The 8 Phases of EMDR Sessions: A Life Coach’s Perspective
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful approach to healing past trauma and unlocking personal growth. While traditionally used in therapy, the core principles of EMDR can also be understood and supported within the life coaching space—not as treatment, but as part of a mindset shift, emotional resilience, and self-empowerment journey.
As a life coach, I don’t provide therapy, but I do help people navigate limiting beliefs, emotional blocks, and personal transformation. Understanding the 8 phases of EMDR can help clients gain insight into their healing process, develop self-awareness, and integrate personal breakthroughs into their daily lives.
Let’s explore each phase through a coaching lens, focusing on self-growth, mindset shifts, and emotional resilience.
1. History & Goal Setting: Understanding Your Story
Before deep transformation happens, we first need to understand where we’ve been. In this phase, therapists identify key past experiences that may be contributing to present challenges. In coaching, we do something similar by helping clients explore their personal narrative and define what they want to shift.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What recurring patterns or limiting beliefs are showing up in your life? How have past experiences shaped your current mindset?
🔹 Empowering Thought: Your past has influenced you, but it does not define you. You get to rewrite your story.
2. Preparation: Building Resources & Emotional Resilience
Before diving into deep work, it’s essential to develop inner resources to manage emotions effectively. This is where somatic techniques, grounding exercises, and self-regulation tools come into play.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What daily habits or practices help you feel grounded and empowered? How can you create emotional safety in your life?
🔹 Empowering Thought: You are stronger than you think, and you have the tools to navigate whatever comes up.
3. Assessment: Identifying Core Beliefs & Emotional Triggers
In therapy, this phase identifies the specific negative beliefs and emotions linked to past events. In coaching, we help clients recognize their inner dialogue and subconscious conditioning.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What beliefs do you hold about yourself that might be holding you back? What emotional triggers show up in your daily life?
🔹 Empowering Thought: Awareness is the first step to change. The beliefs you hold can be rewritten.
4. Desensitization: Releasing Emotional Charge
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound) to help process distressing memories. While this is therapy-specific, the coaching equivalent is helping clients reframe past experiences and release emotional weight through mindset shifts, breathwork, and movement.
🔹 Coaching Focus: How can you process difficult emotions without getting stuck in them? What practices help you shift from survival mode to a place of personal power?
🔹 Empowering Thought: You are safe. Your past is a chapter, not the whole book.
5. Installation: Reinforcing New, Empowering Beliefs
Once negative beliefs are challenged, it’s time to install positive, empowering beliefs. In coaching, this is where we work on affirmations, identity shifts, and creating a new self-narrative.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What belief do you want to reinforce about yourself? How can you embody this belief in your daily life?
🔹 Empowering Thought: You are capable. You are worthy. You are enough.
6. Body Scan: Noticing & Releasing Residual Stress
In EMDR, this phase helps ensure that the emotional charge is fully processed. In coaching, we help clients tune into their body’s wisdom and recognize any lingering tension, fear, or resistance.
🔹 Coaching Focus: How does your body feel when you embrace this new belief? Where do you still hold tension, and what might it be trying to tell you?
🔹 Empowering Thought: Your body holds wisdom. Listen to it, and let it guide you.
7. Closure: Grounding & Integration
Each session, whether in therapy or coaching, should end with a sense of safety and stability. In coaching, we reinforce key insights and ensure that clients leave with practical steps to apply their breakthroughs.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What is one small action you can take today to embody your new perspective? How can you practice self-compassion as you continue this journey?
🔹 Empowering Thought: Growth is a process, not an overnight event. Be patient with yourself.
8. Reevaluation: Embracing Growth & Next Steps
Healing and growth are not linear. In EMDR, this phase ensures that positive shifts are lasting. In coaching, we check in with clients regularly to celebrate progress and make adjustments as needed.
🔹 Coaching Focus: What progress have you noticed? What’s the next small step toward your vision?
🔹 Empowering Thought: You are evolving every day. Trust the process.
Final Thoughts: Your Healing, Your Power
While EMDR is a structured therapy modality, its principles can be deeply useful in personal development. Whether you are working with a therapist or simply exploring self-growth, understanding these phases can help you rewrite your inner narrative, build emotional resilience, and step into your full potential.
✨ Your past does not define you.
✨ You are capable of transformation.
✨ Small shifts create big changes.
Which phase resonates most with you right now? What is one small action you can take today to support your healing and growth?
