What happens after reevaluation in EMDR?

Once the original target is confirmed clear and between-session material has been addressed, the therapist moves to the next target and begins the process again — returning to assessment and desensitization phases. EMDR treatment continues in this cyclical way until all targets have been processed and verified.

EMDR Phase 8 Explained: Reevaluation and How EMDR Knows It's Actually Working

Jun 30

Written By Cassandra Minnick

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This blog is adapted from one of our recent podcast episodes. You can take a listen at the button above.

Every phase of EMDR has been building to this. Phase 8 - Reevaluation - is where the work gets checked. Not completed. Checked.

This is the phase that circles back to targets previously processed and asks: did it hold? Is the distress still at zero? Is the positive cognition still strong? Is the body still clear? And what came up between sessions that we need to address?

In this final blog post in the eight-phase series, we walk through what reevaluation actually looks like in session, why it's almost never normal for nothing to come up between sessions, what EMDR getting "worse" actually means, and what neurodivergent clients need to know about this phase specifically.

Key Takeaways

In this blog post, you'll learn:

What EMDR Phase 8 Reevaluation is and when it happens
What the therapist is checking in on and the two things that must both look good before moving forward
Why it's almost abnormal for nothing to come up between sessions
What "EMDR makes things worse" actually means and the shred of truth behind the misconception
Why neurodivergent clients may need a more circular treatment approach in this phase
How to avoid the self-fulfilling prophecy trap for ADHD and neurodivergent clients
The magician analogy: how much should clients actually know about EMDR going in?

What Is EMDR Phase 8 Reevaluation?

Phase 8 is the check-in. At the beginning of each new session after target processing has occurred, the therapist goes back to previously worked targets and assesses whether the progress has held.

This is different from every other phase in the series. Phases 1 through 7 were all about doing - history taking, preparing, assessing, desensitizing, installing, scanning, closing. Phase 8 is about verifying. The work has been done. Now we find out if it stuck.

Reevaluation doesn't happen in every session - only in sessions that follow target processing work. But at a certain point in EMDR treatment, it becomes a regular opening to sessions, a rhythm of checking in before moving forward.

What the Therapist Is Checking In Phase 8

Reevaluation has two distinct focal points and both need to look good before moving on to the next target.

1. The target itself

The therapist returns to the previously processed memory and checks three things:

SUD level — When you think about that memory now, what comes up? Is distress still at zero or one? If it's higher, reprocessing is needed.
Validity of Cognition (VOC) — Is the positive cognition still holding strong at a six or seven? If it's weakened, that needs to be addressed.
Body scan — Is the body still clear? Any new or returning somatic activation needs to be processed.

2. What came up between sessions

The brain doesn't stop processing when the session ends. Dreams are common. Memories surface. Connections emerge. New material appears that may or may not be related to the target that was worked on.

Checking in on between-session material is just as important as checking in on the target itself. Something that came up between sessions might need to become a new target. Something positive that emerged might be worth reinforcing. Either way, it doesn't get skipped.

Book a free consultation with Cassandra →

It's Almost Abnormal for Nothing to Come Up

For a client to come into a reevaluation session and report that absolutely nothing came up between sessions is unusual. Almost abnormal.

The brain continues processing after EMDR sessions end. That processing generates material such as fragments, dreams, memories, connections, emotions. For most clients, something surfaces. The question isn't whether anything came up; it's how much came up and whether it was manageable.

The middle ground is most common: a couple of things emerged, they were manageable, the client is okay. Less common, but not rare, is the session where five or six significant things came up. When that happens, it shapes how the therapist proceeds, and it may mean slowing down the pace of processing to give the client's system more time to integrate between sessions.

"EMDR Made Things Worse" — The Shred of Truth

One of the most common misconceptions about EMDR circulating online is that it makes things worse.

There is a shred of truth in it. EMDR often brings up more material. A memory gets desensitized, and the brain responds by surfacing connected material that also needs to be addressed. For some clients, especially those who have historically been skilled at containing or suppressing, this can feel destabilizing. Their containment system gets overtaxed, and things start coming up that they're not used to experiencing consciously.

