How to Work with Blocking Beliefs in EMDR Therapy

A Note Before We Begin: This article is written for EMDR-trained therapists. It assumes a foundational understanding of the EMDR eight-phase protocol and is intended to support clinical decision-making when processing becomes stuck. The ideas shared here reflect how I integrate EMDR with Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) in my own clinical practice.

What to Do When EMDR Processing Gets Stuck: A Clinical Framework for Working with Blocking Beliefs

One of the questions I'm asked most often by EMDR therapists is:

"What do I do when processing gets stuck?"

The client keeps repeating the same belief.

The SUD won't move.

Processing feels circular.

Nothing seems to be happening.

Our instinct can be to increase bilateral stimulation, challenge the cognition, or look for a different positive cognition. Early in my EMDR career, I probably would have done the same.

Over the years, however, I've come to think about blocking beliefs differently.

Today, I rarely see them as the problem.

Instead, I see them as valuable clinical information.

What Is a Blocking Belief?

A blocking belief is a thought, expectation, or belief that interferes with adaptive information processing.

Clients might say:

"I'm not worthy."
"Nobody cares about me."
"I have to do everything on my own."
"If I let my guard down, I'll get hurt."
"It's not safe to trust people."

In EMDR, we don't usually argue with these beliefs or try to convince clients they're wrong.

Instead, we get curious.

Most blocking beliefs developed for a reason. They helped clients survive painful relationships, make sense of overwhelming experiences, or protect themselves from further harm.

As I began integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) into my EMDR work, I noticed something interesting:

Not all blocking beliefs are the same.

Sometimes they're cognitive.

Sometimes they're protective.

Sometimes they're physiological.

Sometimes they're simply accurate.

Once I stopped treating every blocking belief the same way, my interventions became much clearer.

First: Determine What Is Being Blocked

When processing stalls, I don't immediately ask, "How do I get past this?"

Instead, I ask:

"What is this blocking belief trying to tell me?"

Over time, I've found that most blocking beliefs fall into one of four categories.

1. A Protective Part (IFS)

Sometimes the "blocking belief" isn't really a belief at all.

It's a protector.

You might hear:

"If I let this go, I'll get hurt again."
"If I stop being anxious, I'll become careless."
"I don't deserve to heal."

Rather than challenging the belief, I become curious about the part holding it.

Questions I often ask include:

What is this part afraid would happen if healing occurred?
How long has it had this job?
What positive intention does it have for you?

More often than not, the part isn't trying to sabotage therapy.

It's trying to prevent another painful experience.

Once that protector feels understood and doesn't have to work so hard, EMDR processing often resumes naturally.

2. A Nervous System Block (Somatic Experiencing)

Sometimes the client genuinely wants to process, but their nervous system says, "Absolutely not."

You'll often notice:

spacing out
difficulty accessing the memory
headaches
feeling frozen
numbness
overwhelm
dissociation

At this point, continuing bilateral stimulation usually isn't the answer.

Instead, I shift my attention toward regulation.

That might include orienting, pendulation, grounding, titration, or strengthening resources.

When the autonomic nervous system returns to a window of tolerance, processing often begins moving again on its own.

3. A Cognitive Block

Sometimes the current target isn't actually the memory that's holding the network together.

For example:

Current target: "I was bullied in high school."

Blocking belief: "It wasn't that bad."

Rather than debating whether that's true, I'll ask:

"When have you felt this before?"
"What does this remind your nervous system of?"

Frequently, we'll uncover an earlier attachment experience or feeder memory that needs to be processed first.

Sometimes the current memory isn't the source—it's simply another branch of the network.

4. An Ecological Block

Occasionally, healing truly doesn't feel safe.

Examples include:

an abusive relationship that's still ongoing
an unsafe living environment
current domestic violence
an active custody battle
active addiction

In these situations, I don't assume the client is resisting treatment.

The nervous system may be accurately saying:

"Now is not the time."

When that's the case, stabilization—not reprocessing—is the intervention.

My Favorite Questions When Processing Gets Stuck

When I notice processing has stalled, these are often the questions I come back to:

What's happening right now?
What just showed up?
What feels true?
Is there a part that has concerns?
What is your body trying to tell us?
If this feeling had words, what would it say?
What would happen if this memory actually resolved?

That last question often reveals the protective function of the blocking belief.

Clients may respond:

"I'd lose my _________. "
"I'd won’t have any connection with my family anymore.”
"People would not want to be with me.”

Those answers tell me far more than simply knowing the negative cognition.

A Clinical Example

Imagine a client says:

"I don't deserve to heal."

Rather than trying to install:

"I deserve to heal."

I slow down.

Instead, I become curious.

Who believes that?
How old does that part feel?
What happened that taught it this?
What is it protecting?
What is it afraid would happen if you believed you deserved healing?

Only after I understand the protective function of that belief do I consider returning to EMDR processing.

My Clinical Decision Tree

When processing becomes blocked, this is the sequence I mentally work through:

Is this a protector? → Work with the part.
Is the nervous system overwhelmed? → Regulate first.
Is there an earlier feeder memory? → Float back or identify the earlier target.
Is the client's current environment unsafe? → Stabilize rather than process.

I've found this framework keeps me from trying to push through what looks like resistance.

Instead, I assume the client's system is communicating something important.

Whether it's a protective part, an overwhelmed nervous system, an earlier memory, or a genuinely unsafe environment, the question isn't, "How do I get past this?"

The better question is:

"What is this system trying to protect?"

In my experience, once we understand the answer to that question, EMDR processing often begins moving again—not because we forced it forward, but because we listened to what the client's mind and body had been trying to tell us all along.

Want to Dive Deeper?

Every therapist has cases that don't fit neatly into a protocol. If you're feeling stuck with a complex EMDR case, wondering how to integrate EMDR with IFS or Somatic Experiencing, or simply want another set of experienced eyes on your case conceptualization, I'd love to help.

I offer one-on-one consultation for EMDR-trained therapists who want to deepen their clinical thinking, build confidence with challenging cases, and develop a more integrative approach to trauma treatment.

If you'd like to pick my brain, you're welcome to schedule an individual consultation. I'd be honored to think through your cases with you. Click here.

HOW DO I WORK WITH BLOCKING BELIEFS IN EMDR?