EMDR Intensive Program

You may be wondering how EMDR Intensive work differs from regular weekly sessions. EMDR intensives consist of more focused and targeted work compared to the traditional 45–60-minute sessions. In weekly sessions, there is more disruption to time spent in EMDR due to checking in at the beginning of the session and closing down of a session. Often, this can result in only 25-40 minutes of EMDR work per week. 

You may be considering how this type of treatment is beneficial for your therapeutic needs. Consider the following questions; Am I at a point where I feel stuck in the therapeutic process? Do my sessions feel more of a band aid for my weekly stressors? Do I feel I am making changes on a deeper level? Am I having difficulty finding the emotional energy and time to commit to weekly sessions? Do I have other priorities in life (work/school/family) that prevent me from being completely present each week for session? Have I experienced a recent, single incident stressor that is causing disruption in my daily life?

The intensive format may decrease overall treatment time because we are not spending time with a check in at the beginning, addressing current concerns or crises brought about from the week prior, focusing on stabilizing from that week’s distress and closing down a session. EMDR intensives can also be an appropriate option for single incident traumas or stressors (i.e., car accident, recent stressful life event such as job loss, divorce or medical event). EMDR intensives can also be beneficial to strengthen adaptive beliefs, pleasant body sensations and adaptive memories. It is helpful to think of EMDR intensive work as accelerated therapy, with the overall goal of decreasing disturbance and increasing healthy, adaptive functioning in everyday life. Research has shown that intensive therapeutic work over a shorter time frame can lead to greater reduction of symptoms, quickly reduced symptoms and reduces the risk of client drop out from therapy.