For a clinician familiar with EMDR, a lightbar, pair of tappers or set of headphones may feel straightforward. For a client seeing the equipment for the first time, it may be unfamiliar, highly visible and difficult to interpret. A clear introduction before the first set can reduce uncertainty and establish an important expectation: bilateral stimulation is something the clinician and client can discuss and adjust together.
EMDR is an eight-phase psychotherapy, and bilateral stimulation is used during part of the process rather than being the treatment in isolation. Depending on the clinical plan, sets may involve eye movements, taps or tones. The EMDR Institute notes that the type and length of sets can differ between clients. Explaining this context helps prevent the equipment from appearing mysterious or becoming the centre of the session.
Explain the purpose without overpromising
Plain language is usually more useful than a technical lecture. A clinician might explain that the stimulus will move or alternate from side to side while the client notices aspects of an experience, and that the clinician will pause regularly to check what the client observes.
It is also worth being precise about what the equipment does not do. A lightbar, tapper or audio signal does not conduct therapy by itself, decide what should be processed or replace case formulation, preparation and clinical judgement. Avoid promising a particular emotional response or outcome from a modality or setting.
Let the client experience the controls before processing
Where it fits the clinician’s training and protocol, a brief neutral demonstration can help the client understand what to expect. This may include showing how the light moves, how a tapper feels in each hand or how alternating tones sound through headphones before the equipment is used with distressing material.
The demonstration creates an opportunity to check practical comfort:
- Can the client see the full visual path without strain?
- Do the tappers feel comfortable to hold?
- Is the audio clear and at a tolerable level?
- Are glasses, hearing differences, pain, migraine, sensory sensitivities or mobility relevant?
- Does the client know how to signal that they want the stimulation paused?
These questions are not a substitute for assessment. They are a practical check that the chosen setup is understandable and tolerable before the work proceeds.
Make feedback part of the process
Clients may assume that once a setting has been chosen they should endure it without comment. The clinician can counter that assumption directly: speed, intensity, brightness, volume, modality and positioning may be discussed, and discomfort should be reported rather than pushed through simply because the device is running.
Agree on a simple pause signal and check that it can be used comfortably. During the session, observe more than verbal reports. Squinting, pulling away, tightening the grip, losing the visual target or becoming preoccupied with the equipment may indicate that the setup is adding demand. Any response still requires clinical interpretation rather than an automatic adjustment.
Consent is ongoing, not a single sentence
Australian psychologists practise under the Psychology Board of Australia’s Code of conduct, which sets expectations for professional behaviour and good care. Within an EMDR session, informed participation is supported by explaining what is proposed, providing a genuine opportunity for questions and remaining responsive as the client’s experience changes.
A client may prefer one modality during preparation and find it less suitable during a later session. They may also need a pause, a different setting or a return to preparation. Treating feedback as useful clinical information makes adjustment feel normal rather than like a failure by the client or the equipment.
Keep the technology in its proper place
The best introduction is often brief, calm and specific. The client should understand what they will notice, how they can communicate and who remains responsible for the clinical process. Once those foundations are clear, the equipment can do what well-designed equipment should do: provide dependable stimulation without competing with the therapeutic relationship.
Sources: EMDR Institute: What is EMDR Therapy? and Psychology Board of Australia: Code of conduct.
For trained health professionals. This article is general information and does not replace accredited EMDR training, supervision, informed-consent requirements, individual assessment or applicable professional standards.