Increasing Requests for EMDR Intensives
Here at EMDR Center of Denver, we have received an increasing number of folks reaching out to us requesting that we provide EMDR intensives. When we explained that intensives are not something that we (previously) offered, people would review the specific reasons EMDR intensives, rather than traditional 50 minute EMDR sessions, worked better for their therapy needs, their work or personal schedules, and their lives. In response to this, we dug into the research regarding EMDR intensives (please see below), and were amazed at the rapid relief they can offer. We have since begun offering EMDR Intensives.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has gained recognition for its effectiveness in treating trauma, anxiety, anger, depression, and a variety of other mental health issues. Traditionally, EMDR occurs over weekly 50 minute sessions, but a growing number of folks are requesting EMDR intensives—an approach where someone engages in several hours of EMDR therapy over a condensed period, often in one or two days at a time. This intensive format offers a number of unique benefits for those seeking faster, more rapid relief generally saving folks time, money, and needless suffering. In this blog post, we’ll explore seven specific advantages of EMDR intensives and why they may be the right choice for certain people.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a type of therapy that helps folks process traumatic memories and distressing experiences by using bilateral stimulation (usually in the form of eye movements). It allows the brain to reprocess memories and shift them from a state of emotional overwhelm to a more neutral, integrated place. EMDR is particularly effective for individuals dealing with trauma, but it has also shown success in treating anxiety, phobias, grief, and even performance issues like public speaking.
What Are EMDR Intensives?
In traditional EMDR therapy, folks usually attend one-hour or 50 minute sessions each week over a span of several months. However, EMDR intensives compress this timeline by having folks engage in multiple, extended therapy sessions within one or two days. Depending on the therapist’s approach and the client’s needs, intensives can last anywhere from 3–8 hours per day, with a focus on processing significant trauma or emotional wounds in a condensed period. At EMDR Center of Denver, we offer three hour and six hour EMDR intensives with weekday, weekend, and evening availability. The person utilizing an intensive through EMDR Center of Denver, can take breaks throughout the intensive as needed or schedule as many three or six hour intensives as preferred for more immediate, rapid relief.
7 Specific Benefits of EMDR Intensives:
1. Accelerated, More Rapid Relief
One of the primary benefits of EMDR intensives is the speed of reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, unwanted intrusive thoughts, etc., can occur. Traditional therapy often spans many months or even years, requiring the client to return week after week. With intensives, clients experience hours of EMDR work in a short time, allowing for deeper processing and faster relief. This means that clients can often achieve significant progress in a fraction of the time, which is especially helpful for those dealing with chronic trauma, anxiety, or issues that feel all-consuming.
By immersing in therapy for several hours each day, clients have the opportunity to work through multiple layers of trauma in one go, resulting in a more cohesive and comprehensive experience. The concentrated focus can accelerate breakthroughs that may take months to achieve in a more traditional, weekly session format.
2. Save time and money
An overly simplified and occasionally misapplied quote of Jerzy Gregorek is, “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” Anything someone desires to obtain (physical fitness, a job promotion, emotional peace, etc) usually involves discomfort and consistent engagement in potentially unpleasant tasks. Engaging in EMDR involves emotional work that generally involves discomfort. While bringing most rapid relief, the process of therapy itself can potentially be emotionally and even physically draining much like working out at the gym for a fitness goal. An intensive can be a one or two-time commitment that can provide sometimes immediate relief in comparison to engagement in a weekly “piecemeal” approach to addressing aspects of suffering or pain only 50 minutes at a time.
While EMDR intensives may seem more expensive upfront due to the longer sessions, they can actually save clients money in the long run. Traditional therapy often requires numerous weekly sessions over many months, which can add up to a significant financial investment. By seeking relief in a condensed period, clients may need fewer sessions overall, ultimately reducing the total cost of therapy.
Condensing an EMDR commitment to a couple of concentrated weekend mornings or afternoons can save time, money, and hassle, as well as unnecessary suffering.
3. Deeper Emotional Processing
The intensity and concentration of EMDR intensives allow for deep emotional processing that often isn’t as conducive in shorter, weekly sessions. EMDR relies on the brain’s natural ability to process traumatic memories by mimicking the REM sleep cycle through eye movements. Due to this “therapy hack” of bilateral stimulation, folks can experience rapid emotional relief and resolution during an intensive. By focusing solely on the therapeutic process over an extended period, the client’s emotional and cognitive defenses may lower, allowing more profound relief and the reduction in unwanted depression, anxiety, anger, etc.
