EMDR Intensive Therapy in Chicago
Focused EMDR treatment for trauma, distressing life experiences, and patterns that continue to feel stuck.
Sometimes you don’t need to begin a long term therapy experience. You need focused help processing the particular experience, trigger, or belief that still feels unresolved.
EMDR intensive therapy offers extended sessions, typically 2–3 hours at a time, so that we can spend less time beginning and ending each appointment and more time working directly toward your treatment goals.
In-person EMDR intensives are available in Lincoln Park, Chicago, with virtual intensives available throughout Illinois and Washington.
When Might an EMDR Intensive Be Helpful?
An EMDR intensive may be helpful for experiences such as:
a painful breakup or betrayal
grief or the loss of someone you love
pregnancy loss or another difficult reproductive experience
an accident or frightening event
a distressing medical diagnosis, procedure, or experience
workplace bullying, conflict, or another painful professional experience
a panic attack or episode that has left you afraid it will happen again
an experience of humiliation, rejection, or failure that continues to affect you
a specific childhood or relationship experience that still feels unresolved
another event you feel ready to understand and process differently
What Does The Process Look Like?
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We begin with a 15-minute consultation to briefly discuss what you’d like help with, answer questions, and determine whether an intensive may be a good fit.
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Before the intensive, we meet for a 90-minute evaluation to discuss your history, goals, readiness for EMDR, and the focus of treatment.
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Intensives are typically scheduled in 2–3 hour blocks. We’ll make sure you feel adequately prepared before beginning processing, and the session will be tailored to your needs and pace.
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After the intensive, we’ll consider what comes next. That may mean returning to your ongoing therapist, scheduling another intensive, or arranging a follow-up session with me.
Investment
Initial Intake Session: $350/90 minutes
EMDR Intensive Therapy: $225/hour
Most intensives are scheduled in 2–3 hour blocks.
I am an out-of-network provider. If you have out-of-network mental health benefits, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement, and I can provide a superbill upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, and I am happy to collaborate with your therapist with your written permission.
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An intensive may be appropriate when you are generally stable in your daily life and would like focused help with a specific traumatic experience, emotional trigger, relationship pattern, or negative belief.
This format may not be appropriate when someone currently needs a higher level of support or stabilization before trauma processing can safely begin. This may include an active crisis, significant safety concerns, uncontrolled substance use, severe dissociative symptoms, or other circumstances that would make extended trauma-focused work difficult to tolerate safely.
The complimentary consultation and Initial Evaluation will help us determine whether an intensive is appropriate. If it is not the best fit, I will discuss other treatment options or referrals with you.
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No. Some people know exactly what experience they want to process; others come in with a theme, belief, relationship, or collection of related experiences. We can determine the most useful focus together.
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There is no predetermined number. Some concerns may be appropriate for one intensive, while others benefit from several sessions.
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EMDR Intensives take place either in person in my office in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, or virtually for clients located in Illinois or Washington when telehealth is clinically appropriate.
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No— EMDR can be integrated into regular weekly sessions, as well as in a combination of weekly sessions and intensives, depending on your needs.
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I am an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly.
If you have out-of-network mental health benefits, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement from your insurance company. Upon request, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
Because coverage varies by plan, I recommend contacting your insurance company directly to ask about your specific out-of-network benefits. Please note that reimbursement cannot be guaranteed.
If you're unfamiliar with out-of-network benefits, I'm happy to answer general questions about the process during your consultation.
Wondering Whether an EMDR Intensive Is Right for You?
A complimentary 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk briefly about what you’d like help with, answer your questions, and determine whether an intensive seems like a good fit.