Ultimate guidephase

EMDR Phase 2 (Preparation & Resourcing): The Ultimate Clinical Guide

A 22-minute, citation-backed clinical guide to EMDR Phase 2: the goals, capacity check, 45 resourcing and grounding techniques (orienting, regulation, somatic, cognitive, self-strength, attachment, dissociation-aware and closure), readiness criteria for Phase 3, and a realistic 14-session preparation arc.

22 min read Updated 2026-06-22 31 sections Clinically reviewed · 12 refs Reviewed by EMDR Assist Clinical Team, EMDRIA-trained clinicians · 2026-06-22

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Quick answer

EMDR Phase 2 (Preparation) installs the affect-regulation resources a client needs before reprocessing — Calm Place, Container, Resource Development & Installation (RDI), Four Elements, and grounding. For complex trauma it expands to parts-aware resources (Loving Eyes, CIPOS) and runs 4–20+ sessions. Skip or rush Phase 2 and Phase 4 destabilizes.

Key takeaways

Phase 2 readiness has objective markers: client can self-regulate within 2 minutes using their installed resource and tolerate 0–7 SUD shifts without dissociation.
Calm Place + Container are the minimum baseline; RDI, Four Elements, and Loving Eyes are added based on the client's deficit profile.
For dissociative clients, use CIPOS (Constant Installation of Present Orientation and Safety) and parts-aware resourcing before any Phase 3.
Document each installed resource and the BLS used; clients re-access them between sessions, which is itself stabilization.
Phase 2 length scales with complexity: 1–2 sessions for single-incident, 4–8 for chronic PTSD, 10–20+ for C-PTSD or structural dissociation.

Why Phase 2 is the phase that makes EMDR work

Why this guide exists

Phase 2 is where most EMDR succeeds or fails. Skip it and reprocessing destabilizes; over-do it and clients stall in endless preparation. This guide is the working reference for what stabilization actually requires: a shared model of dual attention, an affect-regulation toolkit the client can deploy without you, a somatic capacity that tolerates activation without dissociating, and — for complex presentations — parts-aware contracting before any target memory is touched.1 2 3

Resourcing & grounding techniques

1–30+

Typical session range

Readiness criteria for Phase 3

22 min

Full read time

What's inside

01What Phase 2 actually is (and is not)
02Three domains of stabilization
0345-technique grounding & resourcing library
0411 verbatim resourcing scripts, full text
05Capacity check before Phase 3
06Dissociation-aware adaptations
07Home practice plan
0814-session preparation arc (case)
09Decision tree: when a resource install fails
1010 FAQs + 12 citations + 3 PDFs

Companion guide

Phase 2: Preparation (clinical reference) →

The procedural reference page for Phase 2. This ultimate guide expands on the resourcing menu and the decision-making behind it.

What Phase 2 actually is

Definition

Phase 2 — Preparation is the second phase of Shapiro's 8-phase EMDR protocol. Its job is to build the dual-attention capacity required for reprocessing: the client must be able to hold a disturbing memory in mind *and* track a present-moment bilateral stimulus *and* remain oriented in the room — simultaneously — for the duration of a set.1 4

Four operational goals

1
Shared model
Client understands AIP, the 8 phases, what reprocessing is and is not, and gives informed consent.1
2
Affect regulation
At least two installed resources the client can deploy independently (Calm Place + Container is the floor).4
3
Body capacity
Demonstrated ability to track interoception, orient, and return from activation within one set without dissociating.2 5
4
Working alliance
An explicit stop-signal contract, agreement on BLS modality and pace, and trust sufficient to disclose mid-set what is arising.1

Phase 2 is NOT

A talking-therapy interlude that you 'do until the client feels better'
Optional for stable single-incident cases (the floor still applies)
A pass/fail screen — it is dosed to capacity
Complete when the client has *learned* the skills — only when they can *use* them under load

For single-incident trauma in a regulated adult, Phase 2 can take one session. For complex trauma or dissociative presentations, it can take 20+ sessions and is the most important phase of the entire treatment.3 6

The three domains of stabilization

A useful frame: resourcing isn't a single skill but capacity in three domains. Most clients arrive strong in one and weak in the others — Phase 2 is sequenced to shore up the weakest.2 5

Top-down

Affect regulation

The ability to name, modulate, and tolerate emotion without acting it out. Skills: Calm Place, Container, RDI figures, cognitive defusion, naming-to-tame, 4-7-8 breath. Indicators of weakness: alexithymia, flooding, numbing, emotional reasoning, all-or-nothing affect.

Bottom-up

Somatic capacity

The ability to feel the body, stay in the window of tolerance, and discharge activation. Skills: 5-4-3-2-1, Four Elements, butterfly hug, orienting, vagal-tone work, Spiral Technique. Indicators of weakness: chronic dissociation, somatic numbing, panic without warning, shutdown.

Relational

Self & attachment

The capacity to use the therapist for co-regulation, to relate to one's own parts with curiosity, and to receive care. Skills: Loving Eyes, Meeting Place for parts, attachment-figure RDI, ego-state contracting. Indicators of weakness: dissociative parts, attachment-avoidance, self-criticism, no internal nurturer.

How to use this in session

Score each domain 1–5 at intake. Build first in the weakest domain; install a resource in each before advancing to Phase 3. Reassess after every 4–6 sessions.

Capacity check: are you ready for Phase 3?

Five behaviorally-observable criteria. All five should be met, demonstrated in the last 2 sessions, before targeting any trauma memory.

