The Bridge: Introducing EMDR to Clients

A simple, reflective resource to help therapists introduce EMDR and help clients understand what to expect.

Starting EMDR can feel unfamiliar. Clients may have questions about what will happen, why difficult experiences can continue to affect them, or how working with past experiences could possibly change how they feel in the present.

The Bridge offers a gentle way to begin that conversation.

It provides an accessible introduction to the relationship between experiences, memories, emotions, body responses and what we continue to carry into the present.

Rather than overwhelming clients with technical explanations, it creates a starting point for curiosity, understanding and conversation.

How you can use The Bridge

This resource can be used by therapists to:

• introduce EMDR to a client who is considering or beginning EMDR therapy
• provide a simple explanation of why past experiences can continue to affect present-day responses
• explore the connection between memories, emotions, thoughts and body sensations
• give clients something they can revisit between sessions
• create opportunities for questions and discussion before beginning EMDR
• support informed conversations about whether EMDR feels like an appropriate approach for the client

The Bridge between understanding and experience

Sometimes knowing what EMDR is isn’t enough.

A client may understand the words but still wonder:

Why am I still affected by something that happened years ago?

Why does my body react when I know I’m safe now?

What actually happens when we process a memory?

Will I have to talk about everything that happened?

The Bridge is designed to help open up these conversations.

It doesn’t try to explain every aspect of EMDR. Instead, it offers a starting point from which therapist and client can explore what EMDR means for them.

Designed for therapeutic use

This resource is primarily intended for qualified therapists and practitioners who use or are introducing EMDR within their therapeutic practice.

It can be used during a session, introduced as part of preparation for EMDR, or shared with a client to read and reflect on in their own time.

The resource can also be useful for clients who want to understand more about EMDR before deciding whether they would like to explore it.

What’s included

The Bridge: Introducing EMDR to Clients

A reflective resource designed to support conversations between therapist and client about EMDR, past experiences and present-day responses.

Practitioner use

This resource is provided for use within your own therapeutic practice.

You may print and share the resource with your own clients as part of your therapeutic work.

It may not be resold, redistributed, uploaded elsewhere, reproduced as part of another commercial product or shared with other practitioners without an appropriate licence.

If you work as part of a team or organisation and would like to use the resource across multiple practitioners, please get in touch about an appropriate licence.

Please note

The Bridge is an introductory and reflective resource, not a substitute for EMDR training, clinical supervision, assessment or professional judgement.

It does not provide instructions for delivering EMDR and should not be used as a replacement for appropriate EMDR training or clinical guidance.

Clients should receive appropriate assessment and preparation before undertaking EMDR therapy.

Free resource

This resource is offered free of charge because we want therapists to have accessible materials that can help clients understand therapy and make more informed choices about the approaches they explore.

If you find The Bridge useful in your practice, you may also wish to explore the other therapist resources available from Place to Talk Therapies.