That is real. It's not nothing.

But it's not EMDR getting worse. It's the brain doing exactly what the process is designed to prompt - surfacing material for processing. It's like being sore after a workout. Some soreness is expected and even indicates something is working. But if someone can't get out of bed the next morning, or can't function at work, the workout was too much too fast.

EMDR should move a client forward. It will sometimes get harder before it gets easier. That's different from EMDR not working or from EMDR being harmful.

How Much Should Clients Know Going In? The Magician Analogy

I want clients informed enough to feel safe and willing to engage. I don’t want clients so cognitively loaded with information that they can't be present in the process.

It's like watching a magician. You know logically there's no actual magic happening. That knowledge keeps you safe - you're not scared, you trust the performer. But if someone in the crowd shouts out how every trick is done, the whole experience collapses. You need to know enough. Not everything.

For EMDR, that means: understand what the phases are, know what to expect in broad strokes, trust the process enough to engage. Don't over-research the specific mechanisms. Don't read detailed accounts of what other people experienced during processing and expect to replicate them. Let whatever comes up, come up.

Neurodivergent Clients and Reevaluation: What's Different

One of the most important clinical notes in this series is about neurodivergent clients, specifically those with ADHD, autism, or AuDHD, in the reevaluation phase.

Research supports what I have observed clinically: neurodivergent clients are more likely than neurotypical clients to come into a reevaluation session and find that the previous session's progress hasn't fully held. The distress level may have increased. The positive cognition may have weakened. Body sensations may have returned.

This doesn't mean EMDR doesn't work for neurodivergent clients. It absolutely does. EMDR is still highly efficacious for PTSD even with co-occurring ADHD or autism. What it means is that the treatment plan needs to be more circular. Clinicians working with neurodivergent clients should expect to revisit targets more often, use specific protocols designed for neurodivergent presentations, and build a more iterative pace into the overall treatment structure.

The important caveat: be careful about how this information lands for a neurodivergent client. Telling someone with ADHD that their gains may not hold can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The message isn't "this won't work for you." The message is: "Your clinician needs to approach a few things a little differently, and when they do, this can still be deeply effective for you."

If you have a neurodivergent diagnosis and are considering EMDR, ask your therapist: how do you approach treatment planning for neurodivergent clients? That question alone will tell you a lot about their experience level.

Curious about EMDR for ADHD or AuDHD? Book a free consultation at Seen Therapy →

When to Move to the Next Target

Once both focal points of reevaluation look good (the original target is clear and what came up between sessions has been addressed, the therapist moves to the next target.

Not before then. Both things need to be in a good place.

If the target held but significant new material came up, that material gets processed or triaged before moving forward. If the target didn't hold, it gets revisited. The circular nature of EMDR isn't a flaw in the protocol - it's a feature that allows the therapist to meet clients where they actually are, not where they're theoretically supposed to be.

Wrapping Up the Eight-Phase Series

We have covered every phase individually, gave each one its own dedicated time, and didn't collapse them together even when it would have been easier. Because each phase deserves that. Each one has a distinct role, distinct clinical considerations, and distinct implications for both the clinician doing the work and the client experiencing it.

If you've been listening to this series and want to go deeper or if you have questions you'd like answered on the podcast, send them to admin@seentherapy.org.

Ready to start EMDR therapy? Book a free consultation with Cassandra →

Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Phase 8

What is EMDR Phase 8 Reevaluation?

Phase 8 is the check-in phase that begins each new EMDR session after target processing has occurred. The therapist checks whether progress on the previous target has held - assessing SUD level, validity of cognition, and body scan - and also checks in on any material that came up between sessions.

When does Phase 8 happen in EMDR?

Phase 8 happens at the beginning of sessions that follow target processing work. It doesn't occur in every session, but at a certain point in EMDR treatment it becomes a regular opening ritual, checking in before moving forward to new material.

Is it normal for things to come up between EMDR sessions?

Yes, and it's actually almost abnormal for nothing to come up. The brain continues processing after sessions end, which means memories, dreams, emotions, and connections often surface between appointments. The question is how much came up and whether it was manageable, not whether anything came up at all.