Criterion	What you observe	If absent
Dual attention	Client can hold a mildly charged image + track BLS + answer 'what's coming up?' without losing the room	Practice with neutral then mildly positive content; rule out dissociation
Affect tolerance	Client raises and lowers SUD 0→4→0 in session using an installed resource, independently	More Calm Place + Container reps; add Four Elements for daily practice
Body awareness	Client can name interoceptive sensation in 3+ body regions and feel feet on floor at will	Somatic resourcing (orienting, BH, grounding); rule out alexithymia/dissociation
Working alliance	Stop signal practiced, BLS modality chosen, client can disagree with you in session	Repair ruptures, slow pace; if pseudo-compliance, name it
Between-session use	Client reports using ≥1 resource between sessions ≥3 times in the last week without prompt	Lower the bar; rehearse cue word with 60-second daily reps; troubleshoot context

Decision tree: how long should Phase 2 take?

Duration is dictated by capacity, not the calendar. Use these presentations to set a realistic Phase 2 dose at the outset and re-evaluate every 4 sessions.[^3][^6]

+Single-incident adult trauma, stable affect, intact dual attention, strong supports

1–2 sessions: install Calm Place + Container, rehearse stop signal, advance to Phase 3.

+Recent-onset PTSD, moderate activation, some avoidance

2–4 sessions: add RDI (wisdom/nurture/protection) and Light Stream; verify daily home practice.

+Complex/developmental trauma, attachment wounds, somatic dysregulation

6–16+ sessions: layer Four Elements, Butterfly Hug, parts-aware psychoeducation, daily home practice, attachment-figure RDI.

+DES-II ≥ 20, MID elevations, part-shifts in session, time-loss

Extended Phase 2 (16–30+ sessions). Add CIPOS, Loving Eyes, ego-state contracting and Meeting Place before any standard-protocol reprocessing.[^7][^8]

+Active SI/HI, untreated SUD, unstable housing, ongoing DV

Hold reprocessing. Stabilize externally first; use Phase 2 skills for affect management only.

The resourcing menu — six purposes at a glance

A menu, not a checklist. Teach 3–6 deeply rather than 20 superficially. Match technique to the weakest domain identified in the capacity check above.2 4 9

Calm the system01

Regulation

"Calm/Safe Place (Shapiro 2018)"
"Container exercise"
"Light Stream visualisation"
"4-7-8 breath / box breath"
"Cue-word + anchor object"

Anchor in the present02

Grounding

"5-4-3-2-1 sensory orienting"
"Orienting to the room (Ogden)"
"Feet, seat, breath, eyes"
"Cold-water reset / TIPP"
"Name date · place · age"

Re-inhabit the body03

Somatic

"Butterfly Hug (Artigas & Jarero)"
"Four Elements (Shapiro)"
"Spiral Technique"
"Vagal-tone humming / VOO"
"Pendulation (Levine, SE-adapted)"

Build internal resources04

Self-strength

"RDI — wisdom · nurture · protection (Korn & Leeds)"
"Resource team / inner committee"
"Best-self memory install"
"Mastery memory install"
"Future-template rehearsal"

Repair the relational template05

Attachment

"Loving Eyes (Knipe)"
"Attachment-figure RDI"
"Ideal-parent figure (AF-EMDR / Brown & Elliott)"
"Therapist as transitional resource"
"Co-regulation rituals (open/close)"

Adapt for parts & time-loss06

Dissociation-aware

"CIPOS — Constant Installation of Present Orientation & Safety (Knipe)"
"Meeting Place / Conference Room for parts"
"Ego-state contracting (Watkins & Watkins)"
"Back-of-the-head Scale (Knipe)"
"Progressive approach pacing (Gonzalez & Mosquera)"

Document which resources are installed, the cue word for each, and the date the client first used it independently between sessions. This is the Phase 2 chart.

Grounding & resourcing library — 45 techniques by type

The full working library, grouped by what the technique *does* rather than which school it came from. Column three is the 30-second in-session version; the scripts below give the verbatim installs for the eleven most-used. Every technique here is also available inside the EMDR Assist grounding panel, where you can favourite the ones you actually use and add your own.2 4 5 9