When folks engage in a traditional 50 minute therapy session, there is often not enough time to fully process the traumatic memory or emotion. With intensives, the longer sessions provide ample time to delve into and resolve the trauma without being interrupted by external distractions. This deeper work can be emotionally exhausting but ultimately leads to a greater sense of peace and resolution.
4. Stronger potential connection to the therapist
Intensive EMDR therapy offers an opportunity for therapists and clients to build a stronger working relationship. Since the therapy is condensed into a short period, clients and therapists can develop trust and rapport more quickly. This strong therapeutic alliance is essential for clients to feel safe enough to process painful memories and emotions. It allows the therapist to provide more personalized, empathetic care, making the emotional work smoother and more effective.
For clients who may struggle with opening up in traditional therapy due to fear of judgment or vulnerability, the intensiveness of the format can help them let down their defenses more quickly. Working in a focused environment where the client and therapist have time to fully engage with the healing process creates an atmosphere of trust and emotional safety.
5. More progress, Less wait
In traditional weekly or bi-monthly therapy, folks usually go through emotional highs and lows between sessions. This can lead to emotional buildup or a need to first “catch up” on the week at the beginning of each session when they first see their therapist. While such check-ins can certainly be helpful and needed, they can reduce the actual EMDR work that can occur with the remaining session time. EMDR intensives lessen this by allowing folks to work through significant emotional material in a single session. This reduces the emotional gap between sessions, helping clients process and release difficult feelings without the prolonged wait.
For many folks, consistent, ongoing trauma work can feel discouraging, especially if they aren’t seeing immediate progress. The concentrated effort of EMDR intensives helps clients avoid this frustration by providing a clear sense of accomplishment after each session. This can have a powerful impact on a person’s self-esteem and sense of control over their healing journey.
6. A Break from Routine
Many folks seek out EMDR intensives as a way to take a break from their daily routine and focus solely on getting relief from what brings them in. Life’s demands, such as work, family, and social obligations, often make it difficult to dedicate time to doing the work of therapy. With an intensive, clients can set aside everything else and focus solely on getting the relief they are craving.
This break from the usual routine allows folks to deeply engage in self-care, making it easier to commit to the process and avoid distractions that may interfere. The intense focus of the intensive can be life-changing, as folks have space to delve into the things holding them down so they can better create the lives they want.
7. Highly Customized Treatment Plan
EMDR intensives allow therapists to create a highly customized treatment plan based on the specific needs of the person. Because the client and therapist work so closely and intensely, the therapist can more easily identify which memories or issues need to be addressed and adjust the approach rapidly and accordingly.
This personalization makes EMDR intensives an excellent choice for folks who feel the issue at hand is all-consuming and they crave immediate relief. The flexibility of the intensive format allows therapists to adapt their techniques and work through the most pressing issues in an expedited manner.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR Intensives?
EMDR intensives offer more rapid relief from depression, anxiety, grief and loss, and trauma in a compressed period of time. EMDR intensives are not for everyone, and they may not be suitable for folks who are new to therapy or have severe mental health conditions that require ongoing, slower-paced work. However, they can be extremely beneficial for those who:
• Have busy work or personal schedules during the week where meeting for an EMDR intensive on the weekend works better for their schedule or energy levels.
• Have already done some therapy and are ready to dive deeper into their personal work.
• Want to resolve an emotional issue quickly (e.g., survivors of recent traumatic events).
• Struggle with the consistency of weekly therapy and prefer faster results.
• Are highly motivated and emotionally ready to engage in intensive work.
Interested in learning more regarding EMDR Intensives? Please contact us to schedule a free 15 minute consultation today.
Supporting Research regarding the Effectiveness of EMDR Intensives:
Intensive EMDR to Treat Patients With Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series (Bongaerts, Hannelies, Van Minnen, Agnes, de Jongh, Ad Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, Vol 11, Issue 2, Jan 2017, DOI: 10.1891/1933-3196.11.2.84)
Jeanne Cross, LCSW, LAC
Jeanne Cross has more than ten years of experience working with adults. She is formally trained in EMDR and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and specializes in helping people find relief from depression, anxiety, grief and loss, addiction, and trauma. She has both a License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW) and License in Addiction Counseling (LAC). She graduated with a Master’s in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Master’s in Divinity from Duke University with esteemed honors including the Robert E Bryan Public Service Award and Bosch Award from UNC at Chapel Hill and the McMurray Richey Outstanding Student Award, Marsha Sterns Award, and Addie Davis Leadership Nominee from Duke University. Jeanne’s career has taken her everywhere from training a team of social workers in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) who assisted children removed from human trafficking in the Philippines to helping people find relief from depression, addiction, grief and loss, and anxiety in outpatient, residential, and hospital settings. She looks forward to working with you!