EMDR Intensives
EMDR is an effective treatment for resolving PTSD, complex trauma symptoms and problematic relationship patterns. It can shift persistent negative beliefs about yourself so that you engage in life more meaningfully.
Is EMDR Right For Me?
Have you been struggling with trauma related symptoms stemming from a single traumatic event or chronic traumatic events (ex- dissociation, emotional flooding, getting emotionally triggered seemingly out of nowhere, intrusive memories and/or body sensations, unhealthy relationship patterns, panic reactions, intense anger)?
Do you feel that negative childhood experiences have caused you to struggle as an adult?
Do you often notice negative beliefs about yourself that limit you from living a more meaningful life. For example, “I am defective”, “I am not worthy of love” or “I’m not safe.”
Do you often feel “stuck” in the past? This can mean many things. For some, its intense flashbacks. For others, it is being preoccupied with the past. It may also include having intense reactions to events in everyday life, such as a heightened startle response to loud noises or panic when faced with conflict.
Have you noticed persistent patterns in your life that reinforce negative beliefs about yourself & aggravate your trauma symptoms? Often, patterns and beliefs from childhood become reinforced through traumatic re-enactments, which are ways of relating to others and life situations in learned patterns that cause you to be in the “victim” role again.
Have you tried talk therapy or other types of trauma therapy with limited results?
Healing Interpersonal Trauma: What Do I Specialize In?
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Sexual assault, ongoing sexual abuse and incest
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Emotional, verbal and physical abuse during childhood
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Attachment trauma, including loss of a caregiver, separation and/or any experience with caregiver that has left a negative impact, negative foster care experiences, etc
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Preverbal trauma that occurred under the age of 5
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Domestic Violence and Dating Abuse (emotional, physical, sexual or financial)
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Witnessing people you love experience traumatic events
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Traumatic loss as a result of death or separation
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High Stress Divorce (ex, divorces involving narcissistic partners, domestic abuse, etc)
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Experiences of rejection and/or difficult break ups
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Birth Trauma
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Adoption related trauma
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Crime Victims
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First Responders
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Psychotherapists who want to do their own healing work
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending”
– Maria Robinson
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an evidence based treatment for post-traumatic stress and complex trauma symptoms. Often, talk therapy does not reduce trauma symptoms because it doesn’t address the brain changes caused by trauma. Traumatic events and deeply negative experiences are stored in the brain differently than typical events. EMDR can help you reduce or eliminate the emotional & physical reaction you experience in response to the trauma by shifting how your brain manages these experiences. EMDR can change the meaning you make of these experiences and allows for a permanent shift in how you view yourself, others and your place in the world. The limiting beliefs that developed in the context of trauma shift to a more neutral or positive way of understanding what happened to you. One of the best things about EMDR is that it promotes the brain’s own innate healing capacities to make new connections.
Once your mind and body can start to heal, it is easier for most people to change behaviors and patterns that have not been working for them. One of the most unfortunate side effects of trauma is impulsive habits and self sabotaging behavior that prevents you from getting all of your needs met in a healthy way. Healing from trauma must involve all of the following elements to be truly successful: reducing the heightened arousal in your nervous system, changing your beliefs and ultimately engaging in different behaviors in the present.
How do EMDR Intensives Work?
EMDR intensives are longer sessions over a shorter duration of time to bring you relief and healing at a much faster pace than traditional weekly sessions. The benefits of this method is supported in research. I have also observed the benefits in the clients I have worked with. Results typically occur at a more rapid pace than weekly sessions because most weekly therapy has a check in at the start of session and a close down at the end, only allowing for a 30 minute window for the deeper work to be done. Intensives allow you to go deeper and get more accomplished because you have more time to do the meaningful work needed to resolve trauma. It also limits between session avoidance because we don’t need to close things back up before you can get some relief. Therefore, results occur in the half the time of weekly sessions.
The frequency and duration of sessions will be tailored to your needs. I typically see clients in person at my office in Long Island, NY (Melville). Intensives typically consist of one or more days consisting of 4-6 hour therapy blocks. The amount of time needed is based on what goals you hope to achieve. We will determine what’s best for you based on several factors. The most important factor is what is the best amount of time for you emotionally. Healing is hard work! We can be efficient and mindful of what feels like the right amount of time for you to digest the work we do in a comfortable way. Our mutual availability and what is realistic for you financially are also factors to consider.
