In phase seven, close, the therapist asks the client to keep a record during the week. The record must document any related material that may arise. It serves to remind the client of the self-calm activities that were mastered in phase two. The closure is used to end the session.
If the target memory was not fully processed in the session, specific instructions and techniques are used to provide containment and ensure security until the next session. As a natural result of the EMDR phases, the client's thoughts, feelings and behavior are indicators of emotional health and resolution, all without talking in detail or doing the homework used in other therapies. During this phase of EMDR therapy, a positive belief (“You're safe now) can be introduced to help counter negative emotions caused by trauma. Eye movements comprise only a small part of a larger process that EMDR experts, such as Francine Shapiro, have divided into eight different phases.
Shapiro built this therapy in a very structured way and has explained the different phases of EMDR, which helps therapists to advance this therapy in a very systematic way. EMDR is an eight-phase treatment method used to help combat traumatic experiences and other mental health disorders. The sixth phase of EMDR is the body scan, in which clients are asked to observe their physical response while thinking about the incident and positive cognition, and identify any residual somatic distress. The closure phase of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) occurs every time the therapist needs to end a session.
All eight phases contribute to the overall effect of EMDR therapy; however, not all phases can be used in an EMDR therapy session.