Does EMDR make things worse before they get better?

For some clients, EMDR does get harder before it gets easier, particularly because processing one memory often surfaces connected material that also needs to be addressed. For clients who are skilled at suppressing or containing emotions, this can feel destabilizing. But this is the brain doing what EMDR is designed to prompt, not the therapy failing. Cassandra compares it to post-workout soreness: some is expected and indicates progress; too much too fast is a signal to adjust the pace.

Why might EMDR gains not hold between sessions for neurodivergent clients?

Research indicates that neurodivergent clients, particularly those with ADHD or autism, are more likely to come into reevaluation and find that previous progress has partially reversed. This is thought to be related to how neurodivergent nervous systems process and consolidate new information. It doesn't mean EMDR doesn't work for neurodivergent clients - it does, but it does mean clinicians need to use more circular treatment plans and specific protocols tailored to neurodivergent presentations.

What happens after reevaluation?

Once the original target is confirmed clear and any between-session material has been addressed, the therapist moves to the next target and begins the process again, returning to the assessment and desensitization phases for the new target. EMDR treatment continues in this cyclical way until all identified targets have been processed and verified.

Related Resources

Hello, friends. So today we are wrapping up our EMDR eight phases series. So we are in phase eight today. And in phase eight, it's actually a little bit different. We are not talking about wrapping things up. We're talking about checking back in. So in phase eight, we go back to targets that we've previously worked on, and we just check in on them. We're gonna talk about what that process actually looks like in session and how it's been helpful for me. Join along. 📍 Hello. Hello. Hello, friends, welcome to the podcast where we simplify everything about mental health. Just kidding. But here's what we are gonna do. We're gonna sit down together a licensed mental health professional, that's me and a regular old Joe as my husband Garth would describe himself. We're gonna talk about the nitty gritty of EMDR, some nervous system mapping, how couples can help each other heal. What's healthy parenting actually look like? Maybe a little bit of good old banter mixed in. All with the goal of making mental health a little bit simpler for you. Quick note, because my lawyer says that I have to, I'm a therapist, but not your therapist. Unless I am. Even if I am. This is still just a podcast. Okay, now have a good listen. Okay, okay. I am here with Garth. Folks, we are excited to wrap up our EMDR eight-phase series today with phase eight reevaluation. And like most of the EMDR phases- Oh ... it is exactly what it sounds like. But before we get there, Garth, as per usual, please take us on a bant journey. Today our question leans a- a little heavily on my English teacher background. All right, let's do it. What is your favorite word? Hmm. Okay, so you know I don't have favorites for long. Well, yeah, except me. Favorite man, Parth Manik. Yes. I don't have favorites for long, so this will probably d- be different in, like, six months, but currently my favorite word is acclimated. Acclimated. Yes. That's a nice word. And I've talked about it here on the podcast, but I just had, like, a light bulb moment, like, three months ago. Mm-hmm. I've been using the word comfortable for years, but not feeling like it was quite right. Like- Mm-hmm ... people are comfortable with this behavior, so they have it even though they don't necessarily want to. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Like, they keep seeking out relationships that aren't necessarily good for them. Right. Comfortable never felt quite right. Acclimated does. Mm-hmm, yeah. Like, they're acclimated to how- You know what to expect ... they're treated- Mm-hmm ... in unhealthy relationships- Yeah ... so they pursue them. Yeah, you know what to expect. Interesting. You may hate the cold- Yeah ... and even while hating the cold, be acclimated to the cold. Yeah. Mm-hmm. That makes me think of a documentary we watched this past week on Noah Kahan. Mm-hmm. The, It's just about him touring and stuff. But- We stumble upon the most random- Yeah, I- w- neither one of us were... are, like, Noah Kahan music fans necessarily. I mean, I have an appreciation for it after watching the documentary. We're suckers for documentaries we feel like are well done, though. We are. If we watch a documentary trailer- Yeah ... it can be about anything. I think we're fans now after the documentary. I would say that. Yeah. He