What Is EMDR Intensive Therapy?

And how does it work?

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-established therapy for trauma, anxiety, and emotional difficulties. If you’re new to EMDR, you may want to start with What Is EMDR Therapy? before exploring this intensive option, which explains the basics.

In recent years, a more immersive format - the EMDR Intensive - has become increasingly popular. It offers the same evidence-based approach as standard EMDR, but in a faster, more focused way.

What Exactly Is An EMDR Intensive?

Traditional EMDR happens in 60–90 minute sessions once a week. An EMDR Intensive condenses this work into longer blocks - usually half-day or full-day sessions -over a few days or weekend. This allows you to achieve weeks or months worth of therapy gains in a much shorter timeframe.

Intensives can take place:

• In person or online

• Across a weekend, holiday week, or consecutive days

• Sometimes in a retreat-style setting
  

How EMDR Intensives Work

Some key features set intensives apart from weekly EMDR therapy:

1. Extended sessions - sessions are usually arranged for between 2–4 hours at a time, allowing deeper processing without interruption. We pause for comfort breaks to stretch legs or have snacks as needed.

2. A condensed schedule – sessions are close together (often 24–48 hours apart) to maintain momentum and reduce the likelihood that other life events will interrupt our focus. The therapist will often recommend gentle exercises and keeping notes of any thoughts arising to support our integration of the positive changes.

3. Clearly defined goals – during your assessment, you are your therapist get clear, specific problem areas to be the focus of the intensive.
   

Together, these create a powerful space for accelerated recovery which clients feedback to us feels very safe and containing. Even if you're working on painful memories it often feels like a relief to know that you only have to wait a short time before the next session to complete the trauma processing work you've opened up.

Benefits of EMDR Intensives

• Faster progress – you make meaningful changes in days rather than weeks or months.

• Less disruption – we reduce the long gaps between sessions, which prevents you from being pulled into the everyday niggles and stresses and gives you a better focus.

• Flexibility – this format is ideal if you travel, juggle work and family, or prefer to use annual leave because you only need to carve out 3-5 days rather than find a weekly slot. For example we have carried out intensives with a parent before they return from maternity leave; someone off sick before their sick leave ends; someone who was made redundant before their new job starts - all of these people had a short time frame before going back to work full time which the intensive worked perfectly for.

• Adjunct to existing therapy – intensives can “unstick” long-term therapy without replacing your current therapist. I have offered EMDR intensives very effectively alongside a pre-existing therapist when their counselling or talking therapy has reached a plateau. Once we have processed the stuck trauma we can offer summaries and recommendations for you and your therapist to integrate into longer term therapy work if you wish.

  
  

What Can Intensives Help With?

• Burnout patterns (perfectionism, people-pleasing, boundary difficulties)

• Phobias or fears

• Self-sabotaging patterns

• Overwhelming guilt, shame, or anger

• Single-event traumas (accident, assault, medical emergency)

• Childhood or complex trauma (bullying, toxic boss, work-place traumas, neglect, abuse)

• Fear of future events (public speaking, performance, interviews)

  
  

Your therapist will first map out how your difficulties fit together (a “formulation”) and then target the most relevant memories for change.

What Does the Evidence Say About EMDR Intensives?

Research shows EMDR Intensives can be as effective, or sometimes more effective, than weekly therapy:

• Similar or better outcomes for PTSD and complex PTSD

• Lower drop-out rates (people are more likely to complete the program because the intensive format feels more manageable)

• This study shows that clients report positive experiences of EMDR intensives - feeling that the short time-frame feels like safe container, and getting 'wow' moments during this too.

  
  

When an Intensive May NOT Be Suitable

Because this therapy work is concentrated, therapists carefully assess readiness. It may not be the right time if you are:

• In the midst of a major life upheaval, especially if you're without support. For example if you're moving house we'd advice waiting until you have a clear week following this.

• Physically unwell or easily fatigued

• In active crisis with self-harm or suicidal thoughts

• Prone to severe dissociation without stabilisation skills already in place

In these cases, preparation or alternative therapy may be needed first which your therapist can also offer you.

Is an EMDR Intensive Right for You?

If you can take a few days or a weekend out from your every day duties (work, childcare, studies) then an EMDR intensive could be a good way of helping you reach your goals more quickly. Your therapist will need to assess how ready you are for the processing part of therapy, if this needs a bit of attention first they may recommend doing this together (known as stabilisation) before booking in the intensive.

Hold in mind that faster progress from an EMDR intensive does not mean rushed. We achieve good results because our EMDR intensive programs have been curated so that you and your therapist can get to the underlying problems safely.

Can you do EMDR Intensives Online?

Yes, they can be carried out in-person or online via videocalls. If you wish to be seen for an online EMDR intensive our EMDR therapists here at Plum Psychology will help you to consider how to do this; from preparing the room for privacy and comfort, to the online options of the bilateral stimulation - which can include teaching you the butterfly hug for self-tapping or using an online program to aid eye movements. There is more on the effectiveness of online therapy in this article.

How Do EMDR Intensives Work At Plum Psychology?

Plum Psychology are known for offering EMDR intensives online or in-person in Taunton. We have trauma specialists who design their EMDR Intensive package around your personal difficulties and goals, some offer weekends, others offer weekdays.

When you contact us your enquiry is reviewed by myself, Dr Claire Plumbly, the clinical director of Plum Psychologist and an EMDR Consultant, I have been doing EMDR Intensives since 2021. I will recommend the therapist in our team with the most appropriate trauma-experience for your specific difficulties. After that the therapist will offer you an initial free introduction call to answer all your questions and give you an opportunity to check for fit, before proceeding to an assessment.

The clinical decision about whether to proceed to the EMDR intensive is made once the therapist has collected enough information from their full assessment. Occasionally this is not a recommended route, if this happens the therapist will clearly explain why and will either offer to work with you using a different approach or will make recommendations of alternatives.

If you’re ready for focused, immersive therapy that helps you move forward more quickly, get in touch to have a chat.

What Next?

👉 Explore our therapist's EMDR Intensive options here, or

👉 Explore our EMDR Resources Page for more articles and a quiz

👉 Ready to book a call to see if an EMDR intensive can help you? Fill in an enquiry form now to get the ball rolling.

⚠️ If you feel unsafe or are in immediate crisis, please contact your GP, dial 999 (UK), or call the Samaritans (116 123).

Author: Dr Claire Plumbly is a clinical psychologist, EMDR Consultant and founder of Plum Psychology. She has over 20 years experience working in mental health and has carried out EMDR Intensives for four years.

Is an EMDR worth it?