TICES Grid For EMDR Therapy
The TICES grid is a great tool for therapy and used a lot in EMDR therapy. Even if not using EMDR processing, the TICES grid can still be useful for working out the current issues, identifying themes, and using the elements of the TICES grid can also help trace the past experiences influencing the themes.
So, What does TICES stand for?
TICES stands for: Trigger, Image, Cognition, Emotion and Sensation. When filling in the TICES grid, we fill in the columns in order, and only need a couple of words in each column; just enough for an aid memoir. It’s not for processing so we don’t need to go into depths here. It’s for logging triggers and identifying the components. Further exploration can be done in session with your therapist.
TICES Components Explained
Whilst it may seem self-explanatory for some, it is worth clarifying a few points and noting what isn’t quite self-explanatory.
The trigger is what gives rise to the issue. It can be something internal as well as something external. You can also use avoided situations which would have triggered you if you didn’t engage in a certain task, due to fear for example.
Image
The image, is a still frame picture of the worst part of the situation. If you played a mental movie, and paused it at the most emotive part that represents the issue, what would be on the screen? Like the look on someone’s face in an argument for example, or a car crashing in front of you. I include sounds into this- viewing sound as the “image of the ears”. It can also be a “flash-forward” image. If you play the mental movie forward, what is the “dooms day scenario” that hasn’t happened but fearful of happening? Even if it’s likely or unlikely to actually happen.
Cognition
Cognitions in EMDR need a little more explaining. They are not thoughts or thought processes like in other therapies or as the word itself suggests. They are “self-referenced” beliefs you feel on a gut level, not a head level. This means they can be different to thoughts but really are about the felt sense underneath. Self-referenced here means some kind of “I” or “I am” type statement. They usually fall into 5 categories: 1) belonging (I don’t belong etc.). 2) defectiveness (or what I call shame based- I’m not good enough, I’m bad, I’m inadequate, I’m unloveable etc.). 3) Action (what I call guilt based- I didn’t something wrong, I should have done more). 4) Safety (I’m in danger, I’m going to die etc.). 5) Control/choices (I’m powerless, I have no control etc.).
These cognitions FEEL true even is we KNOW they are not. Note also that I wrote “I’m unloveable” and “I don’t belong”. I didn’t write “I’m not loved” or not accepted. That’s because these are statements which a) may or may not be true, and, more importantly here, b) are about other people’s relationship to you and not your relationship to you or the situation you’re in. A common mistake is for people to label emotions in this part too. But a cognition here, is a gut level, felt belief about ourselves or the situation we are in. Not labelling emotions or the actions/beliefs of others.
Emotions and Sensations
What emotions come up and where do you feel it in your body? This is more self-explanatory compared to image and cognition. If you have trouble with emotions, talk to your therapist. There are also lots of free resources online labelling emotions that might help you. In terms of sensations, it could be a tight chest, tense jaw or hands, a churning of the stomach. What ever it is, just note it or at least the location of the sensation is too hard to describe.
SUDS
Subjective Units of Distress. Thinking about the overall intensity, how strong is it 0-10? With 10 being high distance and 0 being neutral. This can be hard for some people to conceptualise but it is an overall level of disturbance at the time. It doesn’t need to be exact, it is subjective so a rough answer is more than fine.
Some Final Points
When doing a TICES grid, we stack the elements together: what is the image? Holding the image in mind, what is the cognition? Holding image and cognition together, what is the emotion? Holding those together, where do you feel it in your body? What’s the 0-10 disturbance label?
A reminder that we are not processing so only a couple of words needed in each column. After filling in a trigger, hopefully as they arise but some cases may need to be shortly after, we do some form of grounding or self-soothing if needed. Your therapist should have, or should have planned to do, some form of regulation.
Example:
Trigger: Boss being critical at appraisal.
Image: look of dissatisfaction in their face.
Cognition: I’m incompetent.
Emotion: sadness, anxiety
Sensation: in chest area
SUDs: 7
You can download a copy of a TICES grid below.