we don't- May- maybe not our favorite music in the world, but just him as a person. We don't need to get into it. I'm concerned. Yeah. But- Yeah ... yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway yeah, on, on that documentary all the people of Vermont, where he's from, were complaining about the cold, but also, like, owning it, so they're acclimating. Yes. They're like, "Yeah, it sucks, and it's ours." And I was like, "Okay." Yeah. "It's miserable here. Go away and leave us to our misery." Right. So, like, funny when it's about Vermont, not so funny when it's about, like- A relationship ... people being acclimated to abusive relationships. All right. But- Well, that's why I'm not a therapist, guys- No ... my comparisons ... no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You, you got it exactly right. I've used that example. Mm-hmm. Like, I... No, you, you're, you're spot on. No, like, that's- A piece of therapy is, like, can we take things that are a little lighter- Mm-hmm ... and logically work through the lighter things so that we can apply them to the things- Mm-hmm ... that aren't as light? Because when we try to just dive into the really deep stuff- Mm-hmm and there's all of the, like, deep hurt and other emotion- Mm-hmm. Yeah ... that's a lot more difficult to logic our way through it. But I can logic my way through, like, the people of Vermont love Vermont- Mm-hmm ... and hate the cold while also very much, like, taking ownership of the cold. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Like you said, it's not just like they're like, "We hate it, but we stay." Yeah. They're like, "We hate it and it's ours." Mm-hmm. Yeah. We saw that a little bit in South Dakota too. Yeah. The people up there, it's like, "Yeah, the winter here is brutal," and they just kind of smile at you. Yeah. Like- Yeah. ... yeah, like little manic glint in their eye. Yeah. Yeah. And we face it. Yeah. That wind'll tear you to shreds. Yeah. Yeah. No, I get that. Okay. Favorite word. Ubiquitous. Of course. Yep. Ubiquitous. I like that word. It's, ... it's fancy, it's fun to say. Yeah. And it just means everywhere, like something that's everywhere. It's nice. We're reading Harry Potter to our four-year-old. It also sounds like something that could be a spell in Harry Potter. Mm. Ubiquitous. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What... If it were a spell, what would it do? It would summon the most common item in a 100-mile radius. Okay. So, like, if, I'm looking at our backyard right now and there are a bunch of leaves. Mm-hmm. So it would summon the most common leaf in a 100-mile radius. So fun. Yeah. I don't know. Can't think of a practical application for that. Right, right, right. Yeah. Why would you wanna do that? Yeah. We don't know. Yeah. But you can. Right. That's great. I love it. Okay. Ubiquitous and acclimated, those are our favorites. Do you remember what we're talking about today? Not a clue. What? No. Phase eight, right? Mm-hmm. Phase eight. Mm-hmm. Which is checking in or- that would be an informal name for it. Okay. Yeah. It's reevaluation. Reevaluation. Yep. But I described it in the intro of this episode as checking in- Mm-hmm ... 'cause, I mean, that's what it is. At the beginning of each new session after we've done target processing in- Mm-hmm the previous session, we're going, we're going to start off with reevaluation. Okay. So at a certain phase in this journey, you're starting with phase eight at the beginning of each session. I wouldn't say every session- Okay ... because you're not necessarily doing like you're not necessarily doing phase four- Mm, okay in every session. And so phase four would need to, that like those middle core work phases- Mm-hmm ... would need to be done in order to need to go to phase eight- Again, yeah ... in the next session. But yeah, there's a point where like you're doing it really often. Mm-hmm, okay. Yeah. So the purpose is to check if previous work held, and identify any remaining disturbance- Okay or new material. And do you do that with the, what's the one through seven assessment? There's a one through seven assessment. So that's validity of cognition. Okay. And then one through 10- Mm-hmm ... I think is what you're thinking of, and that's standard units of distress. Hey, there we go. That's the one. Yeah. So when you think about the original memory we worked on, what comes up for you now? Hm. Okay. Right. As you become more skilled in EMDR and you know your client, you're going to know, is this a person that I need to really provide more prompts for and really get into the moment- Mm-hmm ... in order for there to be any disturbance there. Gotcha. People that are very good at containing, you're very good at containing. Well, thank you. Yeah. Pe- People that are very good at