EMDR INTENSIVE RETREATS
Welcome to the EMDR Intensive Retreat page! Do you have a felt sense that something needs to change in your life but just not sure how to move forward? Is it difficult to come in once a week for therapy and maybe you're looking for something intensive to feel better sooner? Are you not able to function in your daily life due to overwhelming present triggers and want to get back to a sense of wholeness sooner? The Intensive Treatment format is developed to help clients receive accelerated care that is faster/more efficient than doing weekly sessions. The efficiency of this format can support your Return to Wholeness.
My approach to treating clients is to look at the whole person as a unique individual who has a human system that is designed to heal. I use a Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR (founded by Deb Kennard at the Personal Transformation Institute, www.emdr-training.net) which understands how negative, scary or traumatic experiences get stored in the body while always holding a lens of attachment. How we successfully bond to our primary caregivers or how that gets interrupted. Attachment trauma relates to the experience between a caregiver and the infant. When the bond between the caregiver and infant does not adequately form or is disrupted, the infant is at risk of experiencing attachment trauma. This can lead to all kinds of symptoms to include anxiety, depression, codependency, addiction, and the sense of feeling inherently flawed. Your EMDR Intensive will be customized to you and what you are most needing to feel a sense of wholeness.
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There is a lot of information here for you to discern if this would be right for you. I always welcome an initial session to understand what you are looking for and how I can best support your healing journey as we customize your EMDR Intensive. You have taken the first step which is the kindest thing you can do for yourself. - A Return to Wholeness.
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INVESTMENT
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1,850.00 per day Mon - Fri
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1,950.00 per day Sat - Sun
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other packages available
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WHAT TO EXPECT​
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9 am - 4 pm | 12 pm - 1 pm Lunch
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ONE PRE-SESSION
To assess for candidacy and treatment planning
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ONE POST-SESSION
A follow up to the Intensive, next steps and support for integration
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PERSONALIZED TREATMENT WORKBOOK
This will support you to work on your treatment goals before, during, and after our EMDR intensive sessions
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HEALTHY SNACKS PROVIDED | RESOURCES PROVIDED
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We will begin at 9am and engage the full 8 phase protocol of a somatic and attachment-focused EMDR. These days are intense and feeling tired will be normal. Self-care and nourishment will be important as your brain and body heal as integration and freedom in the present are happening. I will work with you on a self-care plan. Each intensive is designed to your unique person as no one person fits into a template.
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After your session it is recommended that you be free from distraction. This will allow you time to relax, process the training and spend time allowing for integration of your EMDR session. Sessions take place in the Mariposa Healing Center Office located in Denver, Colorado. Traveling clients are responsible for their own airfare and accommodations. Locations, rates, and suggestions for convenient accommodations may be provided upon request.
EMDR INTENSIVE RETREATS
WHY CHOOSE AN EMDR INTENSIVE RETREAT?
The traditional model of weekly psychotherapy is shifting to meet your needs. Now more than ever, we need flexibility in how we get support.
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EMDR is a treatment modality that helps to integrate negative experiences and allows distance from things that have been traumatic and/or less nurturing in our lives. It is kind of like a rewire of our experiences so that the brain can integrate them adaptively. My approach is to work together to explore what is underneath the strategies that help keep us out of pain, navigate the chaos and stay in attachment relationships. EMDR facilitated intensely can be profoundly healing with a lot of integration.
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EMDR intensives are personalized treatment plans that are designed to support your preferred schedule and timeline for your treatment goals.
Perhaps you’ve had a felt sense that something profound has yet to change, but you’re not quite sure how to shift all the way into a new experience of yourself with your current therapist. Maybe you now cognitively understand new things, yet your body is still confused, so you’re curious about how intensive EMDR therapy can help as you work with your primary talk therapist.
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Perhaps you’ve been meaning to get into weekly therapy for a while now, but your schedule has been so hectic and demanding that a weekly therapy appointment feels more overwhelming than supportive.
Perhaps you’re needing a lot of help right now, and you don’t want to spend months in the traditional weekly model of therapy treatment to feel better.
