Can You Repeat the Same Target in EMDR?

Can You Repeat the Same Target in EMDR?

Short Answer: Yes. You can return to the same target in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) if it still feels important or continues to bring up distress. A target does not have to be completely resolved in one session. Sometimes people work with the same memory, thought, feeling, or situation across multiple sessions and notice that their response to it changes gradually.

Key Takeaways

• You can work with the same EMDR target more than once.
• A target does not have to be completely resolved during one session.
• Returning to a target can give you an opportunity to notice what has changed since the previous session.
• Sometimes the original target becomes less upsetting while a related thought, feeling, memory, or detail becomes more noticeable.
• You do not need to keep repeating a target simply because some distress remains.
• EMDR is a process, and there is no need to rush through targets or complete them according to a fixed schedule.

What Is an EMDR Target?

In EMDR, a target is the specific experience or issue you focus on during the process.

A target is often a particular memory, but it can also involve a thought, image, feeling, belief, body sensation, or situation that is causing distress.

Some people may also choose to work on difficult thoughts, memories, or emotional patterns connected to depression.

For example, someone might choose:

• A painful memory from the past
• An upsetting interaction
• A situation that continues to trigger anxiety
• A negative belief about themselves
• A particular moment from a larger experience
• A current concern that keeps bothering them

Choosing a target gives the EMDR session a specific focus.

Can You Work on the Same Target in More Than One Session?

Yes.

There is no requirement that you choose a completely different target every time you do EMDR.

Sometimes one session may be enough for you to notice a meaningful change in how you respond to something. Other targets may take more than one session.

If a target still feels relevant when you return to EMDR, you can choose it again.

That does not mean the previous session failed or that you are starting over. It simply means there is more you want to work on.

Why Might You Return to the Same Target?

There are several reasons you might choose the same target again.

It Still Bothers You

The simplest reason is that the target still brings up distress.

You may notice that it bothers you less than before but still feels important enough to revisit.

In that case, another session gives you an opportunity to continue working with it.

Something Has Changed

Returning to the same target does not necessarily mean having the same experience again.

You may think about the memory and realize that your emotional response has changed.

Something that once felt very upsetting may feel less intense. A negative belief may not feel as convincing. A particular detail may no longer stand out as strongly.

Noticing those changes can help you decide what you want to focus on next.

A Different Part of the Experience Stands Out

Memories and experiences can have several parts.

After working with one aspect of a target, another detail may become more noticeable.

For example, you might initially focus on what happened during an upsetting event. Later, you may notice that what bothers you most is something you thought about yourself afterward.

The overall experience may be the same, but the most relevant part of the target can shift.

Does Repeating a Target Mean the First Session Didn't Work?

No.

EMDR does not require every target to be completely resolved during a single session.

Different memories and concerns can take different amounts of time.

You may notice a large change after one session, a smaller change, or simply a different perspective on what happened.

If you decide to return to the same target later, that does not erase whatever happened during the earlier session.

Think of it as continuing the process rather than starting again from the beginning.

Do You Have to Keep Using the Same Target Until It Feels Completely Different?

No.

Repeating a target is an option, not a requirement.

If you return to a target and decide that you would rather work on something else, you can change your focus.

You might also decide that the target no longer feels important enough to spend more time on.

There is no need to force yourself to keep repeating the same material simply because you began working with it previously.

What If the Target Doesn't Feel as Upsetting Anymore?

That can be useful information.

One purpose of checking in with a target again is to notice whether your response has changed.

If you bring the same memory or concern to mind and it feels less upsetting, less immediate, or simply different, you can take that into account when deciding what to do next.

You might continue with the same target.

You might notice a related issue you would rather focus on.

Or you might decide that you are ready to move on to something else.

You do not need to manufacture distress in order to continue working with a target.

Can You Repeat a Target Too Many Times?

There is usually no reason to repeat a target simply for the sake of repetition.

More EMDR is not automatically better.

If you are returning to exactly the same target again and again without a clear reason, it may be useful to consider whether something else has become more relevant.

For example, the original memory may no longer be the part that bothers you most. A related belief, emotion, or situation may now stand out instead.

The goal is not to accumulate a certain number of sessions on each target. It is to pay attention to what continues to feel important and adjust your focus accordingly.

Should You Repeat the Target Immediately?

Not necessarily.

Finishing an EMDR session does not mean you need to begin another session on the same target right away.

You can give yourself some time and return to it later.

When you do, you may notice that your response has continued to change or that something different now stands out.

There is no need to rush the process or repeat a session simply because the target was not completely resolved the first time.

Repeating a Target With Self-Guided EMDR

One advantage of self-guided EMDR is that you can decide what you want to work on each time you begin a session.

If a previous target still feels relevant, you can return to it. If something else has become more important, you can choose a different focus.

You are not locked into the target you selected previously.

This makes it possible to respond to what you are actually noticing rather than following a fixed sequence of targets.

Repeating a Target With Virtual EMDR

Virtual EMDR is a specific self-guided online EMDR program. Because you manage your own sessions, you can choose whether to return to a previous target or work on something different.

If you repeat a target, you can begin by noticing how it feels now rather than assuming it will feel exactly the same as it did during the previous session.

You may find that the intensity has changed, different thoughts or feelings come up, or another part of the experience now seems more important.

The purpose is not to repeat the previous session exactly. It is to continue from where you are now.

Conclusion

Yes, you can repeat the same target in EMDR.

Some targets may change significantly during one session, while others may remain relevant across several sessions. Returning to a target does not mean that the previous session failed or that you have to start over.

When you revisit it, notice how the target feels now. It may be less upsetting, a different part may stand out, or you may decide that something else deserves your attention instead.

There is no need to rush through targets or repeatedly work on the same one just to do more EMDR. The goal is to keep your focus on what feels relevant and useful to work on now.