containing- Mm-hmm ... in fact, you and I are not, we're certainly not opposites in everything- Mm-hmm ... thank goodness, but we're pretty opposite in this. Yeah. This is maybe one of the ways in which we're most opposite. I take those emotions and I shove them down deep. Good night. Never to see the light of day. Good night. I could sit down on the couch with a therapist, and there are pros and cons to this for me- Mm-hmm ... and pros and cons for you, right? But I could sit down on a couch with a therapist in the reevaluation phase, and they could say to me, "When you think about that, the memory that we worked on last time- Mm-hmm da da da da da what comes up for you now?" And I'd be like, "Oh, I'm, I'm right there." "Let me tell you exactly what's coming up," right? Whereas you would take some more prompting. Yeah. Probably. And so yeah, yeah. Yeah. Keeping that in mind. Though I will say, like you have a very good imagination. Mm-hmm. And so that's something else to consider throughout EMDR too, that we haven't really dived into, is it's not always just like folks' emotional capabilities, but like how, h- are they- Very practiced- Mm-hmm ... in, like, visualization. Mm-hmm. You and I can both close our eyes and we see things play out. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. We can imagine them pretty well. Yeah, so even though you're better at containing than I am- Mm-hmm ... th- that would come into play for both of us in, in reevaluation. It's probably why I only like fiction literature for the most part. Mm. Yeah? Yeah. I don't wanna read a book about a horrific event- Mm-hmm because I imagine it, and that's- You, you play it out in your mind ... that's not great. Yeah. You connect to it too much. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Whereas a person who doesn't do that could- Right ... read through it with less connection. And I love history. Yeah. Don't get me wrong. Like, I love it. I love- Mm-hmm ... you know, all the, all the stuffs of history, but I don't really like to read nonfiction. Mm. I enjoy historical fiction- Mm ... because I can remind myself- Mm-hmm ... this is not actually... Like, this never played out. Mm. Yeah. It just seems like it could have- Yeah ... but it didn't, actually. Yeah. Yeah. Cool. At least not this exact story. But anyway, so yes, you are correct. Then the client rates their disturbance level. Hey. Okay? If it is higher than, I do a one. Mm. So if it's not a zero or a one- Mm-hmm ... then we need to go back and go back to earlier phases and do some reprocessing. We are looking also at validity of cognition. Is it remaining strong? Is it at a six or seven? Mm-hmm. If it weakened, let's work on that. And then we're looking for were there any new memories. Dreams are frequent. Mm-hmm. I, I mean, it is, it is very, very common. I would say it's almost abnormal for somebody to come in after working through targets in the previous session and say, "Nothing came up." Yeah. That, that's, that's pretty abnormal. Yeah. So that's why this reevaluation phase is so important because- Mm-hmm ... I s- I say that. There's two reasons it's so important. One is things are likely coming up- Mm-hmm ... outside of session. Yeah. And you will learn a lot if you will discuss that with your client. Yeah. And the second is that distress level, that validity of cognition, that body scan, it doesn't always stay the same. Mm-hmm. You have a question, but I have a, a quick note- I can tell. Yeah ... so I'm trying to... Yeah. I can tell by your face that you have a question. So I wanna hold onto something. That's how this plays out for neurodivergent folks, so I wanna keep that, like, in one hand. Okay. And then what is the question you had? So there's this misconception with EMDR that when you do EMDR, things get worse, right? Mm-hmm. That's, that's all on the internet. Mm-hmm. That's a, that's a common, like, kinda misconception. Do you think that is these other things that come up- Like, is that the, the shred of truth that fuels that misconception? Whenever someone will do EMDR and then between sessions something will come up, they'll remember more about the event, and is that misconstrued as like getting worse, air quotes? Do you think that's where that comes from, or is that just kind of off base in general? I think that's a piece of it is it brings up more material often. Right. Which isn't really getting worse. It's you fully exploring that experience and- Well- ... and working to desensitize it, right? That's your brain saying, "Oh yeah, and now there's also this piece of that that you should do that same thing with this." I don't wanna invalidate, though, that for some people their day-to-day life is more difficult after they start EMDR than it was before. Right. Mm-hmm. Right? So we've made the