Quick Summary
An EMDR session at Creative Healing is about 55 to 60 minutes. Your first few sessions involve no processing: history, planning, and learning grounding skills. When processing begins, a session follows a shape: check-in, choosing the target memory and the beliefs and sensations attached to it, then sets of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps or tones) lasting 20 to 40 seconds each, with a brief “what do you notice?” between sets. Sessions always end with grounding so you leave regulated. Afterward, fatigue, vivid dreams or emotional waves for a day or two are normal. You control the pace throughout. Call or text 715-797-2770 for a free consultation.
Table of Contents
Most people arrive at their first EMDR session with a picture from a video or a friend’s description, and it is usually a little off. This is what actually happens, in order, at Creative Healing.
Before processing begins
EMDR is an eight-phase protocol and the first two phases are not processing at all. In your first sessions your therapist takes your history, learns what you want to change, and identifies the experiences that may be driving current symptoms. You then learn stabilization skills: a calm place you can return to, a way to “contain” material between sessions, grounding through the senses, paced breathing. For a single recent event, this may take one or two sessions; for complex trauma it can take considerably longer and is a large part of what makes EMDR safe. You will know processing is approaching because your therapist will tell you, and you will have agreed on the first target.
How a processing session starts
A processing session begins with a brief check-in: how you have been since last time, anything that came up, how you slept. Then you and your therapist confirm the target for the day and run through a short set of questions: the image that represents the worst part of the memory; the negative belief attached to it (“I am not safe,” “it was my fault”); the belief you would rather hold; how true that feels right now; the emotions; how disturbing it feels on a 0 to 10 scale; and where you feel it in your body. This takes a few minutes and orients the work.
What a set of bilateral stimulation feels like
Your therapist will ask you to bring the image, the negative belief and the body sensation to mind together, and then begin bilateral stimulation. Most often that is following the therapist’s fingers or a light bar with your eyes as they move side to side; alternatives are hand-held tappers that pulse alternately, or tones alternating between ears in headphones. A set lasts roughly 20 to 40 seconds. You do not have to hold the memory rigidly in place; you simply notice whatever happens. Thoughts drift, images shift, emotions rise or fall, sensations move. That drifting is the processing.
“What do you notice?”
After each set your therapist will say something like “take a breath, let it go, what do you notice?” You answer in a few words: an image, a feeling, a body sensation, a thought, or “nothing.” There are no wrong answers and no need to explain or make sense of it. Your therapist will usually respond with “go with that” and begin the next set. Sometimes they will guide you back to the target or offer a small prompt if you get stuck. What surprises most people is how little talking there is and how much moves on its own. Memories link to other memories; a childhood scene may surface during work on an adult event; an emotion may crest and then simply dissolve. Sets continue until the disturbance rating drops, then the positive belief is strengthened and you check the body for anything remaining.
How a session ends
Every session ends with closure, whether or not the target is fully processed. Your therapist will help you contain anything unfinished and return to a calm, regulated state using the skills you learned in preparation. You will not be sent out the door mid-process. Your therapist will also tell you what to expect over the next few days and remind you how to reach the office.
After the session
- Fatigue is common; processing is real work for the brain. Plan a quiet evening after early sessions.
- Processing continues. Dreams may be vivid, new connections may surface, and emotions may come in waves for a day or two. Jot them down and bring them next time.
- Old triggers may respond differently. Many people notice, quietly, that something that used to spike them simply does not.
- If something feels heavier than expected, use your grounding skills and reach out to your therapist. If you are ever in crisis, call or text 988.
How an EMDR Intensive differs
An EMDR Intensive follows the same protocol in a larger container: 3 to 5 hours of therapy per day, with breaks and grounding, over 1 to 4 days. It allows more processing in one stretch without stopping and restarting each week. See how to prepare for an EMDR Intensive and weekly EMDR versus an intensive.
Booking EMDR in Chippewa Falls or Eau Claire
EMDR at Creative Healing is led by Jenifer Olson, LCSW, a certified EMDR therapist. Call or text 715-797-2770 for a free 20-minute consultation; standard sessions are covered by the in-network plans we accept (see rates and insurance). For the fuller picture, read what EMDR is and how it works.
Ready to talk to someone?
Creative Healing Mental Health Center offers a free 20-minute phone consultation. Call or text 715-797-2770 or send us a message. We serve Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley from our office at 1791 County Highway OO, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an EMDR session?
A standard session at Creative Healing is about 55 to 60 minutes. EMDR Intensives run 3 to 5 hours per day with breaks.
Will I process trauma in the first session?
No. The first sessions cover history, treatment planning and preparation skills. Processing begins only when you and your therapist agree you are ready.
What if I cry or get overwhelmed?
Strong emotion is a normal part of processing and your therapist is trained to pace it. You can pause or stop at any time, and every session ends with grounding so you leave regulated.
Do I have to keep my eyes open the whole time?
During sets of eye movements, yes, you follow the therapist’s hand or a light bar. Between sets you can rest. If eye movements are uncomfortable, tapping or tones work as alternatives.
Can I drive home after EMDR?
Most people can. Some feel tired or a little foggy afterward, so if you know you get drained, plan a quiet evening and consider a ride for the first few processing sessions.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room.