How to Use EMDR Right After a Crisis: A Step-by-Step Guide for Therapists
Crisis work is some of the most challenging and important work we do as therapists. Clients walk into session overwhelmed, flooded, and unsure of how to move forward. As clinicians, we often feel the weight of wanting to help but not always knowing how to use our tools in those early, raw moments.
One question I hear often is: Can I use EMDR immediately after a crisis?
The answer is yes. With the right approach, EMDR can be an effective intervention in the days and weeks following a traumatic event. Early EMDR intervention can help clients release what is stuck, reduce distress, and create more space for the nervous system to settle.
This is not theoretical for me. I have used this approach after the shooting at UVU, following the COVID shutdown, after the earthquake here in Utah, and in countless personal crises such as car accidents. Again and again, I have seen how a clear, contained EMDR process helps clients regain stability when their world feels shaken.
Why Crisis EMDR Matters
When trauma is fresh, the nervous system is overwhelmed and flooded with unprocessed fragments. Clients often report intrusive memories, nightmares, or a sense that the event is looping on repeat. By using a targeted EMDR approach, we can help the brain process these fragments before they become deeply stored, supporting resilience and recovery.
Early intervention with EMDR is not about resolving a client’s entire trauma history. It is about giving their system relief, titrating the work, and reducing the weight of what they are carrying in the aftermath of a crisis.
The Basic Flow of EMDR After a Crisis
Here is the step-by-step flow I use in my office when working with clients after a crisis.
1. Orient and Safety
Begin by clarifying the specific event you will focus on and agreeing on a stop signal. Remind the client that the session will stay very focused and contained.
2. Build the Timeline
Map the event in broad strokes rather than deep detail. Identify the worst parts, extend into the aftermath, and notice how others responded or failed to respond. Include any current fears or worries about the future.
3. Processing Fragments (EMD)
Work through one small piece at a time using short sets of bilateral stimulation. Keep the client contained within that part until the distress (SUD) drops to zero or an ecological level.
4. Processing the Whole Event (EMDr)
Once fragments are cleared, run the “movie” of the entire event. Identify worst part, negative cognition, positive cognition, and process through the EMDr protocol.
5. Installation and Body Scan
Strengthen the positive cognition and notice how the body responds. Use additional sets of BLS to clear any remaining tension.
6. Closure
Normalize that processing may continue after the session. Encourage the client to use grounding and containment skills and ensure stability before they leave.
Why This Matters for EMDR Therapists
Many EMDR clinicians hesitate to use EMDR right after a crisis because they are not trained in specialized crisis protocols. While there are excellent trainings available for advanced crisis interventions, this basic framework gives you a safe and effective way to use EMDR immediately.
The event itself will always be a painful memory. But with early EMDR intervention, the intensity softens, the fragments settle, and clients no longer feel trapped in the loop of the crisis.
Free Resource for Therapists
To make this process easier, I created a free Crisis EMDR Quick Reference Guide. This PDF lays out the step-by-step flow and includes therapist prompts you can use in session.
Final Thoughts
Crisis EMDR is about containment, titration, and relief. It is not about doing therapy “perfectly” or processing every trauma at once. By focusing on what is most stuck, we give our clients the space to breathe again and begin to move forward.
I have relied on this approach in the wake of large-scale community crises and in the aftermath of deeply personal ones. It has been one of the most grounding and effective ways to support clients when life suddenly changes.
If you want to keep this process on hand for your next crisis session, you can download the quick reference guide here: [link to your Squarespace landing page].
And if you would like more support in applying EMDR with complex or crisis cases, I also offer consultation and training. You do not have to figure this out alone.