Technique	Type	When to use it	30-second version
5-4-3-2-1 sensory count	Sensory / orienting	Client is drifting, foggy, or mildly derealised	Name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste — out loud, slowly
Orienting to the room	Sensory / orienting	Start and end of every session with dissociative clients	Turn the head slowly; let the eyes land on three objects; notice the impulse to settle
Feet · seat · breath · eyes	Sensory / orienting	Fast reset mid-set without breaking rhythm	Press feet down, feel the chair, one long exhale, look at me
Name date · place · age	Sensory / orienting	Suspected age-regression or time-loss	Say today's date, where we are, and how old you are now
Temperature / cold-water reset	Sensory / orienting	High sympathetic arousal, panic ramp	Cold pack on the wrists or face, 30 seconds, then re-check SUD
Push-the-wall / press-the-hands	Sensory / orienting	Freeze or collapse, no access to breath	Push palms into the wall for 10 seconds, release, notice the aliveness
Weighted / textured object	Sensory / orienting	Client reports going 'floaty' during resourcing	Hold the object; describe texture, weight, temperature in three words
Calm / Safe Place	Regulation	Baseline install for every client	Image + feeling + body location, then 4–6 slow BLS passes and a cue word
Container	Regulation / containment	Between-session disturbance, incomplete sessions	Choose the container, place the material in, close it, notice the shift; no BLS on the contents
Light Stream	Regulation	Residual body disturbance at closure	Colour of the disturbance, then the healing light flowing in until the sensation eases
4-7-8 or box breath	Regulation	Mid-range arousal; portable home practice	In 4, hold 7, out 8 — four cycles, no more
Physiological sigh	Regulation	Fastest down-regulation when talking has stopped working	Two nasal inhales stacked, one long mouth exhale, twice
Cue word + anchor object	Regulation	Making any resource retrievable under load	Pair the word and the object with the resource during install; carry both
Paced counting out	Regulation	Client over-breathes or dissociates on breath focus	Count exhales backwards from 10 aloud rather than tracking the breath itself
Four Elements	Somatic	Daily home practice; the single best-adhered protocol	Earth (feet), Air (breath), Water (saliva/jaw), Fire (light of imagination)
Butterfly Hug	Somatic / self-BLS	Self-administered soothing between sessions	Cross arms, alternate taps at a walking pace for 30–60 seconds
Spiral Technique	Somatic	Persisting body sensation after a set	Notice the sensation spinning; ask which way; invite it to reverse
Pendulation	Somatic	Activation without capacity to stay with it	Move attention between the charged area and a neutral/pleasant area, 20 seconds each
Humming / VOO / vagal tone	Somatic	Shutdown, thin voice, low tone	Hum on the exhale for four breaths; feel the buzz in the chest and face
Grounding through the legs	Somatic	Standing dysregulation, urge to flee	Slow heel-to-toe rocking, then micro-bend the knees and feel the floor push back
Shake-off / discharge	Somatic	Post-set residual charge, restless limbs	Shake hands and forearms for 15 seconds; stop; notice what settles
Progressive muscle release	Somatic	Chronic bracing, jaw and shoulder holding	Tense one region for 5 seconds, release, name the difference
Interoceptive scan	Somatic	Alexithymia; building body vocabulary	Three regions, one word each — temperature, pressure, movement
Naming-to-tame / affect labelling	Cognitive	Flooding with no language	Give the feeling a name and an intensity number; that alone reduces amygdala load
Cognitive defusion	Cognitive	Fusion with a negative cognition outside processing	'I'm noticing the thought that I'm not safe' — say it three times
Dual-awareness statement	Cognitive	Flashback intrusion	'Part of me feels 7 years old and part of me knows I'm here in 2026'
Categories game	Cognitive	Rumination loop, needs cognitive load	Name ten animals, then ten cities, at speed
Time-orientation script	Cognitive	Post-traumatic 'it's happening now'	'That was then. This is now. The then part is over.'
Thought parking lot	Cognitive / containment	Intrusive planning between sessions	Write it, place it in the container, set the time you'll return to it
RDI — wisdom figure	Self-strength	No internal perspective under stress	Who would know what to do? Bring them in; BLS 4–6 passes
RDI — nurturing figure	Self-strength	Harsh self-criticism, no self-compassion	Who has ever been kind to you? Feel that kindness in the body; short BLS
RDI — protective figure	Self-strength	Fear, boundary collapse	Who or what would stand between you and harm? Install with short sets
Mastery memory install	Self-strength	Low agency, 'I can't do anything right'	A time you handled something well; image, feeling, body; 4–6 passes
Best-self / future-self	Self-strength	Motivation and hope-building	Picture yourself six months on having done this work; install briefly
Resource team	Self-strength	One figure isn't enough for the presentation	Assemble three figures with distinct jobs; install as a group
Future template rehearsal	Self-strength	Known trigger in the coming week	Rehearse the next 48 hours with the resource present; 6–8 passes
Loving Eyes (Knipe)	Attachment	Self-loathing, parts the client rejects	Look at the younger self from the adult's eyes; only proceed if warmth is available
Attachment-figure RDI	Attachment	No felt experience of being cared for	Pets, teachers, fictional and spiritual figures all count
Ideal parent figure	Attachment	Disorganised attachment, no usable real figure	Client constructs the caregiver they needed; long, slow, low or no BLS
Co-regulation ritual	Attachment	Session opening and closing with fragile clients	The same two-minute predictable opening every session
Back-of-Head Scale (Knipe)	Dissociation-specific	Checking presence before and during any set	'How far back is your attention, front of the face to back of the head?'
CIPOS	Dissociation-specific	Client leaves the room when affect rises	Alternate brief orienting with a very short glance at the material; BLS on the present only
Meeting Place / conference room	Dissociation-specific / parts	Multiple parts with conflicting agendas	An internal room where parts can be present without merging; no processing yet
Ego-state contracting	Dissociation-specific / parts	Before any target with a parts-presenting client	Ask internally whether all parts agree to the work; wait for the answer
Closure container + calm place pairing	Closure / between-session	Every incomplete session, without exception	Container the remainder, then re-install the calm place before the client stands up

How to choose from 45 techniques without overwhelming the client

Clinical tip

Teach **three to six** techniques deeply. A practical default: one orienting technique (5-4-3-2-1 or feet·seat·breath·eyes), one regulation install (Calm Place), one containment install (Container), one somatic daily practice (Four Elements), and — only if indicated — one attachment or dissociation-specific adaptation. Everything else in the library is a substitution, not an addition: if the Calm Place install fails, you swap in Mastery or a resource team; you do not stack them.[^4][^9]

1 · Calm Place — verbatim install

The foundational install. Adapted from Shapiro (2018). Slow, short BLS (4–6 passes). Abandon and switch locations if any set increases activation.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Think of a place — real or imagined — where you feel calm and safe. Somewhere that brings up a sense of peace just by picturing it. Let me know when you have one."

Client

(identifies place)

Therapist

"Bring up the image. Notice what you see around you — colors, the light. What can you hear? Is there a smell, a temperature on your skin?"

Therapist

"Now notice the feelings that come up when you focus on this place, and where you feel them in your body."

Client

Calm — in my chest. Shoulders feel softer.

