If you’re thinking about starting Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, it’s completely normal to wonder what your first session will look like. EMDR is a highly effective, research-backed approach for helping people process distressing memories, trauma, and anxiety. But before we dive into “processing” — the part where we use eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation — there’s some really important groundwork to cover first.
At Human First, we want you to know exactly what to expect so you can feel comfortable, supported, and in control every step of the way.
Your first EMDR session is all about getting to know you — not jumping straight into trauma processing. Your psychologist will spend time understanding your background, current symptoms, and what’s been bringing you distress. We’ll also explain the EMDR process in plain language, answer your questions, and make sure it feels like the right fit for you.
You won’t be asked to revisit painful memories in the first session. Instead, we’ll begin working through the first three stages of EMDR therapy — the preparation stages that help you feel ready, grounded, and supported before any deeper work begins. You do not have to work through the first three stages in any particular order, but to ensure you are prepared for EMDR therapy we need to make your that they are worked through.
What are the First Three Stages of EMDR?
1. History Taking and Treatment Planning
In this stage, your psychologist will learn more about your life history, current concerns, and goals for therapy. We’ll identify potential target memories to process later on, but we won’t start reprocessing them yet. This stage helps us understand your experiences and tailor EMDR to your unique needs.
2. Preparation
Next, we focus on building trust and emotional safety. You’ll learn about how EMDR works, what to expect during sessions, and how to manage any difficult emotions that may arise. We’ll also teach grounding and relaxation techniques you can use between sessions — tools that help you stay in control of the process.
3. Assessment
Here, we begin identifying the specific memory or experience we’ll work on in the future. We explore how it shows up for you emotionally, physically, and in your beliefs about yourself. Again, this isn’t the “processing” part — it’s simply preparing your brain and body for when we do start reprocessing in later sessions.
How Long Does It Take to Get Through the First Three Stages?
Everyone’s pace is different. Some people move through these stages within a single session, while others may take several sessions to feel fully ready. That’s perfectly okay — EMDR is not a race. The goal is to make sure you feel safe, supported, and confident before moving forward. At Human First, we take the time you need. Processing trauma too early can feel overwhelming, so we focus on getting the foundations right first.
What Happens Next?
Once you and your psychologist agree that you’re ready, we’ll move into Stage 4: Desensitisation — the part of EMDR where we begin using eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess difficult memories in a safe, structured way.
But for now, the focus is on building safety, understanding, and trust. By taking things step by step, we help make sure your EMDR journey is effective, empowering, and sustainable.