The EMDR Intensive Program

Bonnie EMDR Lightbar

Accelerated Healing: Hope. Healing. A Way Forward.

EMDR helps us work through negative core beliefs and associated events/ memories along with the feelings, symptoms, and body sensations experienced at the time. Because of the powerful healing effect of EMDR therapy, intensives can accelerate the healing process.

What is Intensive EMDR Therapy?

EMDR Intensive Therapy is an individualized, short-term approach allowing for a dedicated period of time to focus on specific targets. Determining targets or goals for the intensive is collaborative with expert guidance aimed at providing impactful relief or change. This approach allows you to journey deeper and feel better faster. An intensive entails 3 to 4-hour sessions over multiple days, ideally during a condensed period of 1-2 weeks. Some prefer to work monthly on an intensive basis rather than weekly due to time constraints. We can individualize a plan just for you.

Rather than dealing with things on a weekly basis over an extended period of time, you can often work through many targeted issues intensively and fast track the healing and relief you seek as you look to move forward with your life. The EMDR Intensive Program is a personalized approach that can eliminate weeks or months of living with trauma symptoms.

The Intensive Program may be a good fit if:

  • You have been meaning to get into weekly therapy for a while now, but your schedule has been so hectic and demanding that a weekly therapy appointment feels more overwhelming than supportive.
  • You prefer an intensive approach and you do not want to spend months in the traditional weekly model of therapy treatment to feel better.
  • You are a current, weekly client who is needing extra, focused support to accelerate your progress or address a stuck point.
  • You are a current, weekly client and feel on the verge of a break through and an intensive is just what you need.
  • You are currently working with another “talk therapist” and feel EMDR may support your current treatment whether accelerating therapy or addressing stuck points. The Intensive Program is ideal for target goals in adjunct to your current therapy process.
  • You are a therapist that would like to seek therapy outside or your local community.
  • You experienced a recent traumatic event. Obtaining EMDR Early Intervention in the first three months following a traumatic or distressing event can help the brain “digest” the event which often overwhelms the brain’s natural healing process. By doing so, it can help prevent PTSD developing by promoting resilience.

More questions? Here are the most common questions about this Program

Research on intensive therapy is positive, showing:

  • Intensive trauma-focused therapy is well tolerated.
  • An intensive program using EMDR therapy is a safe and effective treatment alternative.
  • Compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease overall treatment time and cost.
  • Is effective with both single-incident and more complex trauma presentations.

 Your EMDR Intensive includes:

  • Consultation Call prior to scheduling an intensive. Consultations are not therapy; they are designed to explore your intensive therapy needs and goals.
  • A customized treatment program with targeted treatment goals, a journal to document insights and progress, and more.
  • A dedicated time and place for healing allowing you to step out of your day-to-day and prioritize healing and growth. We will both address what is hurting and enhance strengths or what is going well and feels good. Both are important to the healing process. In the EMDR world, we refer to this as resourcing.
  • Wellness add-on option. Our healing approach includes addressing the mind and body. As a result, clients are invited to add a massage to their intensive program. Click here to learn more.
  • A post-treatment follow-up to assess and support the positive changes from treatment and to determine continued care needs if any.

Are intensives worth the cost?

If you add up the weekly cost of therapy over several months or even more for some clients, you may be surprised to find intensives are more cost effective. Each half-day intensive is $690/day which is typically equal to months of therapy. 

Schedule your consultation call today!

Please click here to schedule your complimentary 30 minute EMDR Intensive Consultation with Bonnie Barclay, LCSW. This is an opportunity to speak directly with me prior to scheduling to clarify your counseling needs, goals, and how this accelerated approach can benefit you. During this call we will discuss the number of days recommended for your intensive. I look forward to talking soon.