EMDR Intensives
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that effectively treats trauma and trauma symptoms without re-traumatizing in the way that traditional talk therapy can.
EMDR Intensives are accelerated treatment programs for trauma. Rather than traditional weekly EMDR sessions, EMDR Intensives include one 90 minute session one to two weeks prior to the intensive (via telehealth or in-person) to begin resourcing and create the treatment plan, and one to three 3-hour Intensive EMDR sessions. A 30-minute follow-up session (telehealth or in-person) to go over an after-care plan within two weeks of the Intensive is also included.
During this time, we move through the phases of EMDR and process as much of the trauma as possible. The advantages of EMDR Intensives include:
Creating progress in a shorter period of time
Accelerating the reduction of trauma symptoms
Intensives may better support your professional or personal schedule
Focused, collaborative attention to the pain points you are interested in healing
In essence, EMDR Intensives are the equivalent of one to three months of weekly EMDR Therapy.
While many clients are excited to participate in the EMDR intensives, a gentle reminder that we always share is that this is intensive therapy. It’s important that during the EMDR Intensive, clients create time to focus on self-care so that they are able to do the EMDR work effectively. People often report feeling tired after EMDR sessions as EMDR is an intense process and these intensives are accelerated.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will an EMDR intensive heal all of my trauma?
This is an excellent question. While the goal is to significantly reduce the identified trauma you wish to target and work on, no therapist can guarantee results, and each person and their trauma history is different. What we get to do is dependent on your trauma history and how you respond to EMDR work.
When do you suggest I schedule the EMDR intensive?
Some clients prefer to take vacation days, however, other clients prefer to blend the intensive into their current schedules. We suggest setting up your intensive during a time where you can practice self-care directly after your EMDR sessions.
Where do the EMDR intensives take place?
The EMDR intensives take place in person at Beach Cities Psychotherapy in Hermosa Beach, CA. If you are not local, I can provide a list of local hotels within walking distance to my office which is located across the street from the beach in Hermosa. During your EMDR Intensive, if you choose to stay in Hermosa Beach, you will also be in the center of a beach town within walking distance to restaurants, the beach, and the pier.
Is everyone a good candidate for EMDR or an EMDR intensive?
My top priority is to ensure that an EMDR intensive is a good fit for you. Before scheduling an intensive, I provide a 20-minute screening and assessment to make sure that this is the right treatment for you at this time.
What happens after the intensive?
I will work with you to create an aftercare plan and go over this with you based on the progress made during the EMDR intensive. If additional EMDR is warranted, we will create a plan that will support you in this. This plan may include individual therapy or referral recommendations depending on your individual needs. The aftercare recommendations may also include group therapy suggestions, and other supportive resources to assist you as you move forward in your healing journey.
Want to know more about what it’s like? Visit my blog here where I share my experience with EMDR Intensives on both sides of the couch.
If you have further questions after reviewing the above, or if you’d like to schedule an assessment to determine if an EMDR Intensive is a good fit for you, please contact Whitney Boole, LMFT (Lic#93107) and founder of Beach Cities Psychotherapy at 310-989-6465 or whitney@beachcitiespsych.com.
