The Purpose of Phase Three: Assess and Activate

The purpose of phase three is to assess and activate the neural network by telling a high-level story about the target to avoid oversharing during processing. It is suggested to delay the actual worksheet until just before heading into desensitization to prevent overactivation. Assessing a present-day situation is essential for activating a floatback, which may lead to confusion if not done correctly. The process involves assessing material to activate the neural network before moving into desensitization, and pausing after assessment is not unusual as per the linear flow in EMDR, where rehashing and processing occur before desensitization is initiated.