Negative cognition: definition and common examples in EMDR

A negative cognition (NC), also called a negative belief, is the self-blaming statement a person holds about themselves when a distressing memory comes to mind, like “I am not safe” or “It’s my fault.” EMDR names it in the assessment phase, pairs it with a target memory, and tracks how much its grip eases as reprocessing continues.

What are common examples of negative cognitions?

Negative cognitions tend to cluster around a few recurring themes:

• Safety: “I’m not safe,” “I’m in danger,” “I can’t protect myself.”
• Responsibility or blame: “It’s my fault,” “I did something wrong,” “I should have stopped it.”
• Self-worth: “I’m not good enough,” “I’m worthless,” “I’m unlovable.”
• Control: “I have no control,” “I’m powerless,” “I can’t trust my own judgment.”

Per EMDRIA, the EMDR International Association, a negative cognition is someone’s current interpretation of themselves, not a neutral description of what happened. Two people can live through the same event and land on entirely different beliefs about what it means about them.

Where does the term come from?

Psychologist Francine Shapiro laid the groundwork in her 1989 study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress. She measured how the validity of a positive self-statement shifted after a single session of the procedure that became EMDR. That early measure grew into today’s paired system: a negative cognition names the problem belief, and a positive cognition names a healthier one to build toward. The VOC scale tracks how true the positive one feels as sessions continue.

One honest note: reprocessing isn’t designed to erase a negative cognition that’s actually accurate, or talk someone into a positive belief that isn’t. The goal is settling the outsized emotional charge and overgeneralization a memory left behind, not rewriting what’s real.

Where does it fit in EMDR’s phases?

Per EMDRIA, the EMDR International Association, a negative cognition is named in the assessment phase, phase three of the 8 phases of EMDR, alongside the target memory it’s attached to and a starting distress rating. From there, sets of bilateral stimulation continue through desensitization and into the installation phase, where the positive cognition takes root in its place.

Negative cognitions usually aren’t random. They often trace back to earlier experiences, not just the memory currently in focus. Our guide to negative core beliefs covers how these patterns form and how people work with them over time.

Is it safe to name your own negative cognition?

Noticing the belief behind everyday stress is something you can do on your own. Ground yourself or picture a calm, safe place first, before bringing the belief to mind. Start with something recent and modest, not your heaviest belief, and keep sessions short.

If naming it brings up distress above a 7 out of 10 that won’t settle after a few minutes, stop. Ground yourself again, and bring it to a licensed professional instead of continuing alone. Tying a deeply held negative cognition to a major touchstone memory, especially from childhood, is a therapist’s judgment call either way.

Once you’ve noticed the belief you’re working with, EmEase, a self-guided EMDR app, offers the guided version of the technique: bilateral stimulation at your own pace. Try it at app.emease.com.