EMDR intensives may not be for everyone, and that’s ok! Trust your instincts on what you need to heal. For many, it’s just the thing!
How to get Started?
Step 1:
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Contact me via email to set up a free 15-20 minute phone consultation. The purpose of this initial call is to determine if this may be the best option for you. We will also discuss our mutual availability. ** Please note this call is not an assessment. I will only ask general questions about what you are seeking treatment for out of respect for you. Discussing trauma without the plan to work on it together isn’t in the best interest of your healing.
We will schedule an appointment to do a thorough assessment of your needs. Together, we will identify painful experiences and negative beliefs that will be the target of our work together. We will discuss what you want to get out of your therapy.
If we are both in agreement, we can then schedule your EMDR intensive!
Step 2:
Step 3:
“In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself”
– Deepok Chopra
BENEFITS of EMDR Intensives vs Weekly Sessions
If you are ready to heal & want faster results, it’s a great option!
Weekly sessions may be hard to find time for on an ongoing basis for many people today. It can feel more stressful than helpful! Making a commitment for a shorter amount of time with quicker results can make taking the step to start therapy easier!
Although the time and financial commitment is greater in the short term, intensives are much more cost effective in the long term. It can often cost as much as twice the amount of an intensive to work on the same trauma in a weekly format.
The faster you heal, the sooner you start living a better quality of life!
For many individuals who have been hurt by others, having my focus be solely on you during intensive sessions can be very healing. Because I see fewer clients doing intensive work, you will receive my undivided focus, compassion & attention.
You have tried therapy to address your trauma & haven’t gotten the results you’re looking for. A more intensive form of therapy may be what you need to get unstuck.
Longer sessions can assist individuals who have feared dealing with their trauma, worrying it may be too overwhelming without a lot of support.
Clients do not need to stop working with their current therapist if they choose because we will be focusing solely on the traumatic material (see FAQ page for more info)
What Makes Working With Me Different?
I strive to offer each and every client I work with the benefits of many years of experience as a trauma therapist. Even more important, I highly value the importance of the therapeutic relationship. The presence, compassion and deep validation I commit to bringing to our relationship is essential to feeling safe and accepted so that the foundation to heal is there. I view us as a team with a shared goal. I am not the expert on you. Only you are!
I incorporate other forms of therapy to assist you in meeting your goals. Trauma is complicated. The solutions must be responsive to that complexity. I utilize parts work to enhance the benefits of EMDR. Negative experiences cause a lot of internal conflict. Parts work allows you to utilize your own internal resources and treatment gains long past our work together. The goal is for you to have the tools to be your own therapist.
Because trauma often occurs during childhood, parts of you that feel “stuck” and are driving ineffective behaviors stem from younger states within you. Clients have often told me they “feel like a child again” when their trauma is triggered. This prevents effective ways of reacting to situations, as coping skills developed within a child to cope don’t have the same function as an adult & actually can become inneffective. Developmental and emotional milestones are often disrupted as well. Therefore, we must acknowledge and work with these parts to heal. We cannot go back in time to meet their needs but we can help you to meet them now.
I am intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Many of the principles in DBT are so helpful to trauma work. Mindfulness skills are essential in trauma work & integrated into all aspects of DBT. I will teach you the skills and concepts most relevant to your goals. If you have done DBT, we can reinforce your work to further build up your internal resources. Acting from your inner wisdom, as opposed to reacting from an emotionally charged state, is a focus in DBT that we will use in our work. Learning to see the various aspects of a situation, or thinking dialectically, is essential to shifting trauma related beliefs. There are many other skills to manage emotions and relationships that we can use to work on changing behaviors.
As a therapist who offers yoga, reiki and body based interventions, we can treat the whole you. I am trained in mindfulness and meditation. For clients whose spirituality is important to them, we can integrate this into EMDR, parts work & DBT easily. For some, these additional skills I offer may not be requested. You are the expert of yourself. You deserve treatment that meets your needs and preferences. I will discuss your preferences at the in person assessment. At any point, you can decide what’s right for you as you evolve in your own healing process.