Remote EMDR session checklist
Remote EMDR session checklist for therapists: before, during, and after
A printable remote EMDR checklist covering professional readiness, patient preparation, private access, video and BLS testing, contingency planning, and session closure.
By the EMDRSuite Editorial Team
Product claims checked against the current EMDRSuite code and interface.
No independent clinical reviewer is named for this guide.
Before scheduling: professional and clinical readiness
Confirm that remote delivery is appropriate within your qualifications, training, supervision, professional rules, insurance, contracts, and the patient's circumstances. Complete the assessment, consent, identity, privacy, documentation, and emergency procedures required by your practice and jurisdiction.
Agree what will happen if privacy changes, distress rises, technology fails, or either person loses contact. Record the patient's current location and relevant local emergency resources when required by the care plan; software cannot infer or replace this preparation.
Before entry: patient, room, and device preparation
Send the private session link through the agreed channel and explain when to open it, who to contact, and what should never be forwarded. Ask the patient to use a private space, stable device, power supply, supported browser, camera, microphone, and stereo headphones when bilateral audio is planned.
Run a short non-clinical test using the intended device and network. Check permissions, two-way speech, video framing, screen size, orientation, visual motion, left-right audio, immediate pause, reload, and re-entry through the same approved flow.
During the session: connection, control, and observation
Reconfirm identity, location or emergency information when required, privacy, backup contact, and permission to proceed. Keep therapist controls and patient pause behavior clear before activating visual or auditory BLS.
Monitor both patient response and technical reliability. Stop active stimulation if contact, timing, audio channels, visual motion, consent, privacy, or clinical suitability becomes uncertain. A successful reconnection does not by itself mean the work should resume.
After the session: closure, records, and follow-up
Complete the clinically appropriate closure and follow-up process before ending the room. Confirm any next contact or contingency step, close patient access when appropriate, and document only what belongs in the authorized professional record.
Record technical issues separately with the minimum operational detail: device, browser, approximate time, observable symptom, and resolution. Do not place active tokens, patient identity, targets, or session content in ordinary support messages. Review repeated failures before the next appointment.
Remote practice resource
Printable remote EMDR pre-session and session checklist
Run the checklist with the actual patient device and practice procedures. Checking a box confirms only that it was reviewed; it does not establish clinical readiness or legal compliance.
No server storage · no autosave · close or reload to clear
Operational checklist only. It does not replace assessment, informed consent, emergency planning, safeguarding, EMDR training, supervision, accessibility review, or local telehealth requirements.
FAQ
remote EMDR session checklist
What equipment is needed for a remote EMDR session?
Requirements depend on the treatment plan and platform, but commonly include a stable device and connection, camera, microphone, adequate screen, private space, and stereo headphones when auditory BLS is used.
Should the patient test the link before the appointment?
Yes. A brief non-clinical test can verify entry, permissions, video, speech, BLS rendering, stereo sound, pause, and reconnection without using clinical content.
What should happen when the connection fails?
Pause active stimulation, establish contact through the agreed backup route, reassess the situation, and follow the practice's clinical and emergency plan before deciding whether to resume.
Does this checklist replace an EMDR protocol?
No. It covers operational preparation for remote delivery. It does not replace EMDR training, clinical assessment, protocol decisions, supervision, informed consent, or local professional requirements.
References
Remote EMDR session checklist for therapists: before, during, and after
EMDRSuite
Put the guide into practice with EMDRSuite
Run remote EMDR with visual BLS, bilateral sounds, secure patient links, video-ready sessions, saved settings, and notes.
Continue with related EMDR guides