EMDR Trauma Healing Workbook

SPIRAL TECHNIQUE EXCERCISE

Identify the traumatic experience that you would like to process.

Rate the level of distress that you experience when thinking about the event on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest level of distress.

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Close your eyes and focus on the traumatic experience. Imagine that you are standing at the bottom of a spiral staircase, and the traumatic experience is at the top. Start walking up the staircase, imagining that with each step you are moving closer to the traumatic experience. As you reach the top of the staircase, imagine that you are fully immersed in the traumatic experience. While you are fully immersed in the experience, imagine that you are breathing in and out, focusing on the experience. Imagine that with each exhale, you are releasing the distress and negative emotions associated with the traumatic experience. After a few minutes, imagine that you are walking down the staircase, away from the traumatic experience. Open your eyes and rate the level of distress that you experience when thinking about the event again on a scale of 0-10.

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HIGH