Reevaluation at the Start of Each Session
Begin every new EMDR session by checking whether last session’s gains held — and what emerged in between.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Begin every new EMDR session by checking whether last session’s gains held — and what emerged in between.
- Why it works: Processing continues between sessions: new associations, dreams, and somatic shifts are common as the memory network integrates newly linked material. Reevaluation surfaces this between-session processing, confirms that previous targets are truly resolved (not just temporarily suppressed), and identifies what to target next. Skipping reevaluation risks repeating work that already resolved or missing material that emerged since the last session.
- Evidence: Established clinical or therapeutic practice.
- Avoid: Assuming last session’s SUD = 0 reading is permanent and jumping to a new target without checking — distress that seemed resolved sometimes resurfaces as adjacent material comes to light.
Why it works
Processing continues between sessions: new associations, dreams, and somatic shifts are common as the memory network integrates newly linked material. Reevaluation surfaces this between-session processing, confirms that previous targets are truly resolved (not just temporarily suppressed), and identifies what to target next. Skipping reevaluation risks repeating work that already resolved or missing material that emerged since the last session.
How to do it
- 1At the start of each session, return to the previous target memory and check the SUD and VOC.
- 2Ask: "Have you noticed anything related — dreams, intrusions, body sensations — since last time?"
- 3If the previous target is fully clear (SUD = 0, VOC = 7), document it and select the next target.
- 4If distress has returned, resume processing before moving on.
- 5Keep a brief between-session journal of any related material to report at reevaluation.
What the evidence says
Clinical practiceReevaluation is Phase 8 of the standard EMDR protocol and is required in all validated EMDR training. Its rationale — that between-session consolidation continues — aligns with sleep-dependent memory consolidation research.
Honest caveat: Reevaluation as a distinct phase is clinically mandated but not separately trialed; its function is part of the overall protocol structure.
- — Walker (2017), "Why We Sleep" (general reference for sleep-dependent memory consolidation)
Common mistake
Assuming last session’s SUD = 0 reading is permanent and jumping to a new target without checking — distress that seemed resolved sometimes resurfaces as adjacent material comes to light.
IX Coach opens each session with a reevaluation check, logging how your previous target memory feels today before deciding whether to continue or shift focus.
Practice this with IX Coach →