What is an EMDR Intensive?
EMDR Intensives are prolonged EMDR sessions aimed at increasing the efficiency of memory processing. An intensive can help you feel less distress around traumatic events or adverse life experiences rather quickly while simultaneously helping you learn skills to manage nervous system dysregulation. Intensives range from 2 hours to 8 hours per day. Typical intensives range from 1 to 5 days in length.
Why choose an intensive format?
Research on intensives shows positive results. Intensive application of trauma-focused therapy seems to be well tolerated in patients with PTSD, enabling faster symptom reduction with similar, or even better, results, while reducing the risk that patients drop out prematurely.
Intensive EMDR treatment is feasible and is indicative of reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame.
An intensive program using EMDR therapy is a potentially safe and effective treatment alternative for complex PTSD.
The economy is compelling: even compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises and concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session.
Your intensive will include:
15 minute phone or video call to give information, answer your questions, screen for safety, and outline next steps.
90 minute consultation with assessments and personal history, as well as exploring unpleasant beliefs, body sensations, emotions, or images from which you are seeking relief.
Personalized treatment workbook, which allows you to work on your treatment goals before, during, and after our intensive sessions.
A customized treatment program with targeted treatment goals. Therapy with Heather or Shanna is done either in person or virtually. Length of intensive sessions can range from 2 hours each to 8 hours each. Total length of session time depends on each client's individual goals, scheduling, and pacing. This will be collaboratively determined with your therapist.
60 minute post-treatment interview to review your positive changes from therapy.
Who offers intensive sessions?
At this time, 2 clinicians at Thoughtful Wellness offer EMDR Intensives. You can view their profiles here:
Shanna Scott-Klunk, LCSW, ACS
Heather Venezia, LSW
Want to explore EMDR intensives as an option?
Use the contact form or call the office at (717) 721-1752 to schedule your FREE 15 minute phone or video consultation.
Articles and links that may be of interest regarding intensives:
Intensive EMDR to Treat Patients With Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Series
Effectiveness of an intensive treatment programme combining prolonged exposure and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for severe post-traumatic stress disorder
A randomized controlled trial of 7-day intensive and standard weekly cognitive therapy for PTSD and emotion-focused supportive therapy
The Economic Value Of Intensive Trauma Therapy