What are EMDR intensives?
EMDR intensives are a way of experiencing the benefits of EMDR therapy in a concentrated and accelerated way.
CONCENTRATED
We’ll focus on one challenge or memory for an extensive period of time or till it is resolved, whichever comes first.
ACCELERATED
This means more EMDR therapy in a short span of time. For example, you might choose a weekend EMDR intensive of six hours, which is more than 7 x 50 mins sessions over 3 months of fortnightly sessions.
If ongoing therapy is slowly tending to a garden, piece by piece, and taking your time to treat the soil, plant new seeds and nurture the growth over many seasons, EMDR intensives is more like fixing one key issue by focusing on it, uninterrupted, over the course of a weekend.
It’s all about helping you find the therapeutic solutions that align with your goals.
While I’m deeply invested in building supportive relationships with my long-term therapy clients, I know that structure doesn’t suit everyone.
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Perhaps the weekly or fortnightly sessions cause you to feel a heavy weight in the hours or days beforehand. Perhaps you’re someone who simply want to be done with your targeted issue, as quickly as possible.
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I don’t want you to feel that you have no choice but to endure long-term therapy in order to heal. I want you to know other options are available, and EMDR intensives could be the treatment that works best for you.
EMDR intensives may be a good fit if you:
Are ready to address the issue that has not been moving in weekly or fortnightly therapy.
Are highly motivated to change some aspect of your life. (Like getting a root canal with clarity around exactly which tooth is causing trouble.)
Prefer to save time by avoiding checking in and wrapping up in every 50 mins sessions.
Are able to experience the spectrum of emotions including intense emotions and be present with these experiences.
Are not interested in traditional 50 mins sessions due to time constraints or other commitments.
Have stable resources like people (family and friends), income, accommodation etc.
If you work with another therapist in a traditional weekly or fortnightly sessions and would like to work on a specific issue as an adjunct therapy.
EMDR intensives may NOT be a good fit if you:
Are looking for a supportive, long-term therapeutic bond with your therapist.
Are looking for a supportive space to navigate life twists and turns - access sessions on a needs basis (intermittently)
You are physically or mentally unwell, or dealing with significant stress in your personal life. These issues might need ongoing support.
You use active addiction of alcohol or other substances to cope.
You experience significant dissociation as a strategy
Are involved in a legal case related to the trauma you want to seek treatment for.
Some of the issues that EMDR intensives can help you with.
Intrusive thoughts and nightmare
Painful memories associated with past trauma
Low self-esteem
Persistent feelings of negativity
Emotional numbing
Attachment injuries
Workplace issues
Phobias
Please note some of these challenges might need more than one intensive session.
How it works:
STEP 1
DISCOVERY CALL
Jump in on a phone call or zoom call for a quick chat to meet and ask your questions. During the call, we discuss the structure of intensive sessions. Ideally, 3 x 2 hour sessions within 12 weeks . Other options are single day - 6 hr session, 2 days sessions 4 hrs one day and 2 hrs the next day, or weekend.
STEP 3
INTENSIVE EMDR SESSION
Here we get into the work. It is hard work, you will likely experience some big emotions, new understandings, resources etc. Please treat it like a day procedure. Make sure you are doing well-being activities that are resourcing and resourceful. Please do not return to conflicts or stressful situations after your intensive sessions. The process continues after you leave the office for 48 hours and sometimes up to week.
STEP 2
ASSESSMENT SESSION
Initial session of 1.5 hours. Here we go into details of history, your strengths, your challenges, your goals for intensives, some assessments and make a plan for intensives as well as mark it in the calendar.
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STEP 4
FOLLOW-UP SESSION
50 min session after two weeks of our last intensive session. Here we do check in on our goals as well as plans for future work, if needed.
I welcome you to reach out and see if EMDR intensives could be a pathway for you to move past old hurts and heal.
Book your discovery call
