EMDR prep worksheet

Your notes, before and after

Choose a focus, keep notes alongside your session and return for reflection. The worksheet saves as you move between sections in this browser.

1. Prepare

Choose what you want to note and plan what you will do before and after the video.

2. Session

Follow the moving ball and spoken prompts. Keep your notes as a reference, and pause or stop when you choose.

3. Recap and grounding

Return to describe what you noticed and what you want to do afterward.

Use these sections as a reference, not an assessment of whether the session is suitable for you.

Before you begin

Choose a time and place where you can give the activity your attention. Avoid driving or other tasks that need your focus.

I have enough privacy. I have time to give this my attention. I understand this resource is not crisis support. Headphones are an option.

You can leave the worksheet and come back. Choose an action below if you want to take a break.

Choose an option if you want a break:

Orient to nowLook around and name where you are. Return to the bodyNotice your feet on the floor. Care for basicsGet water or something to eat. Reach for supportContact someone you choose. Contain itWrite one sentence, then stop and do something grounding. Stop for todayYou can finish here for today.

Choose a focus for your notes

Write about something you want to note today. It can be a thought, a feeling or an event. You do not need to describe a memory or explain your history.

The focus I want to note is:

A few words are enough. Write what you choose and leave out what you do not want to record.

Put your starting point into words

These prompts give you a place to note what you notice now. You can leave an answer blank.

What would you like to note about this focus?

In my body, I notice:

The emotions present are:

A thought I notice is:

How strongly do I notice this now, 0–10?

What statement would I like to keep in mind?

How much does that statement fit for me now, 1–10?

Choose your video setup

Choose a screen and a place to watch. The video includes movement and left-right sound; headphones are an option for listening.

My video setup plan (optional):

Choose a grounding option and plan what comes afterward.

Your Mend session

Email is required to open the video. Mend updates are optional.

Set the volume before starting. You can pause or stop with the player controls.

Reflection opens when the video ends. You can also open it if you stop.

Choose a grounding option

Choose something you can turn to if you want a break. You can also write an option below.

Feel my feet on the floor. Name five things I can see. Hold a cold or textured object. Look around and name where I am. Take a slower breath out. Put one hand on my chest or stomach. Pause the practice and come back later.

My grounding choice is:

Plan what comes afterward

Choose what you would like to do after the session. Keep this plan alongside your notes.

After this, I will:

If I need support, I can contact:

Continue to your Mend session

Use your notes as a reference while you follow the video.

I have noted a focus. I have a grounding plan. I have an aftercare plan. I want to open the session video.

Reflect on your session

Write what you noticed, whether anything changed or nothing did. There is no result you need to report.

Intensity at the beginning Not recorded

Describe how you felt at the beginning of the session.

Describe what you experienced during the session.

How strongly do I notice this at the end, 0–10?

Describe how you feel at the end of the session.

What I plan to do for aftercare:

Something else I plan to do:

Journal Recap

Bring your notes together. Save the entry here, copy the recap or print a version to keep.

Your recap includes what you entered before and after the session.

Saved Entries

Revisit the entries you save here. They belong to this browser and device.

Copy or print anything you want to keep elsewhere. Clearing browser data can remove these entries.

Optional Updates

Join for Mend session and resource updates. You can use your worksheet without joining this list.

This signup stays separate from your worksheet notes.

Resources

Explore Mend on YouTube, share feedback or support the project.

The feedback form is for comments about using the resource. Leave out crisis details or information you want to keep private.

Share feedback Mend on YouTube

Support Mend

You can support the project through Buy Me a Coffee. Using the worksheet does not require a contribution.

Support on Buy Me a Coffee