Therapist

"Stay with that calm feeling and the image. Follow my fingers. (4–6 slow horizontal passes.) What do you notice now?"

Client

Stronger. Warmer.

Therapist

"Good. Stay with that. (Repeat 1–2 sets if each strengthens.) Is there a single word that fits this place for you?"

Client

Cove.

Therapist

"Bring up 'cove' along with the image and the calm feeling. (4–6 more passes.) Practice this on your own this week — close your eyes, say the word, bring up the image, breathe."

Note

Stop adding BLS if activation increases at any set. Switch locations rather than push.

Full standalone walkthrough: [Calm Place exercise](/emdr-guide/calm-place-exercise). Printable handouts: [Container & Calm Place worksheet](/resources/container-calm-place) and the [resourcing scripts pack](/resources/resourcing-scripts).

2 · Container — verbatim install

The second floor-level install. Used to close incomplete sessions and to park activation between sessions. Reinforce: parked, not gone.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Imagine a container — any kind — strong enough to hold anything that feels too much. A vault, a wooden chest, a treasure box at the bottom of the ocean. Whatever your mind offers."

Client

(describes container)

Therapist

"Notice how it's built. The material, the lid, the lock. What makes it strong enough?"

Therapist

"Now imagine taking everything we touched today that still feels charged — images, feelings, sensations — and placing it inside. You don't have to look. Just let it go in."

Therapist

"When everything that needs to be there is in, seal it. Lock it. Put it somewhere safe in your mind — a shelf, a room, somewhere it can wait for us."

Therapist

"Notice — the material is still there. It hasn't disappeared. It's just held until next session. (Optional 4–6 slow BLS passes to install.) What do you notice in your body now?"

Full standalone walkthrough: [Container exercise](/emdr-guide/container-exercise). Client handout: [Container & Calm Place worksheet](/resources/container-calm-place). Pair with a [between-session log](/resources/between-session-log) to track usage.

3 · RDI — figures of wisdom, nurture, protection

Korn & Leeds (2002). Install each figure separately with short BLS (6–8 passes), then combine. Particularly important for [complex trauma](/emdr-guide/emdr-for-complex-trauma) and attachment work.[^9]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Think of a figure — real, fictional, historical, an animal, a spiritual being — who feels wise. Someone who would know what to do. Doesn't have to be someone you've met."

Client

(names figure)

Therapist

"Picture them. Where are they? What's their expression? What do you feel when you bring them to mind?"

Therapist

"Stay with the figure and that feeling. (6–8 slow BLS passes.) Strengthen what you notice."

Note

Repeat the same sequence for a nurturing figure ('someone who would care for you exactly as you needed') and a protective figure ('someone strong enough to keep you safe'). Three resources, installed one at a time.

Therapist

"Now bring all three together in your mind. They're with you. (4–6 more passes.) This team is available between sessions, and we can call on them during reprocessing if you need."

Printable: [RDI script PDF](/resources/rdi-script). See also [EMDR resourcing](/emdr-guide/emdr-resourcing) for when RDI fits the broader plan.

4 · Light Stream — verbatim

Best for somatic distress that is localized (chest tightness, throat constriction, stomach knot). Avoid if client has aversion to light/energy imagery — substitute Spiral.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Bring your attention to where you're feeling the disturbance in your body. Notice its shape, size, color if it has one, temperature, texture."

Client

Tight, dark, in my chest. Like a knot.

Therapist

"If healing light could enter your body to soothe that, what color would it be?"

Client

Gold.

Therapist

"Imagine that gold light coming in through the top of your head, infinite and healing, surrounding the knot. Let it flow into the shape, around it, dissolving it slowly. The light fills the space. It flows down through your shoulders, arms, torso, legs, and out through your feet — taking the disturbance with it."

Therapist

"Continue to let the light flow. Notice what changes."

5 · Four Elements — Shapiro's daily home-practice protocol

Designed as a 3–5 minute daily practice for chronic dysregulation. Earth → Air → Water → Fire, in order. Teach in session, prescribe daily.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"EARTH — grounding. Feel your feet on the floor, your seat in the chair, your back against the support. Look around the room and name three objects out loud. Notice you are here, now, and the present is safe enough."

Therapist

"AIR — breath. One slow breath in through your nose for a count of 4, hold for 2, out through your mouth for 6. Repeat three times. Slow the out-breath."

Therapist

"WATER — saliva. Notice the saliva in your mouth. If your mouth is dry, gently move your tongue around. Saliva flow signals the parasympathetic system — when we're in fight-or-flight, the mouth goes dry."

Therapist

"FIRE — light it up. Bring to mind your Calm Place, or an image that calms you, or your cue word. Let the image warm something inside. Add a butterfly hug for 30 seconds if you like."

Note

Prescribe: 3× daily — morning, midday, evening. Even 2 minutes. Consistency matters more than length.

Pair with the [grounding toolkit](/resources/grounding-toolkit) handout so clients have a one-page reference at home.

6 · Butterfly Hug — self-administered BLS

Artigas & Jarero (1998). Self-administered tactile BLS. Use to install resources, regulate between sessions, after trauma exposure (including news/secondary), or end of session if BLS equipment is unavailable.[^10]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Cross your arms over your chest. Your right hand rests on your left shoulder or upper arm, your left hand on your right."

Therapist

"Begin to tap, alternately — left, right, left, right — slow and steady, like a heartbeat. Eyes can be open or closed."

Therapist

"As you tap, bring to mind your Calm Place — or simply notice your breath, your body in the chair, the rhythm. Continue for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Stop when you notice settling."