parallel before of, like, working out. Mm-hmm. Right? Yeah. Like, I expect you to leave EMDR and not actually, but in this parallel- Right ... be a little sore. Mm-hmm. I don't want you to get to the point where it's difficult to get out of bed the next morning. Mm-hmm. And I certainly don't want you to get to the point where, like, you can't go to work- Right ... the next day- Right ... because you've worked out so hard. Okay. So, like, EMDR moves you if it ... Just like anything, right? Mm-hmm. If it's done correctly enough. Mm-hmm. Not that that means that there aren't any errors or- Yeah right. But, like, if EMDR is done correctly enough, it's going to, to move you- Right ... forward. Yeah. That doesn't mean that it's not difficult. Mm-hmm. And it does sometimes get more difficult- Before it gets easier ... before it gets easier. Yeah. And a part of it is it bringing up more- Mm-hmm ... material. So part of what we could look at in this reevaluation phase is how much came up- Mm-hmm in between sessions, and is the amount of material that came up manageable- Mm-hmm ... for this person if we continue down this path at this rate? Yeah. If the same amount of material comes up again for them- Mm-hmm ... in the next week or two weeks, depending on how often they're coming to therapy, are they going to be able to manage that? Right. Now, where I really see that things get worse for folks is, like, for people that historically have been good at containing, like yourself- Mm-hmm ... and then their system is kind of, like, overtaxed. Yeah. And they're not able to contain as effectively anymore, and they're like, "These 20 things came up in between sessions." Mm-hmm. Like, oh my goodness. Yeah. So then it may be- In this reevaluation phase, we're going, "Okay, so we got one target that's in a good spot." Yeah. Because let's say that the client comes back in and client says, "You know what? My SUDS is at a zero-" Mm-hmm ... meaning I have no distress related to this. My validity of cognition is at a seven, meaning I have a positive cognition that I feel s- very strongly about. Feels- Fully evoked. Fully evoked, feels very true. And my body seems to be having no reaction to it. Yeah. And five other things came up in between- Yeah ... a session, right? What we learn in that is we may need to slow down how quickly we're addressing each target because there's so much material that's gonna come up- Yeah ... that we're gonna have to help- Yeah, that makes sense ... this client manage. Yeah. And like I said, it's, it's abnormal for somebody to come in and d- in reevaluation say nothing came up. Right. Usually it's this middle ground where it's like a couple of things came up- Yeah ... and we're able to manage that, but some- It's also abnormal for- Yeah ... other six things to come up. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes it's a ton- Mm-hmm ... and how you m- manage things for that client- Yeah ... is gonna look different. Okay. So as soon as we have said this target is taken care of- Mm-hmm ... and the things that came up in between session is taken care of, that's important. Okay. It's, it's the target and the things that came up in between session. Yep. We're checking in on both, checking in on target, checking in on things that came up in between session. If that l- looks good, if both those things look good, we move on to our next target. I said I wanted to hold neurodivergent- Yes, you did ... folks in my hand. So, here's what I'm coming back to. How little are they that you could just hold them in your hand? Good night. I have said often that treatment plans need to be circular. Uh-huh. Like these phases need to be circular. Yeah. There is research behind this. I'm not gonna reference anything specifically today. I do wanna get better about linking specific resources and, and research in the future. But there is research around folks that are neurodivergent need an even more circular treatment plan. Now, what that looks like in the reevaluation phase- Mm-hmm ... is someone who has a neurodivergent diagnosis is more likely to come in even though they fully desensitize, so their, their distress level is at zero- Mm-hmm ... they have completely en- endorsed a positive cognition, meaning it's at a seven- Mm-hmm and they don't have any body reaction- In the previous session, they are more likely than the average neurotypical person to come in and that, that not have held. Okay. So they are more likely than a neurotypical person to come in and for that distress level to have increased, that validity of cognition to have decreased, and there to be body sensations where th- there weren't before. Now, if you are a potential EMDR client, not of myself necessarily, but of anyone listening- Mm-hmm ... and you have a neurodivergent diagnosis, I am