EMDR Intensive
in Springfield, MO

A focused trauma treatment for busy people ready for real results

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What’s the difference between EMDR Therapy and an EMDR intensive?

  • Traditional EMDR happens in 50-minute weekly sessions over several months. It works, but it also means:

    • Starting and stopping trauma processing each week

    • Days of waiting while memories sit half-processed

    • Months of scheduling and commuting

    • Slower relief

  • An EMDR intensive compresses all of that:

    • One prep session (1 hour)

    • Two days of focused work, back-to-back or with a break

    • Four hours a day (8 hours total)

    • Full processing, without interruption

    • Results in weeks, not months

    • Minimal disruption to your schedule

Why choose an EMDR intensive?

An EMDR intensive is a concentrated trauma treatment built for busy people who need real results but can't commit to months of weekly sessions, or who want to build momentum fast. The longer format lets us work through hard memories completely instead of pausing mid-process. Your brain gets the time it needs to reprocess fully, leading to faster, more complete healing.

Who Benefits from EMDR Intensives?

This format works especially well if you're dealing with:

  • Anxiety or panic that gets in the way of your performance

  • Past trauma shaping your relationships or decisions

  • Burnout that hasn't budged with the usual self-care

  • Imposter syndrome or self-doubt that lingers despite your success

  • A specific event you can't move past (a hard case, a medical error, a workplace incident, relationship trauma)

  • Performance anxiety when the stakes are high

You don't need a clear trauma history to benefit. Many clients come for:

  • Difficult work experiences that left a mark

  • Childhood experiences still affecting adult relationships

  • Years of accumulated stress from a demanding field

  • Specific fears or blocks holding them back professionally

You've invested in your education, your career, your hobbies. It’s time to invest in your healing and well-being.

EMDR is one of the most researched trauma treatments available, with decades of studies showing its effectiveness for PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and more.

You've probably been managing anxiety, trauma, or emotional pain longer than you'd like to admit, likely trying to power through with more discipline or self-care. After a decade in this work, here's what I know: high-performers are excellent at managing symptoms, but healing takes something different.

EMDR intensive therapy is a chance to address what's underneath, not in six months, but in one focused weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions about EMDR Intensives

  • Unlike talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to relive difficult or traumatic experiences in detail or spend months discussing your past. Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or audio tones) to help your brain reprocess disturbing memories the way it naturally processes everyday experiences.

    The result? Memories that once triggered anxiety, shame, or fear lose their emotional charge. You remember what happened, but it no longer controls how you feel or behave.

  • The complete intensive experience:

    • 9 hours of therapy (1-hour prep session + 4 hours each day)

    • A complimentary 15-minute consultation and assessment

    • An optional client workbook to prepare beforehand

    • Customized treatment planning

    • Post-intensive follow-up, including a summary report for continuity of care

  • It's highly effective for most people, though not the only option. It works especially well for specific traumatic events, anxiety with clear triggers, past experiences interfering with daily life, and performance blocks.

    It may not be the best fit if you're currently in crisis (actively suicidal, severe substance use, unstable housing), you're mainly looking for skill-building or coaching, or you have certain dissociative disorders (though modifications can sometimes help). The free consultation helps us figure this out, and if it's not right, I'll help you find what is.

  • An intensive is comparable to 6–12 months of weekly therapy ($4,200–$8,750 at $175/hour), but with faster results and far less scheduling. Many clients find it's actually more cost-effective once you factor in time saved, a quicker return to full functioning, and fewer sessions overall.

  • EMDR is powerful, but it's not magic. One intensive makes a significant difference. We'll desensitize and restructure a lot, but if you've experienced chronic trauma, there may still be work to do. Some clients benefit from a second intensive 4–8 weeks later, occasional booster sessions, or a shift to monthly maintenance. In your prep session, I'll give you my honest take. I never want you to invest more than you need.

  • No, insurance does not currently cover intensive EMDR

    • Free 15-minute phone consultation

    • 1-hour prep session (1–2 weeks before) to gather history and set goals

    • Friday: 4 hours (ex: 9am–1pm, with breaks)

    • Saturday: 4 hours (same window)

    Most clients take Friday off or work a half-day. I highly recommend taking the full day. Saturdays are usually easier to accommodate. Friday evening, your only "homework" is rest and self-care while your brain keeps processing. I'll give you specific guidance.

  • You don't need a dramatic history to benefit. I often hear things like:

    • "I don't have PTSD, I just can't shake this anxiety."

    • "Nothing terrible happened, but I can't stop thinking about..."

    • "I'm really successful, but I still feel like garbage."

    Here's the truth: trauma isn't defined by what happened, but by how your brain stored it. If a memory or belief still triggers anxiety, shame, anger, or fear you don't understand, EMDR can help your brain finish processing it. Things like chronic criticism from a parent or boss, residency experiences, career setbacks, or painful breakups often respond beautifully. If it still bothers you, it's worth addressing.

  • Before: We'll have finished your consultation and prep session, so I'll know your history and goals. You'll arrive knowing exactly what we're working on.

    During: Friday, we start with our first target. You'll leave tired but often relieved, and your brain keeps processing overnight. Saturday, we assess progress and adjust the plan as needed.

    After: Many clients feel noticeably different within days. Less anxious, sleeping better, "lighter." Some processing continues for a week or two. We'll schedule a follow-up to check in.

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