Note

Avoid as the only between-session tool for severely dissociative clients — the rhythm can deepen dissociation without a clinician present. Pair with grounding first.

Full guide: [Butterfly Hug technique](/emdr-guide/butterfly-hug-technique). For self-use see [free BLS tool](/free-bls) and [self-administered EMDR](/emdr-guide/self-administered-emdr) (limits + safety).

7 · Spiral Technique — somatic alternative to Light Stream

Use when energy/light imagery feels foreign or for clients who prefer kinesthetic over visual. Pair with slow short BLS or breath only.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Notice the disturbance in your body. Where it is, its shape."

Therapist

"If that sensation had a direction of movement — a spiral — which way is it spinning? Take the first answer."

Client

Clockwise, in my stomach.

Therapist

"With your mind, gently reverse the spin. Slowly, the other direction. Just notice what happens as it slows, stops, and begins to spin the other way."

Note

Some clients report immediate softening; others notice nothing — both are fine. Spiral is a low-stakes experiment, not a guaranteed intervention.

8 · Loving Eyes — Knipe's attachment repair

For clients who can identify a younger self in pain but cannot offer compassion to that self. Knipe (2015). Install before parts work or attachment-focused reprocessing.[^7]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Bring to mind a person — real, fictional, an animal, a being of any kind — whose eyes you would describe as 'loving.' Eyes that, if they looked at you, you would feel seen, not judged."

Client

(names figure)

Therapist

"Picture those eyes. Notice the quality of how they look at you. (Short BLS 4–6 passes.) Strengthen that."

Therapist

"Now imagine those loving eyes turning toward a younger version of yourself — the part of you that is hurting or scared. Just notice them being seen. (4–6 passes.) What happens?"

Note

If the client cannot generate any loving figure — name it without judgement. Build behaviourally first (pet, plant, kind colleague). This finding is itself diagnostic and a target for later work.

9 · CIPOS — Constant Installation of Present Orientation & Safety

Knipe's titrated approach for dissociative clients. Use *between* very brief touches into a traumatic memory to keep the client oriented. Allows reprocessing of clients who cannot otherwise tolerate it.[^7]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"I'd like you to glance at the memory — just a quick glance, maybe two seconds — and then come right back to me, here, in this room."

Client

(glances, returns)

Therapist

"Good. Now look around the room. Name three things you see. Feel your feet on the floor. What's today's date?"

Therapist

"Notice you are here, now, with me, and the memory is over. Stay with that. (8–10 passes of slow BLS to install the present orientation, NOT the memory.) Strengthen the *here*."

Note

Repeat: glance → return → install present. Build up tolerance over many sessions before attempting standard Phase 4 sets. CIPOS installs the *return*, not the trauma.

Detailed indications: [EMDR and dissociation](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation). Screen first with the [DES-II color-coded handout](/resources/des-ii-color-coded) and use the [pre-session safety check](/pre-session-safety-check.pdf) before any reprocessing.

10 · Meeting Place — parts contracting

For clients with identified dissociative parts or strong ego states. Adapted from ego-state therapy and parts-aware EMDR.[^8]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Imagine a place inside — a room, a clearing, anywhere safe — where the different parts of you could meet. Doesn't matter if you've never thought of yourself this way; just let an image form."

Therapist

"From that meeting place, invite any part of you that wants to be present to come forward. There's no pressure on any part to appear."

Therapist

"Notice who shows up. What age? What posture? What do they need to know about why we're meeting?"

Therapist

"Let them know: we're not going to do any trauma work today. Today is about introductions, and asking each part whether they would agree to let us prepare some skills, slowly, that would make everyone safer."

Note

Contract explicitly: 'Are there any parts who do not consent to EMDR? What would they need?' Do not bypass dissenting parts — that is what produces dissociative crises in Phase 4.

Background: [EMDR and dissociation](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation) and [attachment-focused EMDR](/emdr-guide/attachment-focused-emdr).

11 · Future Template — installing the next 48 hours

Close stable sessions with a future-template install: rehearse the next 48 hours of likely triggers with the client embodying the resource. Builds generalisation.[^1]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Before we close, let's run forward. What's coming up in the next 48 hours that might pull you out of your window?"

Client

Friday team meeting. My manager.

Therapist

"Picture yourself walking in. What would 'going well' look like — not perfect, just well enough that you stay grounded?"

Client

I'd feel my feet, I'd remember it's just a meeting, I wouldn't shrink.

Therapist

"Hold that image — feet, perspective, presence. (6–8 slow BLS passes.) Notice what feels true about that being possible."

Use the [SUD & VOC reference](/sud-voc) when rehearsing — and the [between-session log](/resources/between-session-log) for the client to track how the rehearsal held up.

12 · 5-4-3-2-1 orienting — the default grounding script

The most portable grounding technique in the library. Use it to open sessions with dissociative clients, to interrupt drift mid-set, and as the first between-session skill you prescribe.[^5]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Let's bring your attention into the room with me. Out loud, name five things you can see. Take your time."

Client

The lamp, the plant, the rug, your notebook, the window.

Therapist

"Good. Now four things you can hear."

Client

The fan, traffic, your voice, my own breathing.

Therapist

"Three things you can feel — texture, temperature, contact."

Therapist

"Two things you can smell, and one you can taste. If nothing's there, just notice that."

Therapist

"Now — where is your attention on a scale of front of the face to back of the head?"

Note

Slower is better. If the client speeds up or answers mechanically, drop to one sense and stay with it.

Pair it with the Back-of-Head Scale below when you need a presence read, and send the [grounding toolkit](/resources/grounding-toolkit) home with the client.

