EMDR Therapy Aftercare Instructions
A day-by-day recovery guide for emdr therapy: what to expect, how to care for yourself, and when to call. Free to read and print.
What to expect
Getting Support
- •Recovery is not linear; good days and bad days are normal
- •988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 anytime
- •Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
- •Your treatment team is here to help; reach out between appointments if needed
EMDR Therapy recovery, day by day
After Treatment
- You may feel tired or have a mild headache after the session
- Have someone drive you home after the session
- Rest for the remainder of the day
- Note any changes in your symptoms or mood
Important Safety Information
- You may not notice improvement after the first session
- Avoid alcohol while starting treatment
- Report any severe side effects to your treatment team
- Keep all follow-up appointments
Ongoing Monitoring
- Treatment benefits are often cumulative over multiple sessions
- Track your mood, sleep, appetite, and energy levels
- Report any worsening of symptoms to your treatment team
- Engage in healthy routines: regular sleep schedule, exercise, social connection
When to call your provider or 911
- •Thoughts of harming yourself or others (call 988 immediately)
- •Severe headache or seizure after treatment
- •Sudden severe worsening of symptoms
- •Memory problems that do not improve between sessions
When in doubt, call your clinic. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Recovery milestones
- Day 7
First sessions complete
Treatment underway; assessing initial response
- Day 21
Early response evaluation
Evaluating treatment response
- Day 42
Full treatment evaluation
Assess overall response and plan next steps
For clinics
Stop photocopying aftercare sheets.
QR Rx sends this exact emdr therapy recovery plan to every patient, branded to your practice, opened by a QR code. It checks in automatically, answers post-op questions, asks for a review at the right moment, and brings patients back for their next visit. The aftercare you already owe every patient, doing the work of keeping them.
HIPAA compliant. No credit card. Cancel anytime.