EMDR Intensives

An EMDR Intensive uses the same evidence-based EMDR therapy approach as traditional EMDR, but sessions are scheduled in longer blocks of time. This allows us to focus more intentionally on a particular concern, experience, or therapeutic goal without being limited by the structure of a standard weekly session. 

Weekly therapy can be a good fit for many people, but there are times when a longer, more focused session may be helpful. An intensive may be worth considering when you want to focus on a specific issue, feel that weekly sessions end just as you're getting into meaningful work, or prefer to dedicate concentrated time to your healing. 

No two intensives are exactly alike. Your intensive is thoughtfully planned around your history, goals, readiness, and current needs. Together, we’ll identify what you want to focus on and develop a plan that allows for preparation, focused processing, breaks, grounding, and closure at a pace that feels appropriate for you. 

Before your intensive, we’ll meet for an 80-minute preparation session to discuss your history, goals, and what you’d like to focus on. We’ll also assess readiness, identify resources and grounding strategies, and develop an individualized plan for your intensive. 

During your 3- or 6-hour intensive, we’ll work with the goals and targets identified during preparation. The extended format allows time for focused EMDR processing as well as grounding, reflection, and breaks as needed. We’ll continually attend to your responses and adjust the pace of the session based on what you need. 

After your intensive, you may notice continued processing, new insights, emotions, or shifts in how you experience the material we worked on. A follow-up session provides space to check in, reflect on what has emerged, and determine whether additional support or EMDR work would be helpful. 

Your intensive begins with an individualized plan developed during your preparation session. Together, we'll identify your goals, determine an appropriate focus for the intensive, and establish resources and strategies to support you throughout the process. 

The extended session allows dedicated time for EMDR processing without the time constraints of a traditional therapy session. We’ll work with the identified targets while continually attending to your responses, readiness, and pace throughout the session. 

Intensives are not designed to be hours of continuous processing. We’ll incorporate breaks, grounding, and opportunities to pause throughout the session based on your needs. The pace is flexible and can be adjusted at any point. 

Time is reserved at the end of your intensive to help you transition out of the work, reflect on what emerged, and reconnect with grounding resources before the session ends. We’ll also discuss what you may notice afterward and any recommendations for continued support or follow-up.