13 · Back-of-Head Scale — measuring presence before you process

Knipe's scale gives you a number for how present the client actually is. Use it before every set with dissociation-prone clients rather than relying on how present they *appear*.[^7]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Imagine a line from the front of your face to the back of your head. The front means you're fully here with me in the room. The back means you're far away, off somewhere else. Where is your attention right now?"

Client

Maybe two-thirds back.

Therapist

"Thank you — that's useful. Let's do some orienting and check again. Feet on the floor, look around the room, tell me three things you see."

Therapist

"Where's the line now?"

Client

Closer to the front. Maybe a quarter back.

Note

Do not begin or continue processing while the client is behind the midpoint. Orient, ground, and re-measure instead.

For the full dissociation-aware pathway, see [EMDR and dissociation](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation).

14 · Pendulation — building tolerance without flooding

A somatic titration skill adapted from Somatic Experiencing. Use it when a client can notice activation but cannot yet stay with it — it teaches the nervous system that activation is survivable and reversible.[^5]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Notice where the discomfort lives in your body. Don't go into it — just locate it."

Client

Tight band across the chest.

Therapist

"Now find somewhere in your body that feels neutral or even okay. Anywhere at all."

Client

My hands. They feel warm.

Therapist

"Rest your attention in your hands for twenty seconds. Then just visit the chest for a few seconds, and come back to the hands."

Therapist

"Keep moving between them a few times, at your pace. What happens to the band?"

Client

Looser. It moved down a bit.

Note

Never let the client sit in the charged area for more than a few seconds early on. The movement is the medicine, not the exposure.

15 · Mastery memory install — agency when no resource figure is available

When a client cannot generate a nurturing or protective figure, install a mastery memory instead: a real moment where they coped. Often more accessible than imagery-based resources for concrete or shame-bound clients.[^4]

Verbatim script

Therapist

"Think of a time — any time, however small — when you handled something difficult and got through it."

Client

When I moved apartments alone last year.

Therapist

"Bring up a picture of a specific moment in that. What do you see? What are you doing?"

Therapist

"As you hold that image, what words go with it about you?"

Client

I can do hard things.

Therapist

"Notice where you feel that in your body, hold the image and the words together. (4–6 slow passes.) What's there now?"

Note

Keep sets short. If any negative material intrudes, stop the BLS, return to the image alone, and choose a different memory next time.

Mastery installs feed directly into [RDI](/resource-development-and-installation) and into the positive cognition work in [Phase 3](/emdr-guide/phase-3-assessment).

Cue word vs anchor object

Two ways to make a resource retrievable under load. Most clients benefit from both; some clients respond better to one.

Verbal

Cue word

A single word paired with the resource during install ('cove', 'safe', 'enough'). Client says the word silently or aloud to call the resource forward.

Use when

Client is highly verbal / lives in language
Need a discreet trigger usable in public
Client travels and cannot carry an object

Tactile

Anchor object

A small physical object (stone, ring, bracelet, fabric square) held during install and carried thereafter. Touching the object recalls the resource.

Use when

Client is somatically oriented
Words feel hollow or detached
Need a between-session reminder that lives outside the head

Default: install both

Word and object together cross modalities and are more retrieval-robust than either alone, especially under high activation.

Home practice plan — what to actually prescribe

One-page template

Phase 2 fails when it stays in the office. A specific, low-friction home plan is the difference between learned skills and used skills.

One daily anchor practice
Four Elements or Butterfly Hug, 3 minutes, at a fixed daily anchor (after morning coffee, before dinner, etc.). Consistency > duration.
Three cue-word rehearsals
60 seconds, 3× daily — say cue word, bring up Calm Place image, breathe twice. Builds retrieval under low load so it's there under high load.
One Container check-in
End of each day: notice if anything is still 'sitting on you' — Container it before sleep.
Audio recording
Record a 3-minute Calm Place + Container audio in the client's own voice (or yours, with consent). They listen as needed.
Skip the boring part
Most resources are weakest the first 2 weeks. If client reports 'it didn't work' — assume practice volume, not technique.
Use trauma-charged content for practice
Practice with neutral or mildly positive material only between sessions. Never rehearse target memories with BLS at home.

Decision tree: when a resource install fails

Resources don't always strengthen on the first try. Read what the body says and titrate before pushing through.

+BLS makes the resource feel weaker or activation goes up

Stop BLS immediately. Abandon location/figure. Try a different one or drop to pure imagery without BLS.

+Client cannot generate any safe/calm location

Use 'Peaceful Place,' 'Good-Enough Place,' or a fully imagined composite. Consider behaviourally activating safety (walks, baths) first.

+Resource works in session but client cannot self-activate at home

Reinforce cue word, record a 3-min audio, schedule daily 60-second rehearsals, troubleshoot context (where, when, what blocks).

+Part-shift or dissociative response during install

Stop, orient, do not pathologize. Switch to parts-aware contracting and CIPOS before further resourcing.[^7]

+Resource contaminates mid-week (place tied to a person who acted out)

Build a fresh resource not tied to specific people. Avoid figures who could later disappoint.

+Client reports 'nothing' on every set

Check for alexithymia, hyperintellectualization, or pseudo-compliance. Slow down. Drop to body-only resourcing (orienting, breath, BH).

Stop-signal contract — non-negotiable before Phase 3

Caution

Before any reprocessing, install an explicit stop signal (raised hand is standard) and demonstrate that you will respond to it within one BLS set. Frame it: 'You are in charge of pace. If you need a pause, raise your hand. I will stop within seconds.' Practice the signal during a neutral set so the motor pattern is rehearsed. Without this, Phase 4 dissociation is more likely.[^1]

Worked case: 14-session Phase 2 with a complex-trauma client

Worked case 14 sessions

Client: Adult survivor of chronic childhood emotional neglect + adolescent SA. Presenting with chronic shutdown, NC *I am alone*, DES-II = 18.
Formulation: Complex PTSD (ICD-11 6B41), no DID. Affect numbing > flooding.

