Acute Traumatic Incident Worksheet (A-TIP) — Free EMDR PDF
A printable worksheet for a brief, contained EMDR intervention after a recent critical incident — readiness check, BLS-set tracking, positive belief and closure on one document.
Free PDF for EMDR clinicians. Get it by email.
What's in the A-TIP worksheet
A clinician worksheet for a brief, contained EMDR intervention with adults seen soon after a critical incident. It draws on the early EMDR intervention protocols — Shapiro's Recent Events Protocol, the R-TEP (Shapiro & Laub, 2008), EMDR-PRECI (Jarero et al., 2011) and Kiessling's Acute Traumatic Incident Procedures (A-TIP) — and is a documentation aid, not a replacement for training in them. The worksheet walks six steps: readiness check, anchor and orient, brief incident summary, identification of the worst moment with SUD and body location, BLS-set tracking, positive belief installation, and closure with aftercare planning.
It is intentionally constrained: the goal is symptom reduction and stabilisation in a single contact, not full resolution. For events more than about three months old, use the full 8-phase EMDR protocol with the Target Sequence Plan template instead.
Who it's for
EMDR-trained clinicians, first-responder behavioral health teams, EAP providers, and disaster mental-health volunteers who work with people in the acute window after a critical incident. The worksheet is designed for clinicians who already know the AIP model and have completed EMDR Basic Training — it is not a substitute for training, and not a replacement for the full Recent Events Protocol or R-TEP when more extensive processing is indicated.
How clinicians use it
Print one worksheet per incident. Complete the readiness check before any BLS — if any item is no, stabilise first and defer the A-TIP intervention. During the session, track each BLS set in the grid so the SUD trajectory is visible; this is what tells you when to stop. After closure, give the client the Grounding Toolkit and Between-Session Log handouts and schedule the 7-day follow-up captured at the bottom of the worksheet.
What's inside the PDF
- Session header (initials, incident date, time since incident, setting)
- Readiness checklist (medical stability, intoxication, calm/safe place, consent, dissociation)
- Step 1: Anchor and orient — suggested wording
- Step 2: Brief incident summary (2–3 sentences only)
- Step 3: Worst-moment Phase 3 fields (image, NC, emotion, SUD, body)
- Step 4: BLS set tracker (8 rows)
- Step 5: Positive belief install + VoC + final SUD
- Step 6: Closure and aftercare checklist
- Follow-up assessment fields for the 7-day review
Common questions about A-TIP
How does this relate to the R-TEP and the Recent Events Protocol? They are distinct protocols. Francine Shapiro's Recent Events Protocol processes a recent event as a series of separate fragments; the R-TEP (Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol, Elan Shapiro & Brurit Laub, 2008) is a more elaborated, contained protocol for the weeks after an event; Kiessling's A-TIP emphasises distancing and containment. This worksheet is a brief, single-contact record that can sit alongside any of them — train in the protocol you use.
What if SUD doesn't drop? Stop after two consecutive sets with no movement. Re-orient the client, re-install the calm place, and book a full Phase 1 history-taking session. Pushing BLS without movement risks destabilisation.
Does this replace the standard protocol? Never. For events more than about three months old, or for clients with developmental trauma surfacing alongside the incident, use the standard 8-phase protocol with the EMDR Standard Protocol Script.
Related on the EMDR guide
Frequently asked questions
Is A-TIP a substitute for EMDR Basic Training?
No. The worksheet is a working reference for clinicians who have completed EMDR Basic Training. It assumes you can assess readiness, manage dissociation, and close a session safely.
When is A-TIP indicated?
In the weeks after a discrete critical incident (generally within about three months) (motor vehicle accident, assault, single-event medical emergency, workplace incident) when the client is medically stable and within their window of tolerance.
When is A-TIP contraindicated?
Active suicidality requiring immediate crisis response, acute intoxication, structural dissociation, or unmanaged ongoing threat. Stabilise first.
How long does the session take?
Typically 60–90 minutes including readiness, processing and closure. Build in extra time for the closure and aftercare steps — never end with elevated SUD.
References
- Shapiro, E. (2012). EMDR and early psychological intervention following trauma. European Review of Applied Psychology, 62(4), 241–251
- Shapiro, E., & Laub, B. (2008). Early EMDR intervention (EEI): A summary, a theoretical model, and the recent traumatic episode protocol (R-TEP). Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(2), 79–96.
- Jarero, I., Artigas, L., & Luber, M. (2011). The EMDR protocol for recent critical incidents: Application in a disaster mental health continuum of care context. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 5(3), 82–94.
- Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
- World Health Organization (2013). Guidelines for the Management of Conditions Specifically Related to Stress. WHO.