EMDR Phase 6 Body Scan & Somatic Tracking Worksheet (Free PDF)
A printable Phase 6 companion sheet — somatic map, BLS-set tracking, residual-sensation interweaves, and end-of-session closure check on a single sheet per completed target.
Free PDF for EMDR clinicians. Get it by email.
What Phase 6 is and why it matters
Phase 6 of EMDR is the body scan: after Installation (Phase 5) brings the Validity of Cognition to 7, the clinician asks the client to hold the original target memory together with the positive cognition and mentally scan the entire body for any remaining disturbance. Residual sensations — even subtle ones — are reprocessed with additional BLS sets until the body is clear.
The body scan is the phase most often rushed or skipped, and skipping it can leave residual disturbance that resurfaces between sessions (Shapiro, 2018). The body holds material that cognition has moved past. Residual body sensation is a key sign that a target is not fully resolved, even when SUD reports 0 and VoC reports 7.
Who this worksheet is for
EMDR clinicians who want a structured place to track Phase 6 across a single completed target. Use one sheet per target. The worksheet is particularly useful for clinicians in their first 50 reprocessing cases who haven't yet developed a confident felt-sense for when Phase 6 is genuinely complete versus when it's been closed prematurely.
It also pairs naturally with the Session Processing Log for Phases 4–5 of the same target — together the two sheets give a complete picture of one full target reprocessing cycle.
How to use the worksheet in session
1. Complete the session header — client initials, target, session number, and the SUD and VoC measured at the end of Phase 5 (these become the baseline for Phase 6).
2. Run the body scan instruction (suggested wording on page 1). Ask the client to close their eyes, hold the original memory and the positive cognition, and scan from the top of the head to the feet. Note everything the client reports — even neutral or pleasant sensations.
3. Capture each reported sensation in the somatic map grid — body region, quality (tight, warm, buzzing, empty, etc.), and valence (positive, negative, neutral). The map is useful both in the moment and for later review with the Cognitive Interweaves Cheat Sheet if the body doesn't clear.
4. Run additional BLS sets on any negative sensation. Track each set in the BLS-sets grid on page 2. The grid has six rows; for stubborn body residuals, use additional sheets rather than compressing.
5. If the body clears, run a few short additional BLS sets on any positive sensation — this functions as a mini-Installation and helps consolidate the positive somatic anchor.
6. Close with the Phase 6 closure check. If the body is fully clear, you've completed the target. If residual remains, rebook for the next session and close the current session using the standard incomplete-session protocol from the EMDR Protocol Script.
When the body won't clear
If body residuals persist after several BLS sets, the worksheet's interweave checklist gives you five options before deciding to close incomplete:
1. Cognitive interweave. A responsibility, safety, or choice interweave often shifts a body residual that's holding a defensive contraction. See the Cognitive Interweaves Cheat Sheet for the standard wording.
2. Float-back from the body sensation itself. If a body residual won't move, it sometimes belongs to an earlier memory not yet on the target sequence. Try the affect-bridge approach from the Float-back & Affect Bridge worksheet — let the sensation lead the client to an earlier scene, then add that scene as a new target.
3. Switch BLS modality. Body residuals sometimes shift when you change from eye movements to tactile (taps, buzzers) or from tactile to auditory. The change in modality unsticks the processing.
4. Check for parts-related blocking. A defended part may be holding the body sensation as a protective signal. Parts-aware language ("is there a part of you that wants to hold on to this for a reason?") can unstick it.
5. Pause and rebook. If the client is approaching the edge of their window of tolerance, close the session incomplete rather than push. Symptom return between sessions is far less harmful than an over-extended session that ends with the client destabilised.
What's inside the PDF
- Session header (initials, target, SUD/VoC pre-Phase 6)
- Phase 6 body scan instruction (suggested wording)
- Somatic map grid (6 rows: body region, quality, valence)
- BLS-sets grid (6 rows: set #, client report, body status)
- Interweave checklist for negative residual sensations
- Positive-sensation mini-Installation guidance
- Phase 6 closure check
- End-of-session summary (body status, final SUD, final VoC, plan for next session)
- Clinical note on why Phase 6 matters
- References (Shapiro, 2018; Levine, 2010)
Related on the EMDR guide
Frequently asked questions
Is the body scan really necessary, or can I skip it?
Necessary. The body holds material that cognition has moved past. A clear body scan is the protocol's check that a target is complete; skipping it can leave residual disturbance that resurfaces between sessions (Shapiro, 2018).
How long does Phase 6 take?
Anywhere from 30 seconds (clean body, no residuals) to most of a session (stubborn residuals requiring multiple interweaves). For a clean target, plan 5–10 minutes.
What if VoC drops back below 7 during Phase 6?
Return to Phase 5 — the body scan has surfaced material that the Installation didn't fully integrate. Reinstall to VoC 7, then re-run Phase 6.
Can I use this for partially completed targets across multiple sessions?
Yes — use one worksheet per target, even if Phase 6 spans multiple sessions. Increment the session number and continue logging BLS sets on the same sheet.
References
- Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
- Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.