Screening

Intake DES-II18PCL-552Window-of-tolerance felt-sensenarrow / mostly hypo

NC cluster

Stabilization-first, somatic + attachment domain weakest

Processing order

Sessions 1–3: alliance + AIP psychoeducation + stop signal · 4–6: 5-4-3-2-1, orienting, Four Elements daily · 7–8: Calm Place (3 attempts; 'cove' install on attempt 3) · 9: Container · 10–11: Butterfly Hug + Light Stream · 12: RDI (wisdom + protection installed; nurture deferred) · 13: Loving Eyes (significant grief — held without BLS) · 14: capacity check met; future-template install; agreed to begin Phase 3 with a 'medium' rather than 'worst' target.

Phase 2 took 14 weeks. Without it, this client would have dissociated in Phase 4. With it, the first reprocessing target completed in 2 sessions.

A typical Phase 2 arc (8 sessions, moderate complexity)

Not a script — an illustration of how the menu sequences for a typical case. Adjust to the client's weakest domain.

From intake to readiness

1Model
Session 1
AIP psychoeducation, 8-phase overview, informed consent, BLS demo on neutral content, stop signal.
→
2Body
Session 2
5-4-3-2-1, orienting to room, prescribe Four Elements as daily home practice.
→
3Calm
Session 3
Calm Place install (may take 2 attempts), cue word, anchor object.
→
4Calm
Session 4
Container install, between-session use plan, debrief Four Elements adherence.
→
5Self
Session 5
RDI — wisdom figure, then protection figure.
→
6Self/Body
Session 6
RDI — nurture figure, Light Stream or Spiral for any somatic distress that has emerged.
→
7Attachment
Session 7
Loving Eyes (if indicated), Butterfly Hug as self-BLS for between-session use.
→
8Readiness
Session 8
Capacity check (5 criteria), future-template install, contract to begin Phase 3 with a medium-charge target.

Running throughout

Daily Four Elements + 3× cue-word rehearsals at home. Open and close each session with a 60-second orienting ritual. Document which resources are 'installed and used.'

Sequence to the weakest domain. Re-evaluate after every 4 sessions. Do not advance until 5/5 readiness criteria are met across two consecutive sessions.

Phase 2 pitfalls — and how to avoid them

Avoid these

The errors that show up in consultation most often.

Calling it 'done' when the client *knows* the skills
The bar is *uses* them, independently, between sessions, under modest stress. Knowing is not capacity.
Skipping the home practice debrief every session
If you don't ask, the client won't tell. Adherence is the data — not whether they 'liked' the resource.
Treating Phase 2 as one-and-done
Resources need re-installation across treatment, especially after Phase 4 sessions that loosened them.
Pushing through a failed install
Three failed attempts at the same Calm Place location = switch locations, not push harder. Repeated failure conditions hopelessness.
Missing dissociation
Subtle dissociation looks like compliance. If the client agrees too quickly, never reports nothing-but-positive, or 'forgets' what you discussed last session — screen with DES-II / MID before continuing.7
Re-resource after every Phase 4 incomplete session
Whatever destabilised in the room, Container + Calm Place at close. If activation persists, add Light Stream and a parts check-in before the client leaves.

Readiness criteria for Phase 3 — clinician sign-off

Dos & don'ts

Cross-reference with the capacity-check table above. All five present, demonstrated in the last 2 sessions, before any Phase 3 assessment.

Dual attention holds under mild load
Client tracks BLS + mild positive content + answers 'what's coming up?' without losing the room.
Two installed resources, retrievable on cue
Calm Place + Container minimum; one with cue word, ideally one with anchor object.
Affect raises and lowers within session
Client can deliberately raise SUD 0→4 and lower 4→0 using a resource — independently, without you scaffolding each step.
Body is reachable
Names interoceptive sensation in 3+ regions on request; feels feet on floor at will.
Stop signal is rehearsed and trusted
Practised on a neutral set; client and clinician share a single explicit cue and pace contract.
6
Bonus: between-session use confirmed
Client reports using ≥1 resource at home ≥3 times in the past week without being prompted.

Put the guide to work

Free EMDR tools for clinicians

Browser-based BLS, free clinician PDFs, and EMDR Assist — the in-session companion built around the 8-phase protocol.

Try EMDR Assist Open free BLS

Free therapist trial · No signup

Product overviewDownload the EMDR Assist product overviewA 6-page tour of the platform — guided sessions, BLS, plans & pricing.PDF

Downloads

Resourcing scripts pack (PDF)

Calm Place, Container, RDI and grounding scripts in printable form.

pdf · free

Container & Calm Place worksheet (PDF)

Client-facing worksheet pairing the two floor-level installs.

pdf · free

RDI script (PDF)

Wisdom · nurture · protection install, printable.

pdf · free

Grounding toolkit (PDF)

5-4-3-2-1, Four Elements, BH and orienting on a single page.

pdf · free

Body scan worksheet (PDF)

Interoceptive-capacity builder for Phase 2.

pdf · free

DES-II color-coded (PDF)

Dissociation screen with banded interpretation.

pdf · free

Between-session log (PDF)

Home-practice + activation tracker for clients.

pdf · free

Pre-session safety check (PDF)

Pre-Phase-3 readiness checklist — print, sign, file.

pdf · 1 page

EMDR protocol script (PDF)

The 8-phase script with Phase 2 install order embedded.

pdf · free

Frequently asked questions

How long should Phase 2 take?

