It's not easy to take a classic and improve on it, but that's what Shapiro has done in this third edition, with her usual combination of incisive writing, scientific rigor, and deep compassion for human suffering. The strength of EMDR's research base is now available in one easily accessible place, a testament to Shapiro's decades of insistence that no matter how clinically useful EMDR therapy might be, it needs to be supported by empirical data. The book clearly describes applications to the range of posttraumatic responses as well as other clinical problems. It is truly a gift for clinicians--and our clients."--Laura S. Brown, PhD, ABPP, past president, Division of Trauma Psychology, American Psychological Association; private practice, Seattle, Washington Two measures are used during EMDR therapy sessions to evaluate changes in emotion and cognition: the Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale and the Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale. Both measures are used again during the treatment process, in accordance with the standardized procedures: Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale Closure is used to end the session. If the targeted memory was not fully processed in the session, specific instructions and techniques are used to provide containment and ensure safety until the next session. Re-evaluation During EMDR therapy, clinical observations suggest that an accelerated learning process is stimulated by EMDR’s standardized procedures, which incorporate the use of eye movements and other forms of rhythmic left-right (bilateral) stimulation (e.g., tones or taps). While clients briefly focus on the trauma memory and simultaneously experience bilateral stimulation (BLS), the vividness and emotion of the memory are reduced.

Parnell, L. (2008). Tapping In: A Step-by-Step Guide to Activating your Healing Resources Through Bilateral Stimulation. Boulder, CO: Sounds True Books.Marich, J. & Dansiger, S. (2018). EMDR Therapy and Mindfulness for Trauma-focused Care. New York: Springer Publishing Company Dworkin, M. (2005). EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment. New York: Brunner-Routledge. The fifth phase of EMDR is installation, which strengthens the preferred positive cognition. Body Scan

EMDR revolutionized the treatment of PTSD and has emerged as a front-line therapy for multiple forms of psychological trauma. The third edition of this foundational work underscores EMDR's integrative nature, research support, and sensitive adaptations to diverse populations. The clinical aids, client transcripts, and fidelity scales will prove a boon to practitioners and researchers alike."--John C. Norcross, PhD, ABPP, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Scranton Archer, D. (2021). Anti-racist psychotherapy: Confronting systemic racism and healing racial trauma. Montreal: Each One Teach One Publications. Marich, J. & Dansiger, S. (2021). Healing addiction with EMDR therapy: a trauma-focused guide. New York: Springer Publishing Company. The clinician asks, "When you think of the incident, how true do those words (repeat the positive cognition) feel to you now on a scale of 1-7, where 1 feels completely false and 7 feels totally true?" Unlike other treatments that focus on directly altering the emotions, thoughts and responses resulting from traumatic experiences, EMDR therapy focuses directly on the memory, and is intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms.Marich, J. (2014). Trauma Made Simple: Competencies in assessment, treatment, and working with survivors. PESI Publishing: Eau Claire, WI. Those little buzzers had worked some kind of Robin Williams magic. I didn't just understand the weight of my abuse logically. I felt it, like a blade through flesh, a bone popping out of place. I felt it like a lover saying it's not going to work: sharp, immediate, and terrifying. I actually felt, with searing clarity, the horror of what happened to me -- maybe for the first time ever. I felt how tremendously sad it was that I was forced to make my parents feel loved at such a young age. I felt how courageous I must have been to endure that torture, day after day for so many years, by the people I trusted most in this world. I felt a sense of love and adoration for my childhood self that I'd never been able to summon before. The third phase of EMDR, assessment, activates the memory that is being targeted in the session, by identifying and assessing each of the memory components: image, cognition, affect and body sensation. Burke Harris, N. (2019). The deepest well: Healing the long-term effect of childhood adversity. London: Pan McMillan.