collaborating with clients on clear goals and continuously updating the plan based on session data, therapists can guide even the most complex trauma cases toward adaptive resolution. Combine these best practices with Twofold’s AI documentation tools and you’ll spend more time on EMDR therapy treatment and less on typing.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Danni Steimberg

Licensed Medical Doctor

Dr. Danni Steimberg is a pediatrician at Schneider Children’s Medical Center with extensive experience in patient care, medical education, and healthcare innovation. He earned his MD from Semmelweis University and has worked at Kaplan Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center.