What typically happens in an Emotion Code session?
Practices vary, but most practitioners follow the steps Dr. Bradley Nelson set out in his book The Emotion Code and that Discover Healing teaches in its certification course. A session is usually calm and seated or standing, involves no undressing, and can take place in person, by phone or by video. It does not involve medication, physical manipulation or anything invasive.
What follows describes the method in its own terms. Its central idea, that emotional energy becomes trapped in the body and can be identified by muscle testing and released with a magnet, is not established by scientific evidence. If you are new to the idea, our page on what the Emotion Code is is a good first read.
The steps, as Discover Healing describes them
1. A short conversation
Many practitioners begin by asking what brought you and what you would like to focus on. Discover Healing's articles describe Dr. Nelson opening each session by recognizing God, or a higher power, and asking for help. Practitioners differ on whether and how they include this, so ask if it matters to you.
2. A baseline muscle test
The practitioner checks that they can read your responses. Typically you hold an arm out and they press lightly on the wrist while you make a true statement, then a false one. Discover Healing describes a firm arm as a yes and an arm that gives way as a no. Some practitioners use other tests, including testing on themselves. Our page on muscle testing explains the technique and the research on it.
3. Identifying a trapped emotion
Using a series of yes or no questions and Dr. Nelson's chart of emotions, the practitioner narrows down to one emotion. According to Discover Healing, they then ask whether anything else needs to be known before releasing it, such as the age at which it was trapped, whether it is considered your own or inherited, or what was happening at the time. Sometimes a memory comes to mind and you may be asked about it briefly; often you are not.
4. Releasing it
In the method's terms, the emotion is released by passing a magnet along what Discover Healing calls the governing meridian, a line running up the back and over the head, usually three times, or ten times for an emotion considered inherited. Some practitioners use a hand instead of a magnet. The practitioner then muscle tests again to confirm, in the method's terms, that it has gone. Our page on why the Emotion Code uses magnets covers the reasoning and the evidence.
5. Repeating, then stopping
The steps repeat, one emotion at a time. Discover Healing says a practitioner can typically find five to ten in a twenty-minute session, sometimes only two or three, and that the session ends when muscle testing indicates the body has done enough for now. A first session may also include time to explain the method and answer your questions.
What might I feel during and after?
People report a range of experiences. Some feel relaxed, lighter or tearful during the session; many notice nothing in particular. Discover Healing tells practitioners to warn clients about what it calls processing: in the day or two afterward some people feel tired, emotional, tearful or even sick, which it says is usually mild. Some practitioners suggest drinking water and resting.
These are the method's descriptions, not medical ones. If you feel physically unwell after a session, or emotionally worse in a way that worries you, contact a doctor or therapist rather than assuming it is part of the process. In an emergency call 911, or call or text 988. Our page on whether the Emotion Code is safe has more.
What should I ask before booking?
Every practitioner runs their own practice, so it is worth asking these questions before a first session, including of Laura.
- How long is a session, and is the first one longer?
- Is it in person, by phone or by video, and does it involve any touch?
- What does it cost, how is it paid, and what is the cancellation policy?
- Do you open with a prayer or anything spiritual, and can I opt out?
- What will you ask me about, and do I have to share details of past events?
- What notes do you keep, and who sees them?
- What do you tell clients the Emotion Code can and cannot do?
- What happens if I become upset, or mention a health problem?
What about a first session with Laura?
Laura Bass is a certified Emotion Code practitioner and a psychotherapist, and she keeps the two as separate pathways. The details of her Emotion Code sessions, including length, format and fee, are not listed on this page; please ask Laura directly. You can also read about Emotion Code sessions with Laura, return to the Emotion Code guide, or see how many sessions people typically have.
Common questions
Do I need to prepare for an Emotion Code session?
Not in any special way. Wear comfortable clothes, bring any questions, and think about what you would like to focus on, though you do not need a specific issue. If you have an implanted medical device such as a pacemaker, mention it, since some magnets can interfere with such devices. Keep taking any prescribed medication as usual.
Do I have to talk about painful memories?
Usually very little. In the method as Discover Healing describes it, a practitioner may identify an age or ask briefly about an event, but detailed discussion is not required, and you can decline to share anything. If you find painful memories surfacing and staying with you, that is a good reason to talk with a licensed therapist, who can help in ways an energy session is not designed to.
Will I feel something happen?
Perhaps, perhaps not. Some people describe feeling calmer or lighter, some feel emotional, and many notice nothing during the session itself. Discover Healing describes possible tiredness or emotion for a day or two afterward. None of these reactions is a sign that the method's mechanism is real or unreal; how you feel is simply how you feel.
Can I bring someone with me, or do a session for someone else?
Some practitioners welcome a support person, and the method also includes remote and proxy sessions done on another person's behalf. Proxy work on another adult raises questions about consent that are worth thinking through first. Whether Laura offers remote or proxy sessions is something to ask her directly; our page on remote and proxy sessions explains how the method describes them.