EMDR Worksheets Explained: What to Use Before, During & After Sessions
(Therapist-Ready Tools for Preparation, Processing Support & Integration)
EMDR is highly structured — but client support around EMDR often isn’t.
Many therapists find themselves creating psychoeducation handouts, preparation notes, or integration prompts on the fly. Having clear, therapist-ready worksheets can help clients feel safer, more informed, and more grounded throughout the EMDR process.
The goal of EMDR worksheets isn’t to replace the therapy itself.
It’s to support:
- Understanding
- Stabilisation
- Processing readiness
- Integration after sessions
Below is a breakdown of the most clinically useful EMDR worksheets based on when therapists tend to use them: before, during (supporting phases), and after sessions.
Important Note
EMDR worksheets are best used as support tools, not as substitutes for EMDR processing or protocol. They are most useful for preparation, stabilisation, and integration.
🧠 EMDR Worksheets to Use Before Processing
(Preparation, Stabilisation, Psychoeducation — Phases 1 & 2)
1️⃣ EMDR Psychoeducation & “What to Expect” Worksheet
Best for:
Reducing anxiety about EMDR, increasing informed consent, improving engagement.
Helps clients understand:
- What EMDR is (in simple language)
- Why bilateral stimulation is used
- What sessions may feel like
- Normalising emotional responses after sessions
Use when:
- Introducing EMDR for the first time
- Clients are nervous or sceptical
- Clients fear “losing control” during processing
2️⃣ Safe / Calm Place Development Worksheet
Best for:
Grounding skill building and stabilisation.
Helps clients:
- Describe safe or calm imagery
- Identify sensory details
- Practice activating the state between sessions
Use when:
- Clients struggle with emotional regulation
- Clients have high baseline anxiety
- Early preparation phase work
Ready-made safe place/container worksheets
3️⃣ Internal & External Resources Mapping Worksheet
Best for:
Building stability before trauma processing.
Helps clients identify:
- Support people
- Strengths and coping history
- External stabilising factors
- Internal protective resources
Use when:
- Complex trauma presentations
- Low internal safety
- Clients feel “I can’t handle this”
4️⃣ Window of Tolerance / Regulation Awareness Worksheet
Best for:
Helping clients recognise early dysregulation.
Helps clients map:
- Hyperarousal signals
- Hypoarousal signals
- Regulation strategies that help return to baseline
Use when:
- Clients dissociate or shut down
- Clients escalate quickly
- Stabilisation work is priority
⚡ Worksheets to Use During the EMDR Process
(Supporting Processing Phases — Not Replacing Them)
Note: These are typically used between sessions or to support tracking — not during active bilateral stimulation sets.
5️⃣ Processing Readiness & Target Clarification Worksheet
Best for:
Helping clients clarify target memories and associated beliefs.
May include:
- Target memory identification
- Negative cognition
- Desired positive cognition
- Emotion + body sensation awareness
Use when:
- Clients struggle to articulate targets
- Early Phase 3 preparation
- Clients feel overwhelmed by “where to start”
6️⃣ Between-Session Experience Tracking Worksheet
Best for:
Tracking processing continuation between sessions.
Helps clients record:
- Dreams
- Memory shifts
- Emotional changes
- New insights
- Trigger reactions
Use when:
- Processing is active across sessions
- Clients experience spontaneous processing
🌿 Worksheets to Use After EMDR Sessions
(Integration, Meaning-Making, Stabilisation — Phases 7 & 8)
7️⃣ Post-Session Integration Reflection Worksheet
Best for:
Helping clients organise insights and emotional shifts.
Helps clients reflect on:
- What felt different
- What felt surprising
- What feels unfinished
- What feels resolved
Use when:
- Clients struggle to describe changes
- Sessions feel “big” or emotionally dense
8️⃣ Self-Care & Stabilisation Plan Worksheet
Best for:
Supporting emotional recovery after processing.
Helps clients plan:
- Grounding activities
- Safe supports
- Body regulation strategies
- Warning signs to monitor
Use when:
- Processing sessions were intense
- Clients feel vulnerable after sessions
9️⃣ Future Template Reinforcement Worksheet
Best for:
Strengthening adaptive beliefs and future coping imagery.
Helps clients:
- Visualise future scenarios
- Practice adaptive responses
- Reinforce new cognitive + emotional patterns
Use when:
- Processing is stabilising
- Therapy is moving toward future focus
How to Choose Which EMDR Worksheets to Use
If client is anxious about EMDR →
Start with psychoeducation + safe place + resource mapping.
If client is unstable →
Focus on stabilisation + window of tolerance + self-care planning.
If client is actively processing →
Use between-session tracking + integration reflection.
Common Therapist Questions
Do EMDR clients need worksheets?
Not always — but many benefit from structure, especially between sessions.
Should worksheets be assigned as homework?
Often offered as optional reflection rather than required homework.
Can worksheets slow EMDR processing?
When used correctly (prep + integration), they typically support stability rather than interrupt processing.
Final Thoughts
EMDR worksheets work best when they:
- Increase safety
- Increase clarity
- Support integration
- Reduce therapist prep time
The right worksheets help clients feel more prepared going into processing — and more supported afterward.
For therapists, having phase-appropriate EMDR worksheets makes it easier to support clients across the full EMDR journey.
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