I’m sitting in reflection after completing my first EMDR intensive as a therapist, a 6-hour trauma processing session with a client I’ve worked with for about a year. I’ve offered EMDR in weekly sessions for several years and became certified after experiencing just how transformative this modality can be. But this was my first time guiding someone through a full-day intensive, and it was powerful in ways that deserve to be shared.

To be honest, I’ve often felt frustrated by the limitations of offering EMDR in a traditional therapy format. So many of my clients, particularly neurodivergent folks with ADHD or those living with complex trauma, need far more time than a 53-minute session allows. Insurance rarely covers more than that, and even when it does allow a second weekly session, the clock still dictates the depth we can reach. But trauma healing isn’t something you can rush. For clients with ADHD and complex trauma, the nervous system simply doesn’t work on a tight schedule. It takes time to open something hard, feel safe enough to stay with it, and then close it back up, all in a single hour.

That’s part of what led me to EMDR intensives in the first place, as a client. When I was first training in EMDR, I had to receive it myself. I’d just been diagnosed with ADHD and had started stimulant medication. My nervous system became incredibly overwhelmed in regular sessions, and after trying EMDR with a few therapists, including one I really liked, I realized we just weren’t making meaningful progress. We were both neurodivergent, and even though I appreciated her as a clinician and person, we couldn’t stay on track. We had opened a can of worms I couldn’t ignore, but there just wasn’t enough space in weekly sessions to close it.

That’s when I chose to schedule two EMDR intensives, each between four and six hours. And that experience changed everything. After the first session, I felt a sense of relief, not destabilization. I was exhausted, yes, but in a good, satisfying way. After the second, I was off my stimulants, taking better care of myself, and feeling more grounded. It wasn’t cheap (let’s be real, therapists don’t make the kind of money TV shows would have you believe), but it was absolutely worth it.

That experience changed the way I viewed EMDR for my own clients. It made me angry, honestly, at how the insurance system dictates what healing is supposed to look like. EMDR in 53-minute chunks feels, to me, like trying to perform a major surgery with someone tapping their watch. That rush is disruptive, especially for people with CPTSD or ADHD who rely on therapy just to stay afloat. When trauma is complex, and the brain is working differently, sometimes an hour just isn’t enough.

So, I decided to offer intensives myself.

And today, after completing my first full-day EMDR intensive with a client, I can confidently say: this is the way trauma therapy should be. I wasn’t sure how it would feel to sit with someone for six hours doing such deep work, but it was refreshing. We didn’t have to wade through the stress of the week just to get to the real issue. We stayed with the golden thread. It was clean, clear, focused, and dare I say, effective.

In just one day, we processed seven memories—each linked to a lifetime of dysregulation, ADHD challenges, an angry father, and how those patterns still show up in my client’s work and relationships. It was deeply moving to witness real-time relief. And as a therapist, it was incredibly satisfying to stay with a thread until it reached a fuller resolution—something that often takes months (or even years) with weekly therapy.

If you’re wondering whether EMDR intensives are worth the investment, I can only speak from personal and professional experience: they are. Yes, it’s a big commitment. But people regularly spend more on tattoos, weekend getaways, or subscriptions that don’t change their lives. What would it be worth to you to sleep through the night without nightmares? To finally feel safe in your body? To stop panicking in moments that are actually okay?

For me, it was worth every penny. And now, I’m honored to offer that opportunity to others.

If you’re curious about EMDR intensives and whether they’re right for you, read more about the investment HERE and feel free to reach out. I’d love to help you decide.