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For therapists

Support your clients between sessions

DIYEMDR is a free, browser-based tool offering visual and auditory bilateral stimulation (BLS). Therapists can introduce it as an adjunct to treatment, allowing clients to practise agreed exercises independently between sessions.

The tool combines configurable bilateral stimulation, memory cues, positive anchors, and subjective distress ratings in a structured self-help exercise.

Clinical applications

Preparation and stabilization (Phase 2)

Help clients rehearse grounding techniques, calm-place imagery, and other stabilizing resources. Individually selected anchor words can support the recall of these resources between appointments.

 

Resource development

Clients can revisit adaptive beliefs, positive experiences, or previously established resources. Optional bilateral stimulation can be incorporated when appropriate and well tolerated.

Therapist-assigned homework

Agree on specific memory cues, manageable situations, or emotional responses for between-session work. Clients can use therapist-selected anchors and brief exercises to practise self-regulation. Independent work with distressing memories requires careful clinical assessment and is not a substitute for supervised reprocessing.

Monitoring and reflection

The tool’s subjective distress ratings (SUD) and session summary can help clients reflect on their responses and provide useful material for discussion during subsequent appointments.

Introducing DIYEMDR to your clients

  1. Assess suitability. Establish sufficient affect tolerance, stabilization skills, and capacity for independent practice.
  2. Demonstrate the tool. Select appropriate cues, anchors, stimulation settings, and exercise duration together.
  3. Agree on homework. Define the purpose, frequency, boundaries, and clear stopping criteria.
  4. Review progress. Discuss the client’s experience, emotional responses, and any difficulties during follow-up sessions.

Clinical considerations

DIYEMDR is an EMDR-inspired self-help tool, not a replacement for therapist-delivered EMDR therapy. Bilateral stimulation alone does not constitute a complete EMDR treatment protocol.

Independent exercises should be tailored to the client’s needs and clinical stability. Unsupervised trauma reprocessing is not recommended, particularly where dissociation, significant emotional dysregulation, or other destabilizing symptoms are present.

Encourage clients to stop an exercise if distress increases beyond their capacity to regulate and to use their agreed stabilization strategies. Avoid entering personally identifiable clinical information.

Explore DIYEMDR

Familiarize yourself with the tool before recommending it to clients. DIYEMDR is freely available and can be incorporated into individualized between-session practice without specialized equipment.