EMDR Intensives
Providing EMDR Intensives for anxiety, depression, trauma, women’s mental health, performance and more in Burlington and across Ontario.
Intensive EMDR Therapy, is it for you?
For some people, weekly therapy sessions are helpful and fit into their lifestyle and budget, but if seeing a therapist over the course of months isn’t a good fit for you, EMDR Intensive therapy offers an alternative. Having longer, more in-depth sessions, over the course of a few days is now an option if you don’t have time to do therapy in a more traditional model. Interested in learning more about EMDR in general? Go here for more information.
This type of therapy is especially good for people in the following professions:
- Police officers
- Fire fighters
- Military personnel
- EMT’s
- Teachers
- Nurses
- Doctors
- Other forms of health care worker
- Mental health professionals
EMDR therapy is also good for anyone who knows what struggles they want to address and would rather do 3-6 longer therapy sessions over the course of a few weeks, instead of over the course of several months.
Intensive EMDR Therapy can help with the following mental health challenges:
- Burnout
- Post-Traumatic Stress
- Complex PTSD
- Overcoming deep grief & loss
- Those who have experiencedd traumatic births (also known as birth trauma)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Attachment and Developmental Wounds
- Overcoming performance blocks (sports, public speaking, tests, etc.)
… and more!
EMDR Therapy Intensives Are Researched & Peer Reviewed
Below are more links showing the benefits of short term, intensive EMDR therapy.
- Trauma-focused, short term, EMDR therapy is shown to be helpful to people struggling with PTSD. According to recent studies, this form of intensive therapy helps to reduce day to day challenges that those suffering experience, all within a much faster time frame (and it works just as well, or even better than the more long term traditional method). To learn more about these studies click here or here.
- One study looked at a successful five day EMDR intensive therapy Intensive for people diagnosed with PTSD. Learn more here.
- This case study looks at Complex PTSD and if Intensive EMDR therapy can be a safe and a good alternative to more traditional, long term models of care. Learn more here.
- Read this article here that looks at whether intensive trauma therapy can be better from both a mental health, and a financial standpoint. It turns out that the advantages of intensive therapy include it being more efficient for treatment wise and financially. This is because it reduces the risk of life crises disrupting ongoing treatment, people stopping seasons prematurely, and it gives overall much faster results.
How does EMDR Intensive Therapy Work?
- You start with a free 30 minute consultation with our EMDR Program Intake team. Anyone interested in this program are provided an initial consultation to assess suitability and readiness for the program as well as provide suggestions for an appropriate EMDR therapist that may be a good fit for your presenting concerns and schedule. In addition, this is an opportunity to answer any questions you may have.
- Once scheduled with your EMDR therapist, they will conduct an initial pre-treatment conversation (90 min), so that Christina and her team of EMDR therapists can talk about whether or not you are a good fit for this form of therapy. You’ll also talk about what you want help with specifically. It could be you need help managing triggers or sensations within your body, overwhelming feelings, thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks. Recommendations will be made for either further preparation for EMDR phase 3-7 processing and/or intensives, or additional phase 1 and 2 groups, individual psychotherapy, or EMDR intensives that are modified for specific protocols and/or approaches.
- Once you and your EMDR therapist have confirmed that you’re a good candidate for EMDR Intensive therapy, we will give you a specialized workbook, for you to write down on your therapy goals before, during, and after your EMDR intensive sessions.
- Together, you and Christina’s EMDR therapist team will work on a customized treatment plan which will focus on what you are hoping to achieve with therapy. EMDR with Christina, Justine, or Natalie can be done virtually, often for 3-9 sessions (1.5 to 2.5 hours each session). Also, EMDR intensives can be done in person, at our Burlington, Ontario office with Christina or Justine
with options for 90 min to 3 hour (1/2 day) sessions). - After your round of sessions is complete, you will have another conversation (90 min) with your EMDR therapist, so that we can give you guidance and support you in integrating into your life the positive changes you’ve made from treatment.
If you have multiple challenges that you want to overcome through EMDR intensive therapy, ongoing intensive therapies are also available in this therapeutic model.
