EMDR Intensive Therapy
Online in California • Illinois • Florida
What is EMDR Intensive Therapy?
EMDR intensive therapy is a time-limited, focused approach to trauma processing that takes place over one or several extended sessions rather than weekly appointments.
Instead of spreading the work across many weeks or months, intensives provide dedicated time and continuity to work with specific memories, patterns, or relational themes that are ready to be processed.
This format is not crisis intervention and not a replacement for all ongoing therapy, but a structured option when deeper processing is clinically appropriate within a contained period of care.
Why having more, uninterrupted session time can change what’s possible in therapy →
Why Choose an EMDR Intensive?
You might consider an EMDR intensive if you’re looking for a way to engage trauma work with more focus and continuity than standard weekly sessions allow.
Intensives are often considered when:
Weekly sessions feel too brief or fragmented for the depth of work you’re ready for
You want a contained period of focus rather than spreading the work over many months
You’ve done therapy before and want to work more directly with specific memories or patterns
Scheduling, travel, or life responsibilities make consistent weekly therapy difficult
You’re seeking momentum while still prioritizing safety and nervous system support
An intensive is not about doing therapy “faster,” but about creating the conditions needed for effective processing when shorter sessions are not enough for your needs, capacity, and goals at this point in time.
Intensive Formats Offered Here
EMDR intensives in this practice are tailored to the nature and scope of the work you’re bringing in. Two primary intensive formats offered are:
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Single-Issue EMDR Intensive
Focused processing around a specific, clearly defined experience or concern that feels contained and ready for direct work.
Examples may include:
→ a single traumatic or distressing event
→ a specific phobia, fear, or trigger
→ a recent loss, medical experience, or acute stressor -
Story-Clearing EMDR Intensive
Multi-layered processing for experiences that unfold over time and don’t feel tied to one moment.
Examples may include:
→ the same emotional or relational patterns keep resurfacing
→ reactions feel disproportionate, familiar, or hard to interrupt
→ there isn’t a single memory to target, but a “story” that unfolds across time
Who EMDR Intensives May be a Good Fit For
EMDR intensives offer focused, extended trauma processing for people who have enough stability and support to engage in deeper work. Fit is always explored collaboratively through assessment, with attention to pacing, safety, and nervous system capacity.
An EMDR intensive may be a good fit if you:
Have some prior therapy experience and can stay present with your internal experience
Want to work more directly with specific memories, experiences, or stuck relational patterns
Are seeking focused processing rather than spreading the work over many months
Feel ready for structured, time-limited trauma work with clear pacing and support
An EMDR intensive may not be the best fit right now if you:
Need additional stabilization before engaging in extended trauma processing
Experience frequent or unmanaged dissociation during emotional activation
Do not yet have enough internal or external support for integration after intensive work
Readiness is always assessed together. The goal is to choose a pace that supports meaningful processing—without pushing beyond what feels safe or sustainable.
EMDR Intensive Therapy
vs Weekly Therapy
Both EMDR intensives and weekly therapy can be meaningful ways to work with trauma. The difference is less about effectiveness and more about structure, pacing, and timing.
Weekly therapy often provides:
Ongoing support over time
Space for reflection and relationship-building
Trauma processing in smaller segments
Time between sessions for integration
EMDR intensive therapy often offers:
Extended, uninterrupted time for trauma processing
Greater continuity and focus within a contained period
A clear beginning and end to a phase of work
Fewer start-and-stop transitions between sessions
More of the session devoted to processing itself
Some people use intensives alongside weekly therapy, while others choose an intensive during a specific chapter of life when focused work feels more supportive. What matters most is choosing a structure that aligns with your nervous system, capacity, and goals right now.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Intensive Therapy
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EMDR intensives can vary in length depending on the focus and scope of the work. In this practice, intensives most commonly range from half a day to several full days, with many falling between one and five days.
The specific structure is determined through assessment, taking into account readiness, nervous system capacity, and what will best support safe and effective trauma processing. Not everyone needs the same amount of time, and the goal is always to choose a pace that feels supportive rather than overwhelming.
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Integration is an important part of trauma work. After an intensive, we focus on supporting nervous system regulation, meaning-making, and applying what emerged during processing to daily life. Follow-up planning is discussed so you’re not left to navigate the aftermath on your own.
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In some cases, yes. When someone has experienced a recent shock, loss, or traumatic event, a well-timed and well-contained intensive can support integration before stress responses become more entrenched. Readiness is assessed carefully to ensure the work feels stabilizing and supportive, rather than overwhelming.
Next Steps
If you’re considering an EMDR intensive, the next step is to reach out with questions about readiness, timing, or how an intensive might fit alongside other forms of support you’re already using.
From there, we can talk through options thoughtfully and determine what pacing and structure would feel most stabilizing and appropriate for your needs.
To see how intensive therapy fits within the broader EMDR care model, visit the Services Overview page.