Most EMDR sessions rely on a moving dot or bilateral sound. But the moving dot is not the only way to occupy a client's attention. The Stroop test is a second option built into CloudEMDR, and for some clients it gives you a different kind of working-memory task to work with.
What the Stroop test is
The Stroop test comes from a classic finding in experimental psychology. In 1935, John Ridley Stroop published a study showing that people are noticeably slower to name the ink color of a word when the word itself spells a different color. Faced with the word “red” printed in blue ink, most people hesitate before saying “blue.”
The reason is that reading is automatic for literate adults. When you look at a color word, you read it whether you mean to or not. To name the ink color instead, you have to hold back that automatic reading response and select the color you actually see. That act of holding back takes mental effort.
That effort is the whole point. The Stroop task creates a small, reliable demand on attention and self-control, which makes it a candidate for the same job the moving dot does in EMDR: occupying working memory while the client holds a target memory in mind.
Why some EMDR therapists use it
As we cover in our article on taxing working memory in EMDR, the leading theory of how EMDR works is that a demanding secondary task competes with the target memory for limited mental space, which tends to reduce the memory’s vividness and emotional charge. The moving dot is the usual secondary task, but it is not the only one that can compete for those resources.
The Stroop test is useful precisely because it loads attention in a different way than visual tracking. Rather than following a point across the screen, the client is naming colors while suppressing the urge to read. For a client who has grown very used to the dot, or who tracks it so easily that it no longer seems to demand much, the Stroop test can reintroduce genuine effort.
When it can help
- A client tracks the dot so comfortably that processing seems to stall.
- You want to vary the task within a longer session to keep it fresh.
- A client responds better to a verbal, language-based task than to visual tracking.
The Stroop test is an option, not a replacement. Plenty of clients do all their work with the dot and never need it. Whether and when to bring it in is a clinical judgment that sits within your EMDR training and protocol.
How the Stroop test works in CloudEMDR
CloudEMDR has two modes: the EMDR dot and the Stroop test. You switch between them from the top of the controls, which our controls guide walks through step by step.
When you turn on Stroop mode, the screen shows sixteen color words, each printed in a different ink color. The client’s task is to name the ink colors, not read the words. When you want a fresh set, the “Next 16 words” button swaps in new cards so the client cannot settle into a memorized pattern.
The word sets are available in English, Dutch, and Norwegian, so you can match the client’s language. If you need another language, the CloudEMDR support team can hear about it, and premium support is included with Pro.
Because the Stroop cards appear on the same screen your client already sees, the transition is smooth. If you run a Remote Session, your client sees the Stroop cards without any of your controls, the same way they see only the dot in dot mode.
Introducing the Stroop test to a client
A little preparation goes a long way, because the instruction runs against a lifelong habit. Left to themselves, most people will start reading the words out loud, which is not the task.
Explain the task plainly before you begin. You might say something like: “In a moment you’ll see a grid of words. Each word is a color, but it’s printed in a different color of ink. I’d like you to name the color of the ink, not read the word. Take them in order, left to right.”
A few practical pointers help the first time:
- Do a short practice round first. Run one set with a neutral focus so the client gets the feel of naming ink colors before you pair it with a target memory.
- Keep your pacing steady. The demand comes from the task itself, so you do not need to rush the client. A calm, even pace is enough.
- Watch for reading creep. Clients often slip back into reading the words. A gentle reminder to name the ink color is usually all it takes.
- Refresh when it gets stale. Use “Next 16 words” when the client seems to be moving through the grid on autopilot.
Keep the load in the useful range
As with the moving dot, the aim is a task that competes for attention while the client still holds the target memory. If naming colors becomes so absorbing that the client loses contact with the memory, ease back to the dot. Reassessment from your standard protocol tells you whether the task is helping.
Fitting the Stroop test into your toolkit
Think of the Stroop test as one more way to add and vary working-memory load, alongside faster or varied dot movement and bilateral sound. You do not have to choose one approach for a whole client. Many therapists lead with the dot and reach for the Stroop test when they want a different kind of demand or a change of pace.
If you are still deciding whether the Pro features are worth it for your practice, our overview of CloudEMDR Pro features lays out how Stroop mode, Remote Sessions, extra patterns, and sounds work together. The Stroop test is a small feature on its own, but paired with the dot it gives you a more flexible set of options for keeping sessions productive.
Try Stroop mode in a real session
Stroop test mode is part of CloudEMDR Pro, with word sets in English, Dutch, and Norwegian and a one-click refresh. Your client sees only the cards while you keep the controls. The first three weeks are free, and you can cancel anytime.