EMDR Intensives
A quicker way to heal from trauma
EMDR guides individuals to reprocess memories and experiences more adaptively, improving our beliefs about ourselves and our abilities.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or completing homework between sessions. EMDR therapy allows the brain to resume its natural healing process by accessing memory networks through rapid eye movement, similar to deep REM sleep.
EMDR intensives can be especially effective at healing from:
Singular incident trauma
(e.g. car accident,
sexual assault,
medical trauma including difficult childbirth or unwanted caesarean,
natural disaster)
Complicated trauma
(e.g. ongoing physical, emotional, spiritual,
or sexual abuse;
growing up in a chaotic environment
or with a parent that struggled with addiction)
Negative core beliefs
(e.g. “I am not good enough,” “I am a failure,”
“I am unlovable,” etc.)
Why schedule an EMDR intensive vs. weekly therapy?
EMDR intensives are a concentrated and accelerated form of therapy. Intensives can be potent and transformative experiences that get deep to the root of the issue and pull out the weeds all in one dig. While weekly therapy can be powerful, it can be limiting to have to “close up the wound” after 45 minutes, just when you’re tapping into the core issues. EMDR intensives allow individuals to feel the pain and move through it in a swift and smoother manner rather than re-opening the wound every week.
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Process information in a faster amount of time: Much like a spiritual retreat, EMDR intensives allow individuals to transform mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually in a short amount of time – anywhere from 2-5 days.
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Save money: Due to the focused nature of sessions, EMDR intensives can actually be more cost-effective at healing from a specific trauma, rather than weekly therapy sessions where time is spent catching up on weekly events and daily stressors.
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Weekly therapy isn’t for everyone: Some people have schedules that make it challenging to attend regular sessions with a therapist – whether it’s due to long hours, frequent traveling, or childcare or caregiving responsibilities. EMDR intensives allow busy people time to focus on themselves and complete deep inner work.
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EMDR intensives can also be used as an adjunct therapy: Maybe you have a regular therapist you meet with for talk therapy or CBT and it feels like a great fit, but you’re still struggling with PTSD. EMDR intensives can allow you to get trauma-focused treatment that compliments the work you’re doing with your primary therapist.
The best part:
EMDR intensives allow you to complete up to
30 therapy sessions in 1 week
– that’s over six months of therapy by the end of just one week!
FAQs
How much does it cost?
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Full-day, virtual or in-person intensive: $1,500
This includes 6 hours of therapy with 1 hour break for lunch and stretch/bathroom breaks, as needed.
Half-day, virtual or in-person intensive: $750
This includes 3 hours of therapy at once, with one 15-minute break and additional stretch/bathroom breaks as needed.
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*Individuals must be located in the state of Massachusetts, Michigan, or Florida to receive virtual psychotherapy services.
How many days do intensives take?
It depends on the person and the issue(s) they are choosing to focus on. Typical EMDR intensives can take anywhere between 2-5 full days. EMDR intensives allow you to complete up to 30 therapy sessions in 1 week – that’s over six months of therapy by the end of just one week!
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Sessions are tailored to the individual’s needs and current capacity for reprocessing.
It is recommended individuals schedule in advance for a minimum of three days to ensure they are able to process the bulk of the trauma (if not all) and come out the other side. Some individuals with significant complicated trauma may require additional intensive sessions.
Typically, full-day sessions start at 9am and last until 4pm with a 1-hour break for lunch and bathroom/stretch breaks as needed.
Some individuals may request to have longer intensive afternoon sessions that last until about 5pm.
All sessions include personalized mindfulness practices to help re-ground before breaks and again at the end of the day.
How do you prepare for an intensive?
EMDR intensive sessions are similar to going on a personal spiritual retreat. It’s best to allow time outside of sessions to be unscheduled or filled only with self-care activities like exercise, body work (acupuncture or massage), and creative expression – drawing, painting, cooking.
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How do I sign up?
Individuals must first schedule an evaluation with Hannah before becoming eligible to sign up for intensive treatment. If Hannah feels that it is clinically appropriate (e.g. you demonstrate sufficient skills to cope with negative emotions that may arise from processing trauma), then you may schedule your EMDR intensive.