Our EMDR Therapists
Our team has a number of Registered Psychotherapist trained and/or certified in EMDR Therapy that provide both traditional weekly/biweekly sessions, and EMDR intensive therapy to people within Ontario. In addition, we offer EMDR therapy through adjunct or intensives to help individuals process and decrease their emotional distress to past traumas.
This type of therapy is a modality that we really love using because we get to see marked improvement in many individuals lives. It is such a satisfying form of therapy to use because of its effectiveness and the clear structure.
Christina
Registered Psychotherapist, Certified EMDR therapist, and Approved Consultant providing both traditional, and EMDR intensive therapy in person and virtually across Ontario. I work with individuals who have tried multiple therapies and would like to heal from past childhood wounds, sexual abuse, and developmental trauma.
Debby
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) and EMDR therapist providing both traditional, and EMDR intensive therapy in person and virtually across Ontario. I work with individual who have been trafficked, first responders, and complex trauma.
Justine
Registered Psychotherapist and EMDR Therapist providing both traditional, and EMDR intensive therapy in person and virtually across Ontario. I work individuals healing from abusive relationships, past and/or current trauma, and avoidant relationships.
Natalie
Registered Psychotherapist and EMDR therapist providing both traditional, and EMDR intensive therapy virtually to people within Ontario. I primarily work with medical trauma, chronic pain and illness, and health anxiety and panic.
More Information about EMDR Intensive Therapy
EMDR intensive therapy VS Standard 50 minute therapy sessions
Have you ever been in a therapy session and just as you’re beginning to open up and make a breakthrough…the session time is over? With traditional therapy there is some small talk at the beginning of each session, you’ll have to address any current crisis or stressors, you’ll talk about coping strategies, and then you need to get grounded again before finishing your session. Often only 30 minutes are actually spent doing therapeutic work.
EMDR intensives are longer, so you can go deeper with your therapy, without having to stop prematurely and wait another week or two before beginning again (and warming up). There’s less interruption and more opportunity to dig deep and really get to the heart of what you’re struggling with. This often means you end up resolving your issues faster and sometimes even more effectively.
EMDR Intensives Are Available For People Seeing Christina Already And for Folks Who have A Different Primary Therapist
Perhaps If you’ve felt a bit stuck in therapy, or that you simply want a shift in your current therapy model, EMDR Intensive therapy might help. Sometimes you might know something in our head, but not in your body yet, adjunct EMDR intensive therapy can help with that body/mind re-connection. Christina will work with you on identifying if EMDR Intensive therapy will be a good fit for you during your initial consultation.
Benefits of Half Day Intensives
A half-day intensive can help with performance and self esteem challenges, and speed up the healing process of a single event trauma (reduction of repetitive/negative thoughts, heightened feeling, and bodily sensations). Something to be aware of is that Complex PTSD often requires more treatment than one half-day intensive. If you have this form of PTSD it’s recommended you do monthly, bi-monthly, or seasonal half-day intensives until you feel your traumas are no longer impacting your life.
Benefits of 3-day Weekday or Weekend Intensives
Weekend and 3-day EMDR intensive can be incredibly impactful and can result in long term, lasting benefits from current struggles. However, they aren’t ideal for everyone as they require some emotional endurance and mental focus. If you are interested in this format, let Christina know during your initial conversation.
Insurance Information
While many insurance companies reimburse the cost of psychotherapy it’s good to confirm with your provider that they will reimburse several hours of therapy in one day or one week before beginning sessions. Christina Janiga is a Registered Psychotherapist and she will provide you with a receipt for all therapy services included in this program.
Interested in booking a consultation to see if doing EMDR Intensive therapy could be good for your mental health concerns? Reach out here or click on the button below.
Are you an EMDR Therapist?
Are you an EMDR therapist looking for consultation or ways to incorporate EMDR intensives into your practice?
Christina Janiga, BSc, MACP, RP offers individual and monthly group EMDR consultations – see here openings here.
Resources
For courses on how to implement EMDR intensives into your practice – consider using The EMDR Intensive Kit from Zero Disturbance. Learning is easy and all resources are provided (including the workbook).
* I am an affiliate for some of the businesses I recommend. These are companies that I use in my own group practice, and make recommendations based off of my experience with them. When you use some of these companies through my links, I receive compensation, which helps me continue to offer great free information on my blog and website.