When You Can’t Stop Thinking About It: A Therapist-Guided EMDR Exercise

When something won’t leave your head — this gives you a way to actually process it.

A structured, therapist-informed exercise to help you move through stuck thoughts, conversations, and emotional activation using EMDR-based techniques.

You know that feeling when something keeps replaying?

A conversation. A moment. Something you said or should have said?

You’ve already thought about it. A lot. Maybe you can’t stop thinking about it.

And still, you don’t feel better. There is no change.

EMDR isn’t about more insight.

It’s about giving your body a way to actually process what your brain can’t let go of.

What this is

This is a guided, step-by-step exercise based on EMDR principles that helps you:

• process low-to-moderate emotional activation

• move through thoughts that feel “stuck”

• reconnect with your body in a structured, contained way

• reduce the intensity of something that keeps replaying

It’s designed to be simple, contained, and usable in under 15 minutes.

This is for you if:

• you keep replaying a conversation or situation

• something feels “off” but not overwhelming

• you’re stuck between overthinking and avoiding

• you want a structured way to process something on your own

• you’re in therapy and want something to use between sessions

This is NOT for:

• recent or highly distressing trauma

• situations where you feel overwhelmed, shut down, or out of control

• replacing therapy with a licensed clinician

This is a supportive tool — not a substitute for therapy.

What’s inside

• a clear, therapist-guided EMDR-inspired process

• multiple options for bilateral stimulation (so you can choose what works for you)

• grounding tools to help you stay regulated

• structured prompts to guide your attention and awareness

• reflection space to notice shifts

What you might notice

People often experience:

• less emotional intensity

• more clarity

• a sense of resolution or movement

• reduced urge to keep replaying the same thought

A note from me

As a trauma therapist, I created this for the moments that don’t quite require a full session — but also don’t resolve on their own.

This is for the in-between.

Use it slowly. Stay within your window. And take care of yourself as you go.

Please note that this digital guide is not a replacement for professional therapy or a therapeutic relationship. Although I am a therapist, I am not your therapist unless we are currently working together. Explore therapy with me here.

Start here if you’re not ready for therapy, but know something needs to shift.