Transforming Trauma with EMDR:
A Path to Healing and Growth
Understanding EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy designed to help you process and heal from traumatic experiences.
By using guided eye movements and other bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps 'unstick' distressing memories, allowing your brain to reframe them and restore emotional balance
The 8 Phases of EMDR
Phase 1
History Taking: Identify activating events and triggers
Phase 2
Preparation: Learn relaxation and grounding techniques
Phase 3
Assessment: Target specific memories for reprocessing
Phase 4
Desensitization: Reduce stress through bilateral stimulation
Phase 5
Installation: Strengthen positive beliefs
Phase 6
Body Scan: Addressing lingering physical tension
Phase 7
Closure: Reground and regain emotional balance
Phase 8
Reevaluation: Measure progress and adjust as needed
This structured, step-by-step approach ensures your healing process is both safe and effective.
Each phase is carefully tailored to your needs, helping you find relief from past trauma and gain greater emotional resilience.
So...then what is an EMDR Intensive
An EMDR Intensive involves extended therapy sessions, typically 3 to 5 hours per day over several consecutive days.
This focused approach enables deeper and faster processing of trauma and related emotions, often achieving significant progress in a shorter time.
A 15-hour intensive can provide results comparable to—or even surpassing—six months of weekly therapy sessions.
Why Choose an EMDR Intensive?
Accelerated Progress
Efficiency
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Tailor to Individual Needs
Continuity and Integration
• Time-Saving: For those with busy schedules or those who are unable to commit to regular weekly therapy, intensives provide a more efficient way to receive treatment.
• Fewer Disruptions: Intensive therapy reduces the number of transitions between daily life and therapy sessions, allowing for a more immersive therapeutic experience.
• Rapid Results: EMDR intensives are designed to deliver significant therapeutic progress in a shorter timeframe compared to traditional weekly sessions. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who need immediate relief from their symptoms.
• Focused Work: Intensive sessions allow for deep and sustained focus on specific issues, which can lead to more effective processing of traumatic memories and quicker resolution of symptoms.
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In-depth Processing
• Comprehensive Approach: Intensives offer the opportunity to address multiple layers of trauma and related issues in a cohesive and uninterrupted manner.
• Continuous Support: With extended sessions, clients receive continuous support from their therapist, which can enhance the therapeutic relationship and provide a greater sense of safety and trust.
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• Customized Treatment: Each intensive session is tailored to meet the unique needs of the client, ensuring that the therapy is relevant and effective.
• Flexible Scheduling: Intensives can be scheduled over a few days or weeks, offering flexibility to fit into the client’s lifestyle and availability.
• Consistent Progress: Intensive sessions reduce the gap between sessions, helping to maintain momentum and continuity in the therapeutic process.
• Integration Time: Following an intensive, clients often have time to integrate the work done, which can lead to deeper insights and lasting change.
The Research
Research on EMDR intensives shows substantial benefits for reducing trauma symptoms, particularly in cases of PTSD. One study found that after a five-day intensive program, participants showed significant symptom reduction, with some no longer meeting PTSD criteria after 21 days (Mendez et al., 2018). Similarly, EMDR intensives for adolescent refugees led to decreased PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms after just two days of group sessions (Smyth-Dent et al., 2019). These findings highlight the accelerated healing process made possible by EMDR intensives.
Other studies underscore the effectiveness of combining EMDR with other trauma-focused therapies. In a trial where participants received both Prolonged Exposure (PE) and EMDR, those who began with PE saw better outcomes and symptom relief (Van Minnen et al., 2020). Additionally, intensive EMDR and Progressive Counting (PC) therapy produced lasting improvements in PTSD symptoms and overall quality of life, with clients seeing significant progress within two weeks to three months post-treatment (Greenwald, 2020). These results indicate that EMDR intensives can offer rapid and lasting relief from trauma-related symptoms.
Is EMDR Right for You?
Ready to explore accelerated healing? My EMDR Intensive quiz can help you determine if this focused approach is the best fit for your journey. Answer a few quick questions and gain clarity on how an EMDR Intensive could support your goals.
It takes just a few minutes to complete!
Get tailored feedback based on your answers. Learn if you’re ready for an intensive and what to expect.
My EMDR Intensive Process
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Free 30-Minute Consultation: We’ll discuss your goals, the process, and costs to see if an EMDR Intensive is right for you. If we're a good fit, we'll schedule a pre-intensive session.
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Pre-Intensive Session: We'll explore your treatment targets, assess symptoms, create a treatment plan, and schedule your Intensives.
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EMDR Intensive Workbook: A guide to help identify targets, track progress between sessions, and integrate new insights.
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Intensive Sessions: 3 to 5 hour sessions for 1 to 3 days, finished in one week or a weekend.
All sessions are via Telehealth.
Attention is given to self-care and providing a comfortable environment. Look for a gift in the mail from me to help you achieve this!