1–2 sessions for stable single-incident adult cases, 2–4 for recent-onset PTSD, 6–16+ for [complex trauma](/emdr-guide/emdr-for-complex-trauma), and 16–30+ for [dissociative presentations](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation). It is dosed to capacity, not the calendar.

What's the minimum resource set before Phase 3?

[Calm Place](/emdr-guide/calm-place-exercise) + [Container](/emdr-guide/container-exercise) is the floor. [RDI](/resources/rdi-script) (at least a protective figure), a somatic regulation tool ([Four Elements or Butterfly Hug](/resources/grounding-toolkit)), and a rehearsed stop signal are strongly recommended. For complex/dissociative cases add CIPOS and parts contracting — see [EMDR and dissociation](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation).

What if my client can't find a Calm Place?

Common with [complex trauma](/emdr-guide/emdr-for-complex-trauma). Try 'peaceful' or 'good-enough' instead of 'safe.' Build a fully imagined composite. If still inaccessible, drop to pure body resourcing (orienting, [Butterfly Hug](/emdr-guide/butterfly-hug-technique), breath) and build a place behaviourally outside session before re-attempting. The [Container & Calm Place worksheet](/resources/container-calm-place) gives clients a structured handout.

Can you do EMDR without a Safe Place?

Yes — for clients who genuinely cannot generate one, build alternatives ([Container](/emdr-guide/container-exercise) + [RDI](/resources/rdi-script) + somatic resources from the [grounding toolkit](/resources/grounding-toolkit)). Safe Place is a default, not a requirement. What is required is some installed regulation skill the client can deploy independently.

Do I need to install every resource in this guide?

No. Teach 3–6 deeply rather than 20 superficially. Match to the weakest of the three domains (affect / body / attachment). The full menu exists so you have options when one technique doesn't land. The [resourcing scripts pack](/resources/resourcing-scripts) bundles the most-used installs.

What if the client says the resource 'didn't work' at home?

First check practice volume — most clients underestimate how much rehearsal a resource needs (60-second reps, 3× daily, for 2+ weeks). Hand them a [between-session log](/resources/between-session-log) so you can see the data. If volume is adequate, troubleshoot context. If still failing, install a different resource — not the same one harder.

When should I add CIPOS or Loving Eyes?

Add CIPOS when the client shows time-loss, part-shifts in session, [DES-II](/resources/des-ii-color-coded) ≥ 20, or you cannot complete a single BLS set on even mild content without dissociation — see [EMDR and dissociation](/emdr-guide/emdr-and-dissociation). Add Loving Eyes when the client can identify a younger hurting self but cannot offer it compassion ([attachment-focused EMDR](/emdr-guide/attachment-focused-emdr)).

How do I document Phase 2?

For each resource: date installed, cue word, between-session use observed, any contraindication. Capacity check at the end (5 criteria, yes/no). Stop-signal contract dated and noted. Use the [progress note template](/resources/progress-note-template), the [outcome measures tracker](/resources/emdr-outcome-measures-tracker), and the [pre-session safety check](/pre-session-safety-check.pdf). This is the audit trail that supports your Phase 3 sign-off.

What if a resource gets contaminated later?

Common — a Calm Place tied to a person who later disappoints, or an RDI figure who falls out of favour. Build a new resource using the [resourcing scripts pack](/resources/resourcing-scripts). Avoid figures tied to specific real people for primary resources; use composite or symbolic figures.

Should clients use BLS at home?

For installed resources and the [Butterfly Hug](/emdr-guide/butterfly-hug-technique) — yes. The [free BLS tool](/free-bls) supports this. For trauma memories — no. [Self-administered BLS](/emdr-guide/self-administered-emdr) on charged content without a clinician is contraindicated and can destabilise.

References

12 sources · peer-reviewed and clinical texts

1Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
2Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.
3ISSTD (2011). Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder in Adults, Third Revision. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 12(2), 115–187.
4Leeds, A. M. (2016). A Guide to the Standard EMDR Therapy Protocols for Clinicians, Supervisors, and Consultants (2nd ed.). Springer.
5Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
6Cloitre, M., Courtois, C. A., Ford, J. D., et al. (2012). ISTSS Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Complex PTSD in Adults. ISTSS.
7Knipe, J. (2015). EMDR Toolbox: Theory and Treatment of Complex PTSD and Dissociation. Springer.
8Gonzalez, A., & Mosquera, D. (2012). EMDR and Dissociation: The Progressive Approach. Instituto Pi.
9Korn, D. L., & Leeds, A. M. (2002). Preliminary evidence of efficacy for EMDR resource development and installation in the stabilization phase of treatment of complex PTSD. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(12), 1465–1487.
10Artigas, L., & Jarero, I. (2014). The Butterfly Hug. In M. Luber (Ed.), Implementing EMDR Early Mental Health Interventions for Man-Made and Natural Disasters. Springer.
11Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. Norton.
12van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.

Free PDFs for this topic

EMDR Resourcing Scripts Collection

Five Phase 2 resourcing scripts — Calm Place, Container, Nurturing, Protective, and Wise Figure — with BLS cues and adaptation notes for complex trauma.

Container & Calm Place Scripts

The two foundational EMDR resources, scripted step-by-step for clients to use between sessions — set down what's heavy, return to a place of safety.

CIPOS & Back-of-the-Head Scale Toolkit

Knipe's Back-of-the-Head Scale and the CIPOS titration sequence step by step — present-orientation interventions, timing rules, troubleshooting, and when CIPOS is not the right tool.