Holly Forman-Patel MFT

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Therapist | EMDRIA Approved Basic Trainer
Six Weeks to a Confident EMDR Practice | Waitlist ⬇️
https://emdrconfidence.hollyformanpatel.com/

Book a consultation: https://live.vcita.com/site/hollyformanpatel/online-scheduling

10/22/2026

Sometimes a client brings in something big that is coming up soon, and you only have one session to help them with it.

First, identify what seems most connected to the distress. If there is a strongly connected past memory, I might use Flash Technique or EMD.

If the bigger issue is anticipatory fear, I would consider the Flashforward Technique and identify the be all, end all worst fear.

If neither of those fits, I would identify the strongest present trigger and use EMD with that.

I would spend about 20 minutes on one of these targets, trying to get the SUD as low as possible.

After that, I would create a resource with RDI that the client might need while flying, spending roughly 10 to 15 minutes building it.

With the remaining time in the session, I would then build a Future Template using that resource.

Fear of flying is one example, but you can use this same framework with many time-sensitive situations.

If you want to dive deeper into using EMDR with anxiety disorders, check out my 6 hour on demand EMDR and Anxiety training.

10/21/2026

If new material comes up during Phase 5 Installation or Phase 6 Body Scan, that does not mean the SUD wasn’t really a zero or that you did something wrong.

Phases 4 Desensitization, 5 Installation of the Positive Cognition and 6 Body Scan are all reprocessing phases in EMDR.

We often think of Phase 4 Desensitization as the only reprocessing phase but reprocessing is still happening during Phase 5 Installation and the Phase 6 Body Scan. That is also why we continue using fast bilaterals in those phases.

So yes, additional material can absolutely emerge and you want to apply fast bilaterals until it clears.

If you are finding yourself getting stuck in these kinds of moments and wondering what to do next, you might consider on demand 8 hour EMDR Refresher or my 3 hour Stuck Reprocessing trainings. Both are EMDRIA approved and licensure CEs are available.

10/20/2026

When considering working with EMDR and a flying phobia, I am not just thinking about the moment the client is sitting on the plane.

I want to understand the whole process.

When does the anxiety start?
What parts are the hardest?
Are there past experiences connected to it?
What are they afraid is going to happen?
And what happens when they imagine themselves going through the entire trip?

Flying is a process phobia, so there can be multiple places along the way that need to be targeted.

But we want to go back further, not only to other instances of flying, but other potential memories connect with safety and/or control.

That is where good EMDR treatment planning matters.

If you want to dive deeper into working with EMDR and Anxiety, consider my 6 hour on demand training on EMDR and Anxiety.

10/18/2026

Sunday Quick EMDR Therapy Tip

A few things I keep in mind with cognitive interweaves:
Only use them when the client needs them.
Match the interweave to the clinical theme.
Keep it brief so you do not drift into talk therapy.
And know your client.

Whenever possible, give the client space to get to the adaptive information on their own.

10/16/2026

When EMDR reprocessing gets stuck, my first move is not to immediately jump in with a big intervention or change in target.

I want to figure out what is happening in the reprocessing and start with the simplest ways to help get it moving again.

In this video, I’m sharing the top five things I tend to try first when reprocessing stalls.

The more stuck reprocessing you work through, the easier it becomes to recognize what may help get the train moving again.

Check out my 3 hour on-demand training on stuck reprocessing if you’re struggling with this.

10/15/2026

Registration is officially open for Six Weeks to a Confident EMDR Practice.

Over the last decade of working with EMDR therapists, I have noticed a variety of things that get in the way of using EMDR. And there often are not huge gaps in knowledge.

They are the smaller moments that make you hesitate.

How do I explain this clearly to my client?
Is this client ready?
What do I actually need to stick to in the script?
What do I do when processing stalls?
How do I stay structured and still make EMDR feel client centered?
What if I dysregulate someone?

These bumps can slowly chip away at your confidence. And then you often, without even realizing it, you start offering EMDR less and less.

That is exactly why I created Six Weeks to a Confident EMDR Practice.

I built this program around the common moments that tend to make EMDR therapists hesitate, so we can work through them together and help you feel more comfortable using EMDR therapy in your practice.

Over six weeks, we will focus on explaining EMDR, readiness, maintaining structure while staying client centered, navigating stuck points and intense emotion, building your confidence, and creating a plan to keep going after the program ends.

When you register, you immediately get access to two bonus trainings:
• My 8 hour EMDR Refresher
• My 3 hour When the Train Stops Moving training on stuck reprocessing

Those trainings normally total $400, which is also the founding member price for the entire program.

Then we kick off live on Saturday, January 2 at 12:00 PM Central, followed by six weeks of short lessons, weekly practice , live Q&A, a wrap-up call, an online community, and an individual audit of your website.

This is not about becoming an EMDR expert in six weeks.

It is about helping you move past the common challenges that keep getting in the way, so you can actually use EMDR more confidently with the clients sitting in front of you.

Registration is open today.

Comment below with any questions.

10/14/2026

EMDR Essentials: Part 12
EMDR and Treatment Planning
Choosing the first memory

Once you have identified the memories connected to the client’s current challenge they want to work on first, the next step is deciding the order you want to work through them.
That is your target sequence.

You are looking at which memories seem most central to the problem, which earlier experiences may have helped set the pattern in motion, how the memories connect to each other, and what makes the most clinical sense to address first.

Often choosing the first memory or the memory with the most intense charge can be a good to begin with. Though other considerations are how resourced the client is and any time constraints that might be there.

There is not always one perfect sequence. The order can depend on the client, the level of disturbance, readiness, and what you learn as treatment continues.

The important part is that you are not just picking random memories. You are building a sequence that connects the client’s past experiences to what is showing up in the present.

And remember, the treatment plan is a living document and will change as new information comes up.

If you’re wanting to dive in more, comment TRAINING below to receive 25% off my 3 hour on demand training, Go With What? Essential EMDR therapy Treatment Planning.

Address

1400 Shattuck Avenue, Ste 7
Berkeley, CA
94709

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm

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