EMDR & Trauma Treatment Intensives
Are you overwhelmed by painful, traumatic experiences?
What is EMDR?
Traumatic images, sensations, emotions, and thoughts can get “stuck” in the body, making you feel like a traumatic event that may have happened a long time ago happened “just yesterday”. This can be extremely overwhelming and debilitating to handle on your own—and you shouldn’t have to. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, is a form of psychotherapy that’s designed to help you overcome the lingering effects of past traumatic experiences using a series of structured exercises.
What are Trauma Treatment Intensives?
Trauma Treatment Intensives are a customized, condensed therapy option we offer to new and existing clients so they can process traumatic memories much more quickly than they would with traditional therapy. These appointments are not emotionally more intense but are longer treatment sessions that last 3-4 hours.
We use several evidence-based and emerging treatments for trauma and PTSD depending on what will work best for each person. In particular, prolonged exposure (PE) and DBT-PE are highly effective treatments that are similar to EMDR. Sensorimotor psychotherapy is a gentle body-based approach that is also highly effective.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR leverages our understanding of neuroscience to change how our brain deals with traumatic memories and traumatic stress. It works by helping to reprocess traumatic memories to make them less emotionally intense and overwhelming through a series of structured exercises, often involving bilateral stimulation. As a result, your body, emotions, and brain can heal after years of feeling disconnected and distressed. With EMDR therapy, you may notice that memories that previously felt too intense or overwhelming no longer have a hold over you and emotional triggers are gone. You may also notice your relationships with others improve, as well as an overall improved functioning in various areas of your life.
How Do Trauma Treatment Intensives Work?
Our Trauma Treatment Intensives are a condensed yet effective way to process traumatic memories. Due to our advanced training in EMDR, our expertise in treating complex problems, and the structure provided by our intensives, we are able offer Trauma Treatment Intensives to many individuals who typically would not otherwise be able to undergo trauma treatment.
Following an initial assessment to determine goals and intentions, the majority of the time is spent directly treating trauma-related memories. This processing is interspersed with breaks for debriefing and relaxation. These trauma treatment intensives facilitate rapid recovery from all forms of trauma and lead to significant reductions in symptoms and meaningful changes in emotional triggers and core beliefs. They offer patients groundbreaking insights and a fresh perspective on their healing journey.
Who is EMDR for?
Children, teenagers, and adults who struggle with the following can all benefit from EMDR therapy:
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, and social anxiety/phobia.
Trauma-Related Depression
Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and illness-related depression.
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative identity disorder or amnesia and depersonalization and derealization disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Trauma-driven obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder, and hoarding disorder.
Trauma Disorders
Acute stress disorder, PTSD, and adjustment disorder.
Who are Trauma Treatment Intensives for?
Trauma treatment intensives are particularly helpful for individuals who:
Are suffering from complex trauma and PTSD and who want to get relief quickly and make significant progress in a short amount of time.
Find that weekly therapy is difficult to fit into their busy schedules or simply wish to make progress more quickly.
Wish to continue meeting with their current therapist and participate in a trauma treatment intensive as an adjunct treatment.
Have co-occurring problems that interfere with traditionally formatted weekly trauma treatment.
Struggle with dissociation and other problems that have interfered with trauma treatment in the past.
People who have difficulty managing emotions and struggle with instability in their lives and relationships due to trauma.
Since we are a PSYPACT certified provider, we can offer our EMDR intensives via telehealth for people residing in other cities and states outside of Boulder, CO.
What Skills are Taught?
Below are some of the many outcomes people may experience after undergoing EMDR therapy or trauma treatment intensives:
Emotional Regulation
Patients are able explore healthy ways of expressing and processing emotions, allowing them to experience greater emotional balance and stability. They can continue to develop the capacity to calmly manage intense emotions through mindfulness, breathing exercises, and emotion-focused interventions.
Insight and Self-Awareness
With trauma treatment and EMDR therapy, patients gain a deeper understanding of how past traumas have shaped their beliefs, behaviors, and relational patterns. This heightened sense of self-awareness empowers them to make conscious choices, break free from maladaptive patterns, and pursue meaningful personal growth.
More Capacity to Cope with Stress
With triggers and intrusive thoughts gone, many people find that they have more energy, are no longer hypervigilant, and can sleep better. Patients find that they have increased resiliency and ability to cope with stress.
Body Awareness and Somatic Management
People no longer feel “hijacked” by triggers and intrusive thoughts. Many patients find that it is now safe to connect with themselves and be in touch with their bodies. Through mindfulness techniques and body-focused interventions, they cultivate a greater sense of connection between mind and body.
Increased Sense of Meaning and Fulfillment
Successful trauma treatment allows patients to derive meaning from past negative experiences. Experiences are integrated into personal history and identity is allowed to expand. People’s sense of self can grow in positive ways and become more rooted in values and a sense of empowerment. They also feel freer and more capable of making healthy choices.
