Example
An EMDR progress note records which target was worked; the assessment baseline (image, negative and positive cognitions, VOC, emotions, SUDs and body location); what happened in desensitization, with the kind and number of bilateral stimulation sets and the SUDs readings; the installation and body scan results; how the session closed; and the plan, with the clinical reason for continuing. Below is a complete example for a fictional client, what each part is for, and a template to copy.
The client, the event and every number below are invented. The note uses an EMDR-specific format; SOAP, DAP and BIRP notes hold the same facts under other headings.
Example · fictional client
Session 6 · in person · 60 min · phases 8, 3–7 · second reprocessing session for this target.
Arrival. Client arrived on edge after a near miss in traffic that morning; settled with the calm-place exercise before reprocessing.
Reevaluation. Client reported two intrusive images of the collision since the last session, less intense than before, and drove on local roads twice. Between-session log reviewed. Target T1 on recall: SUDs 4/10 (5/10 at the close of session 5). Image unchanged; negative cognition still resonant.
Target. T1, motor vehicle collision, 2023 (past prong; cluster: driving). Image: the other car’s headlights through the passenger window. NC: “I’m going to die.” PC: “It’s over; I survived.” Baseline (session 5): VOC 2/7, SUDs 8/10. Emotions: fear, helplessness. Body: tightness in the chest, grip in the hands.
Desensitization. Horizontal eye movements, 24 sets. Associations moved from the moment of impact to the wait for the ambulance, then to the hospital, where the client recalled hearing that the other driver had walked away; disturbance peaked mid-session (SUDs 6/10) with tearfulness and shaking, then eased. Client stated, “It was fast. It’s done.” SUDs: 4 → 6 → 3 → 1 → 0/10. No interweave needed.
Installation. PC checked and revised by the client to “It’s over; I survived, and I can drive again.” VOC 4 → 6 → 7/7 over six sets.
Body scan. Residual tightness in the hands, cleared after two sets. Body scan clear.
Closure. Target complete. Client calm and oriented on leaving. Reminded that processing may continue between sessions; log to continue.
Clinical assessment. Processing of T1 complete (SUDs 0/10, VOC 7/7, body scan clear). Client continues to meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (F43.10), with avoidance of highway driving and disturbed sleep; PCL-5 52 at intake, 38 at session 4. Continued EMDR is indicated to process present triggers and install a future template.
Plan. Reevaluate T1 next session, then begin present triggers (merging onto the highway; sudden braking ahead) and a future template for highway driving. Weekly sessions; PCL-5 again at session 8.
The same note with its facts taken out. Paste it into your record system’s note field and fill in the brackets.
Session [number] · [in person / video] · [length] min Phases this session: [for example 8, 3–7] Arrival: [client's state on arrival; any stabilization before reprocessing] Reevaluation: [between-session report]; previous target on recall: SUDs _/10 Target: [label] ([prong]; cluster: [theme]) Image: [the worst part, in a few words] NC: "[...]" PC: "[...]" Baseline: VOC _/7, SUDs _/10 Emotions: [...] Body: [location] Desensitization: [eye movements / tones / taps], [n] sets SUDs: _ → _ → _ /10 Associations and shifts: [...] Interweaves: [none / what and why] Installation: PC "[...]"; VOC _ → _ /7 Body scan: [clear / not clear: where] Closure: [complete / incomplete]; [technique]; client [state] on leaving Clinical assessment: [status of the target; symptoms; measures; why treatment continues] Plan: [next target or reevaluation; between-session instructions]
| Format | Where the EMDR detail goes |
|---|---|
| EMDR-specific | Under its own headings, as above: the fullest record of the protocol. |
| SOAP | Subjective: the client’s report and reevaluation. Objective: the baseline, sets, readings and body scan. Assessment: where the target stands and why treatment continues. Plan. |
| DAP | Data: the report, baseline, sets and readings. Assessment. Plan. |
| BIRP | Behavior: presentation and report. Intervention: the phases, sets and readings. Response: the shifts, the ending SUDs and VOC, the body scan. Plan. |
Use whichever your record system or payer expects. The numbers belong in it either way.
Most clinicians name the target by a neutral label and the worst image in a few words rather than retelling the event. Record what the work needs; the note does not need the whole story.
In any session with reprocessing, yes: the baseline and ending readings at least, and the readings in between if you took them. They are the clearest record of where a target stands.
Long enough to hold the target, the numbers, the closure and the plan. An EMDR-specific note often runs a few hundred words; a SOAP note can be shorter if the readings are listed.
No. The client, the event and every number are invented for this page.
intuitiveEMDR drafts the note from the readings and sets recorded in its session room and your own observations, in an EMDR-specific, SOAP, DAP, BIRP or case-management format, for you to review, edit and sign.
intuitiveEMDR records the target, every reading and every set as the session runs, then drafts the progress note from that record for you to review, sign and copy into your record system. There is a free plan: no credit card, no time limit.
Create a free accountThis page is educational material for trained clinicians. It is not a treatment, does not diagnose anything, and is not a substitute for EMDR training, consultation or care from a qualified professional. If you are in crisis, contact your local emergency services.