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What Happens During an EMDR Body Scan?
Short Answer: The body scan is the sixth phase of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It usually happens after desensitization and installation. You bring the target memory and positive belief to mind, then briefly notice whether you feel any physical sensations connected with the experience. If something stands out, you notice it and may use additional bilateral stimulation. If nothing particular stands out, the process can move on. The body scan is simply a check-in with how the processed memory now feels in your body.
Key Takeaways
- The body scan is Phase 6 of the standard eight-phase EMDR process.
- It generally follows desensitization and installation.
- You bring the processed target and positive belief to mind and notice physical sensations.
- You are not trying to create or search for a particular sensation.
- If a sensation stands out, it can become the focus of additional bilateral stimulation.
- Some people notice something during the body scan, while others notice very little.
- The body scan can be included in both therapist-guided and structured self-guided EMDR.
Where Does the Body Scan Fit Into EMDR?
EMDR is commonly described as an eight-phase process:
- History Taking and Treatment Planning
- Preparation
- Assessment
- Desensitization
- Installation
- Body Scan
- Closure
- Reevaluation
The body scan is Phase 6.
During desensitization, you work with the distress connected with the target.
During installation, you focus on strengthening a preferred positive belief in relation to that target.
The body scan comes next.
At this point, you briefly return your attention to the target and positive belief while noticing what you experience physically.
What Do You Actually Do During a Body Scan?
The process is fairly simple.
You bring the target memory and positive belief to mind.
Then you let your attention move through your body and notice whether anything stands out.
You might notice areas such as your:
- Face or jaw
- Neck
- Shoulders
- Chest
- Stomach
- Arms or hands
- Legs or feet
You are not examining your body for a medical problem.
You are simply noticing whether any physical sensation seems connected with the target as you think about it now.
What Kinds of Sensations Might You Notice?
People can notice many ordinary physical sensations when paying attention to their bodies.
For example, you might notice:
- Tightness
- Warmth or coolness
- Heaviness or lightness
- Tension
- Tingling
- A feeling in your stomach
- A change in your breathing
- A sense of relaxation
You might also notice nothing in particular.
There is no specific sensation that is supposed to appear during a body scan.
What If You Don't Feel Anything?
That is fine.
The body scan is not a test of whether EMDR worked.
You do not need to find tension, discomfort, tingling, or another sensation just because you are looking for one.
If you bring the target and positive belief to mind and nothing particular stands out physically, you can simply notice that.
There is no reason to manufacture a sensation or keep searching until you find something.
Why Does EMDR Include a Body Scan?
Thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations can all be part of how someone experiences a memory.
You may have noticed this even outside EMDR.
Thinking about an embarrassing moment might bring a feeling to your face.
Remembering an argument might be accompanied by tension in your shoulders.
Thinking about something pleasant might leave your body feeling more relaxed.
The body scan gives you a chance to notice whether a physical response is still present when you bring the processed target back to mind.
Physical sensations can also be noticeable when someone is dealing with stress, especially when thinking about difficult or emotionally charged experiences.
What Happens If a Sensation Stands Out?
If you notice a physical sensation that seems connected with the target, you can focus briefly on that sensation.
Additional bilateral stimulation may then be used while you notice what happens.
For example, you might notice tension in your shoulders when thinking about the memory.
You focus on that sensation while completing another set of bilateral stimulation.
Afterward, you check again.
The sensation might change, become less noticeable, move, or remain about the same.
As with the earlier processing phases, you do not need to deliberately make it change.
You simply notice what happens.
Does a Physical Sensation Mean Something Is Wrong?
A physical sensation during a body scan does not automatically tell you anything specific about the memory or your progress.
The purpose of the body scan is simply to notice what you experience.
You do not need to interpret every sensation or figure out why it is there.
If you notice tension, for example, you can notice the tension without deciding that it has a particular meaning.
The process is based more on observation than analysis.
Do You Need to Scan Every Part of Your Body Carefully?
No.
A body scan does not need to become a long examination of every part of your body.
