Single-Issue EMDR Intensive Therapy
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If there’s one specific experience, memory, or pattern you want to work with more deeply, a Single-Issue EMDR Intensive offers a focused and contained way to do that.
This format is designed for times when you don’t want to spread the work across many concerns or over long stretches of weekly therapy, but instead want dedicated time, structure, and pacing to focus on one clearly defined issue.
What is a Single-Issue EMDR Intensive?
Single-Issue EMDR Intensives focus on one particular experience or pattern.
The work stays contained and steady, allowing deeper processing without pulling in multiple layers at once.
Examples May Include:
A specific or recent event, such as a breakup, workplace incident, legal or financial shock, or sudden life change
A strong nervous-system response tied to one trigger, like anxiety after a particular moment, sleep disruption linked to a memory, or feeling “stuck” around a specific experience
Ongoing effects of a single major event, such as loss, a natural disaster, or another life-altering experience that continues to linger
When a Single-Issue Intensive may be a Good Fit
Fit is always explored collaboratively, with attention to what feels supportive and sustainable for you. A Single-Issue EMDR Intensive may feel like a good fit if:
How Single-Issue EMDR Intensives Are Structured Here
Each Single-Issue EMDR Intensive is intentionally designed around your needs rather than a predetermined length. The structure and pacing are shaped by your specific needs, goals, and nervous system readiness.
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Consultation
The process begins with a free, virtual consultation to explore whether an EMDR intensive feels like a good fit.Pre-Intensive Assessment + Preparation Session
If we move forward, you’ll schedule a 90-minute individual session to assess fit, clarify goals, map out your intensive program, and build internal supports before the intensive.
During this session, we’ll identify tentative intensive dates but dates are reserved once the deposit is received.Intensive Program
Depending on the nature and timing of what you’re working through, the intensive itself may be scheduled as:Half-day (4 hours)
Often sufficient for a recent or clearly defined single incident.Full day (8 hours)
Sometimes helpful when the experience is more activating or needs additional time to settle and integrate.One to three days
May be recommended when working with ongoing stress or longer-standing patterns that still feel relatively contained.
When more than one day is recommended, sessions may be scheduled consecutively or spaced out, depending on needs and availability.
Post-Intensive Follow-Up
A follow-up session (typically 60 minutes) is scheduled to support integration and discuss next steps after the intensive. -
Consultation
The initial consultation is free.Standard Session Rate
My standard therapy rate is $200 per 50 minutes. All intensive-related sessions are billed using this same rate, based on time.Pre-Intensive Assessment + Preparation Session
The required 90-minute assessment and preparation session is $360.Intensive Program
Intensive time is billed based on the total time scheduled:Half-day (4 hours): $960
Full day (8 hours): $1,920
You are billed only for the time used, rounded by the half day. For example:
If a full-day intensive is scheduled and the work concludes before the half-day mark, you’re billed for a half day.
If a full-day intensive is scheduled and the work extends beyond the half-day mark (even if we finish early in the afternoon), the full-day rate applies.
If a half-day intensive is scheduled and the work concludes early, you’re billed for the half day.
If a half-day intensive naturally extends beyond the scheduled half-day mark, the full-day rate applies.
A 50% deposit is required to reserve intensive time. Tentative dates discussed during the assessment are not held until the deposit is received. The remaining balance is collected after the intensive, based on the time used.
Post-Intensive Follow-Up
The 60-minute follow-up session is $240.
Who This Format May Not Be the Right Starting Point For
A Single-Issue EMDR Intensive may not be the best place to start if:
What you’re dealing with feels layered, diffuse, or hard to narrow to one focus
You’re still needing more stabilization or foundational support
A slower, more gradual pace feels more regulating right now
You’re unsure what you want to work on yet
In those situations, other EMDR formats may offer a more supportive entry point.
Frequently Asked Questions About Single-Issue EMDR Intensives
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Single-issue EMDR intensives are usually shorter than multi-day intensives. Most often, they range from a half-day to a full day, depending on what you want to work on and what feels supportive for your system.
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You don’t need perfect clarity, but it helps to have a general sense of the issue you’d like to focus on. We explore this together beforehand to make sure the scope feels clear, contained, and workable.
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Yes, in many cases it can be. I use EMDR approaches that were specifically developed to support recent and ongoing stressors, with an emphasis on stabilization, containment, and preventing symptoms from becoming more entrenched. We look carefully at timing, readiness, and what your system needs right now to make sure this format supports integration rather than adding strain. That decision is always made collaboratively, with safety and pacing as priorities.
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Not necessarily. Some people use a single-issue intensive as a focused piece of their broader therapy work, while others use it alongside or between periods of ongoing therapy. What matters most is choosing a format that fits where you are right now.