Detailed EMDR Cheat Sheet
Distress Scale
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?