You are checking in with yourself and noticing whether anything stands out while thinking about the target and positive belief.
For some people, this may be a fairly quick process.
The goal is not to find the smallest possible physical sensation.
It is simply to notice your current physical response.
Is the Body Scan a Relaxation Exercise?
Not exactly.
Relaxation may happen, but that is not the main purpose.
The body scan is primarily a way of checking how your body responds when you bring the processed target and positive belief to mind.
You might feel relaxed.
You might notice a particular sensation.
Or you might feel fairly neutral.
You do not need to reach a special state of relaxation to complete the phase.
Is the Body Scan the Same as a Medical Body Scan?
No.
The term body scan in EMDR refers to paying attention to physical sensations.
There is no equipment involved, and nothing is being medically scanned.
You are simply bringing your attention through your body and noticing what you feel.
This is different from a medical scan such as an X-ray, computed tomography scan, or magnetic resonance imaging scan.
What If the Sensation Seems Unrelated to the Memory?
Not every physical sensation you notice while doing EMDR necessarily comes from the target.
Maybe your shoulders are tense because of how you are sitting.
Perhaps your leg feels uncomfortable because you have been in the same position for a while.
You do not have to assume that every sensation has psychological meaning.
The body scan is about noticing your experience, not assigning significance to every physical feeling.
Can the Body Scan Bring Up Another Thought or Memory?
It can.
While noticing a physical sensation, another thought, image, emotion, or memory may come to mind.
That is similar to what can happen during other parts of EMDR processing.
You can notice what comes up rather than trying to prevent it.
If another memory continues to seem relevant, it may also become something you choose to work on at another time.
How Long Does an EMDR Body Scan Take?
There is no single required amount of time.
For some targets, the body scan may be brief because nothing particular stands out.
At other times, you may notice a sensation and spend additional time focusing on it with bilateral stimulation.
The amount of time depends on what you notice rather than on reaching a fixed number of minutes.
What Happens After the Body Scan?
After the body scan comes Phase 7: Closure.
Closure helps bring the EMDR session to an appropriate stopping point.
If processing of the target has been completed for that session, you move toward finishing the session.
If the target still has more work to be done, it can be returned to later.
The next EMDR session or check-in may also include reevaluation, which is Phase 8.
The Body Scan in Therapist-Guided EMDR
In therapist-guided EMDR, the therapist may ask you to bring the target and positive belief to mind and then mentally scan your body.
You report whether anything stands out.
If you notice a sensation connected with the target, the therapist may guide another set of bilateral stimulation and then ask you to check again.
The therapist guides the steps, but you are the person noticing what is happening in your body.
The Body Scan in Self-Guided EMDR
A body scan can also be part of a structured self-guided EMDR process.
Instead of a therapist asking what you notice, the program can prompt you to bring the target and positive belief to mind and check for physical sensations yourself.
If something stands out, you can follow the program's processing steps and then check again.
If nothing stands out, you can continue through the session.
The basic purpose of the body scan remains the same whether EMDR is done with a therapist or online in a self-guided format.
How the Body Scan Works With Virtual EMDR
Virtual EMDR is a structured, self-guided online EMDR program.
During the body scan portion of the process, you check how your body responds when you bring the target and positive belief to mind.
You notice what is there rather than trying to produce a particular response.
If a sensation stands out, you can continue through the structured processing steps. If nothing particular stands out, you can move forward.
Because Virtual EMDR is self-guided, you complete this check-in independently and control your own pacing.
Conclusion
The EMDR body scan is a straightforward check-in with how the processed target now feels in your body.
You bring the target and positive belief to mind, move your attention through your body, and notice whether any physical sensations stand out.
If you notice something connected with the target, you may use additional bilateral stimulation and check again. If nothing particular stands out, there is no need to search for something.
Whether EMDR is therapist-guided or done through a structured self-guided program such as Virtual EMDR, the purpose is the same: notice your physical response to the processed experience without trying to force or manufacture a particular sensation.
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