EMDR Session Notes That Match the Protocol

A defensible EMDR session note captures more than the standard SOAP elements. EMDRIA consultation reviewers and most insurance auditors expect to see the protocol-specific data points that prove EMDR was actually performed:

• Phase worked — which of the eight phases the session covered (often more than one)
• Target memory — short label only, never names, initials or identifying detail
• Image, NC, PC, VOC, emotion, body location, baseline SUD — the phase 3 assessment
• BLS modality and sets — visual/audio/tactile, speed, number of sets
• Channels processed and ending SUD/VOC — what shifted during desensitization
• Cognitive interweaves used — when the channel was blocked and how you intervened
• Closure status — completed reprocessing vs. incomplete session, container/calm place use
• Plan — next target, homework, between-session monitoring

EMDR Assist captures all of this as you go, then renders a clean PDF you can attach to your EHR note or store separately.

EMDR doesn't have a dedicated CPT code in the United States — sessions are billed under standard psychotherapy codes based on time:

• 90832 — 30 minutes (rare for EMDR processing)
• 90834 — 45 minutes
• 90837 — 60 minutes (most common for reprocessing sessions)
• +90785 — interactive complexity add-on (when appropriate)

Reprocessing sessions usually justify 90837 because phase 4 desensitization rarely completes inside 45 minutes. Document the clinical reason for the longer session length in your note.

Want to write better notes without signing up? Our free progress note template is a one-page PDF with structured fields for every phase 3-7 data point, ready to print or fill in digitally.

For ongoing case load, the EMDR Assist app captures the same fields automatically and renders the PDF for you at session close — no double entry.

• Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press. (Phase 3–7 data points documented in the note.)
• American Medical Association. CPT® Professional Edition — psychotherapy codes 90834 / 90837. Verify payer-specific policy before billing.
• EMDR International Association. About EMDR Therapy. Accessed 2026.
• Documentation guidance here is general educational content, not legal, billing, or compliance advice.