A short course of structured sessions pairs a distressing memory with a repeating left-right task. Evidence is strongest for lasting stress reactions after frightening events and low mood anchored to painful memories, with gains holding for months. Pain and anxiety rest on weaker trials. The eye movements have never been convincingly shown to add anything; harm reporting is nearly absent. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| PCL-5 | Below 20, ideally below 11 | Tracks the core symptom target |
| PHQ-9 | 0 to 4 | Catches mood change accompanying reprocessing |
| SUD rating | 0 to 1 at each target's close | The in-session signal that a memory has resolved |
| VOC rating | 6 to 7 | Confirms the replacement belief has taken hold |
| DES-II | Below 20; 30 or above triggers extended preparation | Gauges risk of flooding and loss of dual attention |
| Resting heart rate | 50 to 65 bpm | A simple index of sympathetic (fight-or-flight) load |
| Heart-rate variability (rMSSD) | No established target; rising 7-day average vs own baseline | Reflects parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) recovery as arousal falls |
| Blood pressure | Below 120/80 mmHg | The physical endpoint with the strongest direct trial evidence |
| hs-CRP | Below 1.0 mg/L | Body-wide inflammation, plausibly responsive to chronic stress load |
| Morning DHEA-S to cortisol ratio | No established target; track direction vs own baseline | The one biochemical marker shown to predict response |
| Sleep efficiency | 85% or above | Sleep reflects and plausibly mediates reprocessing gains |
Cadence: Distress and belief ratings every session; symptom scales weekly; physical markers at course end, three months and six to twelve months; dissociation screen at intake, repeated only if reactions warrant