EMDR Intensives
A focused and carefully planned way of delivering EMDR therapy
EMDR intensives are a more concentrated way of delivering EMDR therapy for trauma and other distressing experiences.
Rather than meeting weekly for 60 or 90 minutes, an intensive may involve longer sessions, sessions delivered more frequently, or a focused block of EMDR therapy over several days.
It is still EMDR therapy. It is not a different therapy, and it does not move away from the standard EMDR model.
The difference is the structure and pacing of the work. The aim is to create a more focused and protected space for processing trauma, distressing memories and difficult life experiences, with less of the stop-start pattern that can sometimes happen when sessions are spread out weekly.
For some clients, this can help maintain momentum and allow the work to feel more contained. An intensive may focus on a particular traumatic event or experience, or form part of a longer therapeutic process where there are multiple or more complex trauma-related difficulties.
Why might someone choose an EMDR intensive?
Some people find weekly therapy difficult because of work, travel, caring responsibilities, shift patterns, location or anxiety about returning each week.
Others may prefer to set aside a specific period of time to focus on trauma therapy or EMDR processing, rather than having sessions spread across many months.
EMDR intensives may also be considered when there are clearly identified memories, experiences or trauma targets and the client has completed sufficient assessment and preparation to move safely into processing.
For some people, this might involve working with the effects of a specific traumatic experience, childhood trauma, relationship trauma, abuse, loss, accident, illness or another distressing event. The suitability of intensive EMDR depends on the individual rather than the type of experience alone.
An intensive does not mean rushing therapy. It means working in a more focused and contained way, where this is clinically appropriate.
Is an EMDR intensive suitable for everyone?
No. EMDR intensives are not suitable for everyone.
Before offering an intensive, we complete an assessment to consider whether this approach is clinically appropriate. This includes thinking about your history, current stability, support network, trauma symptoms, ability to use regulation strategies, current risks, and whether you can protect time to rest and recover between sessions.
Some clients may be ready to move into intensive processing relatively quickly. Others may need more preparation, stabilisation and nervous system regulation first. For some people, weekly EMDR or a slower, phased approach to trauma therapy may be more appropriate.
The question is not only whether EMDR is suitable.
The question is whether intensive EMDR is suitable right now.
Please contact me for more information about EMDR intensives.