EMDR Intensives for Women
Seattle & Online Across Washington
When you want more time and space than a weekly therapy session allows, EMDR intensives offer extended, focused time to work on what feels most important to you.
With more than 20 years of experience in trauma work.
Iris Hogan, MSW, LICSW
When You Feel Ready for More Focused Work
Sometimes weekly therapy doesn't feel like enough. You may feel stuck in a pattern that keeps resurfacing, carrying something that feels too big to work through in small weekly increments, or simply wanting more uninterrupted time to focus on what you're working through.
Many women reach a point where they're ready for something to shift — and they want a way to move toward that with steadiness and support.
EMDR intensives offer a focused, structured way to work through trauma, anxiety, and longstanding emotional patterns, with more time and space to stay with the work without feeling rushed.
The Difference More Time Can Make
Sometimes the hardest part of therapy is having to stop just when you've reached something important.
In a standard therapy session, there is only so much time before we need to begin wrapping up. An EMDR intensive gives us a longer stretch of uninterrupted time to stay with what we're working on.
That can mean less pressure from the clock, more room to pause when you need to, and more time to follow where the work is going without having to stop because the hour is ending.
The difference isn't that we push harder or move faster. We simply have more time.
Why I Offer EMDR Intensives
I first trained in EMDR around 1990. What I've learned from using it over the years is that sometimes an hour simply feels too short.
You reach something important, the work is unfolding, and suddenly we're watching the clock because it's time to wrap up.
That's what I value about EMDR intensives. They give us something that's hard to create in a standard therapy hour: time. Time to stay with what's emerging, to slow down when we need to, and to follow the work without the constant pressure of having to stop.
An intensive isn't about pushing harder or getting somewhere faster. It's about having more room for the work when more room is what you need.
Why Some Women Prefer EMDR Over Talk Therapy
Some women are drawn to EMDR because:
- they don't want to retell their story in detail
- they've already talked extensively about what happened but still feel stuck
- their body still reacts even when they understand logically that they're safe
- they want a more structured approach to working with difficult experiences
- they want to work with emotions, memories, beliefs, and physical reactions — not only talk about what happened
EMDR offers another way of working with difficult experiences when insight and conversation haven't felt like enough.
What EMDR Is Not
For clarity and informed consent:
- not hypnosis
- not being forced to relive trauma
- not pushing through pain
- not a quick fix
- not losing control
EMDR is a structured, evidence-based therapy, and you remain actively involved in decisions about the pace and direction of the work.
What Makes Someone a Good Fit for an EMDR Intensive
Many women come to an EMDR intensive with something specific they want to work on — a memory, a fear, a pattern, or an experience that continues to affect them.
They can be a good fit for:
single-incident trauma
birth or medical trauma
a specific trigger or emotional reaction
a memory that keeps resurfacing
a stuck pattern
a specific fear or phobia
a recent traumatic event
performance-related blocks
They can also help with:
learn grounding and self-regulation skills
strengthen internal resources
prepare for trauma-focused work
return to work you've already begun in therapy
have more uninterrupted work time
build self-compassion or a different perspective
focus on a specific theme or set of related memories
work with a stuck belief
An intensive isn't meant to resolve everything at once. It's a way to create meaningful movement in one area that matters to you.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
If you're wondering whether an EMDR intensive is the right next step, we can talk through it together. We can look at what your system has been carrying and what kind of support might feel most helpful.
The Value of EMDR Intensives
EMDR intensives offer something weekly therapy simply can't:
Extended, uninterrupted time to stay with the work without having to stop because the session is ending.
Instead of stopping right when something important begins to shift, an intensive gives you the space to stay with the process and move through it at a natural pace.
Many women find that an intensive creates meaningful movement in an area that has felt stuck for a long time — with more time and space to focus than a traditional weekly session allows.
EMDR Intensive Options and Pricing
EMDR intensives include extended session time, preparation beforehand, and time to plan for what you may need afterward.
Half-Day Intensive – $1,100
3 hours of focused EMDR work
Full-Day Intensive – $2,400
5–6 hours of extended EMDR work and support
Multi-Day Intensives – Custom Pricing
For when additional time and continuity would be helpful
More than 20 years experience in trauma work, including trauma-focused inpatient and intensive outpatient settings
Online EMDR Therapy in Seattle & Across Washington
EMDR works well through telehealth, and many women find online sessions feel more comfortable and accessible.
Online EMDR can make it easier to fit therapy into your schedule, feel grounded in your own environment, and transition back into daily life afterward.
You don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out
A free 15-minute consultation is a simple place to start - a chance to talk through what's been feeling heavy and explore what support might feel like.
A Note on What Intensives Are Not For
EMDR intensives aren't right for everyone or for every situation. An intensive may not be the best next step when someone is:
- in an active crisis or currently unsafe
- dealing with several areas of trauma that would be better approached gradually
- experiencing significant dissociation that needs more preparation or stabilization
- having difficulty staying grounded when difficult material comes up
- currently living in circumstances that make trauma-focused work difficult to support
- hoping to resolve many years of experiences in a single day
Having complex trauma or needing additional preparation doesn't automatically rule out an intensive. It may mean we need to think more carefully about the focus, pacing, length of the intensive, or whether another approach makes more sense right now.
An intensive isn't about going faster. It's about having more uninterrupted time to focus on something important in a supported way.
How We Choose Your Intensive Focus
Before scheduling an intensive, we meet for a consultation to clarify what you want to work on and what feels most important right now.
Together, we look for a focus that is specific, well-defined, appropriate for EMDR, manageable, and meaningful.
We also talk about your current circumstances, available support, ability to stay grounded, and any preparation that might be helpful before beginning.
What an Intensive Day Looks Like
- preparation and grounding
- identifying what we’re working on
- EMDR processing with time to pause when needed
- time for integration and closure before we finish
What to Expect After Your EMDR Intensive
After an intensive, people respond in different ways. You may feel lighter, tired, reflective, more spacious, emotionally settled, or simply ready for some quiet. Sometimes emotions or memories continue to come up afterward as well.
We'll leave time at the end to talk about what you're noticing, what might be helpful in the days that follow, and any next steps.
Questions You Might Be Wondering About
Do I have to talk about everything in detail?
No. You don't have to retell your story in full.
Is an EMDR intensive too intense?
Intensives aren't about pushing harder - they're about having enough time to stay with the work.
Can this help with birth trauma or a recent experience?
Yes. Intensives can be especially helpful for both.
What if I'm not sure what to focus on?
That's completely okay. We identify it together.
How is this different from weekly therapy?
The biggest difference is time - uninterrupted time to move through what's stuck.
Can we meet online?
EMDR works well through telehealth, and many women find online sessions feel more comfortable and accessible.
Online EMDR can make it easier to fit therapy into your schedule, feel grounded in your own environment, and transition back into daily life afterward.
What if I'm not sure what I need?
A free 15-minute consultation is a simple place to start - a chance to talk through what's been feeling heavy and explore what support might feel like.
You do not need to have everything figured out before starting. We begin where you are.
Is This the Right Next Step?
If something still feels unresolved - especially something recent or something like a birth experience that hasn't fully settled - this kind of focused support can make a meaningful difference. You don't have to figure it out on your own.