Free EMDR Cheat Sheet PDFs for Therapists

An EMDR cheat sheet is a one-page reference to the standard eight-phase protocol — phases in order, the Phase 3 assessment sequence, the negative/positive cognition list, the cognitive interweave menu, and the SUD/VOC scales. Every PDF on this page is free, printable, and written for clinicians to use during a live session.

Download the 8-phase protocol PDF · see all clinical PDFs · read the full EMDR manual reference.

Every EMDR session sits inside the 8-phase framework. The one-page reference covers:

1. History-Taking — case conceptualization, target sequence plan, exclusions
2. Preparation — psychoeducation, resourcing, BLS test, expectations
3. Assessment — target image, NC, PC, VOC, emotion, SUD, body location
4. Desensitization — BLS sets, return to target, cognitive interweaves
5. Installation — strengthen PC to VOC 7 with BLS
6. Body Scan — clear residual somatic disturbance
7. Closure — complete vs. incomplete protocols, container, calm place
8. Reevaluation — check SUD/VOC at next session, plan next target

Download the 8-phase PDF — print double-sided and keep in your office.

Identifying the right NC is the single hardest part of phase 3 for new EMDR clinicians. Our printable NC/PC reference groups the cognitions by theme so you can quickly find the one that resonates:

• Responsibility / defectiveness — "I'm bad," "I'm not good enough," "I deserve only bad things," "I'm shameful," "I'm worthless"
• Safety / vulnerability — "I'm in danger," "I'm not safe," "I cannot trust anyone"
• Choice / control — "I'm not in control," "I'm powerless," "I am weak," "I cannot stand up for myself"
• Each NC paired with its standard PC — "I'm bad" → "I'm a good person," "I'm in danger" → "It's over, I'm safe now"

EMDR Assist surfaces the matching PC automatically when you pick an NC, but the printable cheat sheet is faster for in-session use.

When processing stalls in phase 4, the cognitive interweave gives you a structured way to unblock it.

The full menu, organized by what's blocking:

• Responsibility — "Whose responsibility was it really?" / "How old were you?"
• Safety — "Where are you now?" / "Is it happening now or is it a memory?"
• Choice / future — "What choices do you have now?" / "What would you tell that younger you?"
• Perspective-taking — "If your best friend / child were in that situation, what would you tell them?"
• Time orientation — "How much time has passed since that happened?"
• Education — when the client lacks information needed to process

See our full cognitive interweaves page for examples of each interweave in context.

SUD (Subjective Units of Disturbance) — 0 to 10. "0 = no disturbance or neutral. 10 = the highest disturbance you can imagine." Re-check SUD when returning to target, not during sets.

VOC (Validity of Cognition) — 1 to 7. "How true does that positive belief feel right now, on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 is completely false and 7 is completely true?" Installed to VOC 7 (or as high as ecologically valid).

EMDR Assist auto-tracks SUD and VOC across sets so you can see the progression at a glance — no hand-drawn graphs.

• Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
• EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). About EMDR Therapy. Accessed 2026.