What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is the main therapeutic modality used by Dr. Chrissy, an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist and Consultant-in-Training. EMDR was developed for use with trauma (including PTSD, sexual assault and abuse, child abuse, etc), though it has been found to be useful for many other concerns, including anxiety, depression, panic, and grief and loss. EMDR targets past emotional experiences and memories that still cause disturbance today. By orchestrating the brain’s natural ability to process emotional experiences, it can diminish the intensity of those troublesome memories and produce emotional relief.
To learn more about EMDR Therapy, there is a helpful video and information on the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) website: www.emdria.org
What are EMDR Intensives?
When participating in EMDR, sticking to the traditional 50-55 minute therapy session can be limiting. Intensives are intended to extend the length of the therapy session so a client can have an “intense” focus on an issue and resolve it more quickly. For example, in a typical therapy hour, there is usually 5-10 minutes of check-in as well as 5-15 minutes of debriefing and returning to calm after the EMDR processing. This leaves roughly 30 minutes of processing, which is not always enough to work through a memory.
Intensives can be chunked together into several days at a time to shorten the treatment window while still getting deep into the therapeutic work, or can be spread out over time to work intensely for a period, with breaks in between (e.g., a Half Day Intensive scheduled once per month).
There are several different options for engaging in EMDR Intensives with Dr. Chrissy:
Half Day: This is a 3-hour therapeutic experience focused on going through the phases of EMDR. Multiple half days can be booked (for example, Mon, Wed, Fri afternoons) or half days can be scheduled as needed.
Full Day: A 6-hour therapeutic experience focused on going through the phases of EMDR.
Multiple Day: 1-3 consecutive days (6 hours each) of therapeutic experiences focused on going through the phases of EMDR.
EMDR Intensives can focus on a particular, single issue that a client wants to resolve as quickly as possible (e.g., car accident or birth trauma) or can be focused on more complex issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, attachment issues, and others. Like weekly therapy, the more complex the issue, the more time may be needed to work through the targeted experiences.
Who Do Intensives Work Best For?
There are many types of clients that may benefit from EMDR Intensives:
1) Clients who are highly motivated and ready to work through a troubling experience and want to move through the process as quickly as possible, while still gaining all the benefits and healing.
2) Clients whose schedule does not allow for the standard 1-hr per week session model. Often, a half day (3-hr) intensive can be as effective or more effective than a month’s worth of 1-hr sessions. For those that may find it easier to schedule a half-day per month rather than weekly sessions, the EMDR Intensive model can be a good alternative.
3) Clients who have sufficient support for when the intensive is over. Since the intensive model may result in long breaks between sessions, or no direct follow up session, it is important to ensure that clients interested in participating in EMDR Intensives have the necessary supports following the therapeutic experience. Ensuring appropriate supports are in place is part of the intake process.
4) Clients engaged in regular therapy with another provider who does not do trauma processing (not necessary, but this arrangement does work well). With the intensive model, the client can keep their weekly therapist to address all the concerns they are currently working on, but add EMDR as an adjunct to allow the client to process through the disturbing experience.
How to Get Started?
Contact Dr. Chrissy at drchrissy@mindfulpsychology.us to determine if an intensive is appropriate for you. All EMDR Intensives begin with a 1-hr intake ($350) to make sure the model and Dr. Chrissy are a good fit for the client. The Half-Day, Full-Day, and Multiple Day Intensives are billed at the rate of $1000 per 3-hour block and, unfortunately, are not generally covered by insurance, though superbills can be provided.