Simple EMDR Cheat Sheet

Distress Scale

A numerical scale from 0 to 10, indicating levels of anxiety or distress. The scale is color-coded from green at 0, meaning no distress, to red at 10, indicating the highest level of anxiety/distress. Descriptions accompany each number, ranging from 'totally relaxed' at 0 to 'extremely anxious/distressed' at 9, and 'highest level of anxiety/distress I have ever felt' at 10.

Negative Cognitions

  • I am a bad person.
  • I am a burden.
  • I am a disappointment.
  • I am a failure.
  • I am broken.
  • I am defective.
  • I am different.
  • I am going to die.
  • I am in danger.
  • I am inadequate.
  • I am insignificant.
  • I am invisible.
  • I am not allowed to make mistakes.
  • I am not good enough.
  • I am not in control.
  • I am not safe.
  • I am out of control.
  • I am permanantly damaged.
  • I am powerless.
  • I am shameful.
  • I am stupid.
  • I am terrible.
  • I am too much.
  • I am ugly.
  • I am unimportant.
  • I am unloveable.
  • I am weak.
  • I am worthless.
  • I cannot be trusted.
  • I cannot get what I need.
  • I cannot get what I want.
  • I cannot handle it.
  • I cannot let it out.
  • I cannot protect myself.
  • I cannot stand it.
  • I cannot stand up for myself.
  • I cannot succeed.
  • I cannot trust anyone.
  • I cannot trust my judgement.
  • I cannot trust myself.
  • I deserve only bad things.
  • I deserve to be miserable.
  • I deserve to die.
  • I did something wrong.
  • I don't belong.
  • I don't deserve love.
  • I don't deserve to express myself.
  • I don't deserve to feel safe.
  • I have to be perfect.
  • I should have done something.
  • I should have known better.
  • It's my fault.
  • It's not okay to express my emotions.
  • It's not okay to feel/show my emotions.
  • It's not safe to express myself.
  • It's not safe to be authentic.
  • It's not safe to express myself.

What Are You Noticing?

What’s Coming Up For You?

  • Beliefs
  • Breathing
  • Environment
  • Feelings
  • Ideas
  • Images
  • Memories
  • Self-talk
  • Sensations
  • Thoughts

Positive Cognitions

  • I (can learn) learned from it.
  • I am (can learn to be) healthy.
  • I am (good) enough.
  • I am a good person.
  • I am adequate.
  • I am allowed to make mistakes.
  • I am beautiful.
  • I am beginning to heal.
  • I am capable.
  • I am healing.
  • I am honorable.
  • I am important.
  • I am loveable.
  • I am now in control of myself.
  • I am okay as I am.
  • I am strong.
  • I am trustworthy.
  • I am worthy.
  • I can (learn to) cope.
  • I can (learn to) handle it.
  • I can (learn to) protect myself.
  • I can (learn to) trust my judgement.
  • I can (reasonably) protect myself.
  • I can be myself.
  • I can choose to let it out.
  • I can choose who to trust.
  • I can get what I want.
  • I can have/ask for what I want/need.
  • I can learn who to trust.
  • I can make my needs known.
  • I can safely feel/show my emotions.
  • I can set healthy boundaries.
  • I can succeed.
  • I deserve good things.
  • I deserve love.
  • I deserve my needs to be met.
  • I deserve to be happy.
  • I did the best I could.
  • I have choices.
  • I matter.
  • I survived.
  • I was just a child.
  • It's not my fault.
  • It's over, I am safe now.

How True Does It Feel?

On a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 is totally false and 7 is completely true, how strongly do you feel this belief to be true?

Image featuring a scale from 1 to 7 with phrases expressing varying levels of belief. 1 reads 'Nope, it's not true at all.' 2 reads 'I doubt it is true, I am not sure I can believe it.' 3 reads 'Part of me believes, but mostly no.' 4 reads 'Sometimes I believe it and sometimes I don’t, depends on how I feel.' 5 reads 'Generally I believe it is true on some level.' 6 reads 'It feels true and correct.' 7 reads 'It feels true to the core of my being.'