EMDR Intensives

Find EMDR Intensives Near You in San Diego, Encinitas & Oceanside–Carlsbad

What are EMDR Intensives?

EMDR intensives are an accelerated form of EMDR therapy that uses longer, focused sessions to support deeper trauma processing in a shorter period of time. Rather than meeting for a traditional 50-minute session each week, an EMDR intensive provides extended, uninterrupted time for preparation, processing, and integration. Research suggests that intensive EMDR can be as effective as standard weekly EMDR while helping clients experience meaningful results more quickly.

Why Choose an EMDR Intensive?

For some clients, a traditional weekly therapy schedule can feel limiting—especially when there is a specific trauma, recent event, or issue they are ready to address. An EMDR intensive creates dedicated time to focus on that work without spreading the process across many weeks or months.

Intensives can also be helpful for clients who have busy schedules, are already working with another therapist, or want to focus on a particular experience without beginning ongoing weekly therapy. Your intensive is individually designed around your needs, goals, history, and readiness for trauma processing.

Benefits of EMDR Intensives?

Focused Time for Deeper Work

Longer sessions provide dedicated time to focus on the experiences, memories, or patterns that are keeping you stuck—without being limited by the traditional therapy hour.

Faster Progress

Research suggests that intensive EMDR can be as effective as EMDR delivered in traditional weekly sessions, while allowing treatment to be completed over a shorter period of time.

Focused Support for a Specific Concern

An EMDR intensive can be designed around a particular experience, memory, or issue you’re ready to address, creating a highly individualized treatment experience based on your goals and needs.

More Flexible for Busy Schedules

EMDR intensives can be a helpful option for clients who find it difficult to commit to weekly therapy. Concentrating treatment into longer, planned sessions can make focused trauma work more accessible for people balancing demanding work, family, travel, or other responsibilities.

What to Expect in an Intensive

Your intensive begins with thoughtful history-taking and treatment planning so your therapist can understand not only what you want to work on, but the experiences and patterns that brought you here. Together, you’ll identify where to focus, prepare for the work, and move into EMDR processing at a pace that feels manageable. Breaks, grounding, and time for integration are built in along the way.

You are always in control. You can slow down, take a break, or pause at any time. Grounding, breaks, and time for integration are built in along the way. This is focused and productive work, but it’s never rushed.

Woman walking along the beach at sunset, representing healing and moving forward through and EMDR Intenisive

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How Long Is an EMDR Intensive?

EMDR intensives can range from 90 minutes to 6 hours in a single day. The length is personalized based on your goals, what you’d like to work on, and your individual needs. Some clients benefit from one extended session, while others choose multiple intensives as part of their treatment plan. Your therapist will help guide you in choosing the length and format that feels right for you.

Can I Do an EMDR Intensive if I Already Have a Therapist?

Yes. In fact, an EMDR intensive can be an ideal way to incorporate EMDR when you already have an ongoing therapist. Rather than adding weekly 50-minute EMDR sessions that may interrupt your current treatment or create ongoing scheduling conflicts, an intensive allows you to complete focused EMDR work within a defined period of time and then return to your regular therapy. With your permission, your EMDR therapist can also collaborate with your current therapist to help coordinate your care.

Do I Need to Have Done EMDR Before an Intensive?

No. You do not need previous experience with EMDR to participate in an intensive. Your therapist will take time to get to know you, assess whether an intensive is a good fit, and make sure you feel prepared before beginning EMDR processing.

How Much Do EMDR Intensives Cost?

The cost of an EMDR intensive depends on the length of the session and the therapist you work with. Before scheduling an intensive, you’ll meet with your therapist for an initial assessment session to discuss your goals and determine the length and format that best fit your needs. We’ll review the cost with you before scheduling your intensive so you know exactly what to expect.

Does Insurance Cover EMDR Intensives?

EMDR intensives are a private-pay service and are not eligible for insurance reimbursement. Because intensives involve extended sessions beyond the traditional 50-minute therapy hour, we do not provide superbills for intensive sessions. Our team will review the cost with you before scheduling so there are no surprises.

How Many EMDR Intensives Will I Need?

Everyone’s healing process is different, and there isn’t a set number of intensives you’ll need. Some clients experience meaningful progress after focusing intensively on a single experience or concern, while others choose several intensives to work toward broader goals. Your therapist will help guide you along the way, building on your progress and helping you decide what feels right for you.

Can EMDR Intensives Make Me Feel Better Faster?

For many people, that’s one of the reasons to choose an intensive. By dedicating focused time to healing, you may be able to make meaningful progress in a shorter period of time than with weekly sessions. Healing is individual, and there are no guarantees—but you don’t have to stay stuck in the same patterns forever. Meaningful change is possible, and we’re here to help you find the path that feels right for you.

What Can EMDR Intensives Help With?

EMDR intensives can be used to address many of the same concerns as traditional EMDR therapy, including trauma and PTSD, anxiety, grief and loss, relationship or attachment wounds, medical trauma, distressing memories, phobias, and painful experiences that continue to affect how you feel today. Intensives can be especially helpful when there is a specific experience, memory, or pattern you’re ready to focus on.

Ready to Explore an EMDR Intensive?

You don’t have to know exactly what you need before reaching out. Our team can connect you with an experienced EMDR therapist who can answer your questions and help you determine whether an intensive may be a good fit. We offer EMDR intensives in San Diego, Encinitas, and Oceanside–Carlsbad, with options designed around your individual goals and needs.