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Perhaps, with COVID, you need more efficient support as the busy parent with kids doing virtual learning and/or the working professional who has even more on their plate since the pandemic.
Perhaps you are a current, weekly client who is needing extra, focused support quickly.
Perhaps you are a new client who just prefers to work intensively.
ARE YOU AN IDEAL CLIENT FOR EMDR INTENSIVE RETREAT WORK?
SHARING RESEARCH WHICH SUPPORTS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EMDR INTENSIVES
Intensive application of trauma-focused therapy seems to be well tolerated in patients with PTSD, enabling faster symptom reduction with similar, or even better, results, while reducing the risk that patients drop out prematurely. Learn more here and here.
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Intensive EMDR treatment is feasible and is indicative of reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame. Learn more here.
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An intensive program using EMDR therapy is a potentially safe and effective treatment alternative for complex PTSD. Learn more here.
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Compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on checking in at the beginning of each session, addressing current crises and concerns, focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing and/or assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session.
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How long are EMDR Retreats/Intensives?Intensives are usually 1-2 full days or up to 3 half days with dedicated space in between days to allow for integration. However, everyone's experiences and needs may vary. Depending upon your level of motivation or scheduling needs, a large amount of EMDR therapy can be effectively compressed into a shorter period of time. A half-day intensive offers a multitude of resources and can help to either increase performance and confidence, or significantly decrease the devastating effects of single event trauma (e.g. negative cognitions, disturbing emotions and body sensations). While significant healing can occur in one half-day intensive, Complex PTSD deserves more treatment than one half-day intensive. Many of my clients experiencing Complex PTSD may continue to work on their trauma histories through monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly half-day intensives. When you are engaging in EMDR therapy, you do not need to necessarily go out and practice a skill. When done intensively, individuals report a sense of well being sooner, more freedom from the past and a decrease in the symptoms that bring them into therapy.
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Why an EMDR Intensive?EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process. EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. When EMDR is done intensely, clients are able to find more freedom and presence from the past. After your session it is recommended that you be free from distraction. This will allow you time to relax, process the training and spend time allowing for integration of your EMDR session. Sessions take place in the Mariposa Healing Center Office located in Denver, Colorado. Traveling clients are responsible for their own airfare and accommodations. Locations, rates, and suggestions for convenient accommodations may be provided upon request.
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How do I sign up for an Intensive Retreat?Contact Susanne here.
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Why an intensive instead of a normal 60-minute psychotherapy session?EMDR intensives allow the opportunity to progress through your symptoms in a more succinct and focused way without the interruption of a 60-minute session. An intensive format may decrease overall treatment time because of time not spent on: a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises and concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session.
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If I’m already a weekly client, can I participate in an EMDR intensive?"Yes. EMDR intensives for current clients are available in modified formats and pricing.
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If I already have a primary therapist, can I do an EMDR intensive as ADJUNCT therapy?"Yes. Perhaps you’ve a felt sense that something profound has yet to change, but you’re not quite sure how to shift all the way into a new experience of yourself with your current therapist. Maybe you now cognitively understand new things, yet your body is still confused, so you’re curious about how adjunct EMDR intensive therapy can help. We will identify what format is best for you during your initial consultation.
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What can I expect to accomplish in a 3-day weekday or weekend intensive?Participating in a 3-day (weekday or weekend) EMDR intensive may create impactful change more efficiently than just weekly, 60-minute sessions or even one half-day intensive. We will identify what format is best for you during your initial consultation.
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Can my insurance help pay for this program?Yes. Many insurance companies reimburse a significant portion of the cost of psychotherapy. For insurance purposes, I am considered an out-of-network provider. It's best to determine the exact details of your policy ahead of time, including what benefits are available regarding out-of-network providers and if your insurance will reimburse several hours of therapy in one day or one week. I will provide you with a Superbill for all direct contact therapy services included in the program.
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What is the research in support of EMDR Retreats?EMDR 5 Day Intensive Research 2018 EMDR Intensies for Severe PTSD Research EMDR Intensives for Borderline DX Research EMDR Intensives with Veterans PTSD Research 2018 EMDR Intensives Case Series Research 2017