Negative Cognition (NC) — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

A personal belief about the self that the trauma has left in the client: "I am helpless", "I am to blame", "I am not safe", "I am not good enough". This is not a description of the event and not a fact, but an irrational belief that activates with the recall of the target image. The NC is formulated in the present tense, in the first person. It is important to distinguish the NC from a description of the situation — clients often first describe the event rather than a belief about themselves.

Step-by-step guide

Have the client recall the target image
Ask: "As you look at this image — what thought about yourself feels true?"
If the client describes the event — reframe: "What does this say about you as a person?"
Check the formulation: the NC must be in the first person ("I am."), in the present tense
Make sure the client "believes" the NC (at least partly) when recalling the image
Lock in the NC for the Assessment phase and as a guide for formulating the PC

When to use

The Assessment phase (Phase 3), formulation before desensitization
When you need to understand the deep belief sustaining the symptoms

Key phrases

As you look at this image — what thought about yourself feels true?

Follow-up questions

What does this event say about you? About your ability to cope?

When you are in this image — what do you believe about yourself?

Alternative phrasings

How does this event define you? What does it "prove" about you?

When you recall this moment — what is the most painful thing you think about yourself?

Warnings

⚠️ The client's first answer is often a description of the event or a blaming of someone else, not a personal belief — gently reframe
⚠️ The NC must be in the first person and the present tense, not "back then I was weak" but "I am weak"

Source: Shapiro, 2001, 2018