very careful in approaching this with clients because I don't want it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy for someone with ADHD- Yeah. Right ... that they are going to come back in and this is not going to have held. So I just want you to hear me say it doesn't mean that EMDR is not going to work for you. Yeah. Your clinician just needs to approach a couple of things a little bit differently. Mm-hmm. So be really careful of that. Like- Yeah ... again, that self-fulfilling prophecy that like- Right ... okay, well it's not gonna hold for me because- Yeah I have ADHD. Gotta come in and redo this again. Yeah. Yeah. A- and maybe you do. This is still, it's still going to work. Yeah. Right. And there are specific protocols that we can utilize with folks that have neurodivergent diagnoses to increase the likelihood that they come into this reevaluation stage- Mm-hmm and things have still held. And at the same time, even if you have to work back through that material- Mm-hmm ... this is still a really effective- Yeah ... treatment- Yeah ... for you. And when I say that, I mean, so if you have ADHD with a co-occurring PTSD diagnosis- Right ... EMDR is still very efficacious in treating your PTSD. Yeah. And so ke- keep that in mind. Mm-hmm. Please avoid the self-fulfilling prophecy. Yeah. That's... We've been talking about this a lot recently. There's like things that I'm hesitant to like put- Yeah ... out into the world. You're like holding your cards, you know, close to the vest and yeah. And it's not, I'm... Like, my intent, of course, is not to dupe anyone. Right. I just, I do think that sometimes clients can go into EMDR, I want them to go in informed enough- Mm-hmm ... and I also want them to stay out of their own heads, which is a hard balance. Yeah. I think, the way I think of it is kind of like, and, and EMDR is not l- not like stage magic, but I think of it as like a magician, right? You go to see a magician at a show. You know that- Logically, you know they're not- Mm ... doing actual magic. But if you actually knew how they were doing it, it wouldn't be as cool- Yeah ... to watch. It would be kind- Yeah ... of lame if you were like, or if someone in the crowd's like, "It's in his hand," you know? Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. That would, that would kind of take away the value of a magician's show. You know enough to know, like, this doesn't have to be scary. Yes. It- I'm going- This guy's not actually, you know, doing magic. Right. I'm going to be safe. Yes. And also, I don't know so much that- Yeah ... I can't engage in this process- Right engage in this moment. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Has it- He didn't actually saw that woman in half, because she- Yes ... would be dead. Yes. There's some trick going on here, and it's cool. I don't know how it happened, but it's still neat. Right. I would agree. Hesitant to compare EMDR to magic, and at the same time- There's something- Yes similar Very, very good parallel. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So that's reevaluation. Mm-hmm. We are checking in on the target. We are checking in on what came up in between session, and does any of the material that came up in between session need to be a new target? Or does anything that came up in between session need to be reinforced? Mm-hmm. Because that's a really cool thing too, whenever something positive comes up, and we can work to strengthen that. We went through all eight phases, and we didn't do ... We didn't combine any of them. We gave- We didn't ... each one- Each one ... its own time, its own individual episode. Its own whole- I'm very proud of us. Well, I did a lot of the heavy lifting. If you've listened to these episodes, you know that- You brought the knowledge ... it was mostly me. Sure, yeah. Okay. It'll be a surprise where we go next- Yeah ... for you and for us. Yeah. Yeah. We, we need to sit down and, and chat about what material we wanna bring to the table after this series. So if you have any burning questions, admin@seentherapy.org. Mm-hmm. We're happy to create an episode around your question. Yeah, if we get enough questions, we could just do an episode answering questions. Oh, that'd be fun. So ask questions. Encourage your friends to ask questions, and maybe we could just do a whole episode of questions. Very cool. All right. Thank you so much, everyone. We hope that you had a good listen. We'll talk soon. Bye-bye. Bye. Well, that's all folks. Please see our show notes for ways to connect with us or go give us a follow on Instagram. You can find us at Simply Mental. If this episode resonated with you, send it over to a friend. Give us a five star rating. Subscribe. Download all the things the cool kids are doing these days. Thanks for having to listen.