EMDR therapy intensives near Kendal, Lancaster and online

I offer EMDR intensives online, and in person in Staveley and Lancaster, for children and adults. Whether you choose online or in-person can depend on your preference and our availability. EMDR is something that can translate very well to online work as well as in-person.

An EMDR intensive is a way of doing EMDR with longer sessions, and/or sessions more frequently, over a short period of time. This can sometimes be a more supportive and practical way of working than weekly therapy, depending on your needs, availability, support, and capacity.

I also offer EMDR as a more usual therapy structure and as part of a broader therapeutic offer where an intensive approach isn’t the right fit.

If you are unsure whether an EMDR intensive is a good fit for you and your needs, we can explore what therapeutic methods and techniques and time-scales might best work for you in an initial consultation.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. EMDR is a well-researched, evidence-based way of working with specific experiences and symptoms that can often be supported over a shorter time-scale than longer-term weekly therapy. The research base, and my clinical experience, suggest that when EMDR is a good fit for someone and their needs, it can help to reduce distress and support meaningful change in day-to-day life.

After something overwhelming, the mind and body can hold the memory in a way that sometimes doesn’t settle on its own. You might notice this as intrusive images, nightmares, panic, a strong startle response, a sense of threat when you logically know you are safe, or your body keeps bracing as if something is about to happen.

EMDR cannot change what happened. It does not erase memory. It can, however, help your system know that a memory is in the past, rather than a memory that keeps being remembered by body and mind with similar intensity in the present.

I offer EMDR with:

• Single-event trauma or a difficult incident that is contained to one period of time

• Themes linked to childhood experiences, including repeated experiences over time

• Triggers, body responses, intrusive images, nightmares, or a strong startle response that does not feel proportionate to what is happening now

(We would clarify together what you are noticing, what you would like to change, and what would help you to know the work is supporting you.)

Why an intensive format can be useful

For some people, intensives can be useful because:

• They reduce the stop-start feeling of weekly sessions, where you may spend time settling, opening something up, and then needing to pause again for a week

• They allow more time for preparation, processing, and consolidation within one planned block

• They can be more practical to schedule (for example, around work, school, travel, or childcare)

An intensive is not about pushing through. The intention is to create enough time to work steadily, with breaks, and to finish each session (and each day) with good closure.

Who can EMDR intensives suit best?

EMDR intensives are often most suitable when:

• You have a specific focus (for example, a particular incident, trigger, or theme you would like to work with)

• You have enough time and space for rest between sessions

• You have, or can put in place, a simple aftercare plan for the days of the intensive (especially if you are doing longer sessions)

If the intensive format is not the best fit, we can discuss alternative approaches and time-scales in the consultation.

Research found meaningful improvement in both formats, weekly and intensive EMDR, with outcomes maintained at one-year follow-up. Therefore, what we choose is usually about what best fits your life, capacity, and support

What happens in an EMDR intensive?

EMDR intensives are tailored to what you (or your child) are needing support with, for example anxiety, stress, a specific traumatic event, or the longer threads of a childhood trauma.

Although everyone’s process is individual, EMDR usually includes:

• Preparation and resourcing (ways to stay connected to the present, and to manage overwhelm)

• EMDR processing (working in short sets with pauses and breaks)

• Integration and consolidation (making sure the work is digested, and endings are held carefully)

We begin with an initial assessment, so I can learn more about what you are experiencing, what you have already tried, and what has helped. We can also think together about what might support you around the intensive itself. For some people this is as simple as planning extra rest and quieter days. For others, it might include supportive practices such as gentle movement, creativity or restorative yoga as practices to explore in sessions between the EMDR processing.

I often describe therapy as a bit like preparing for a journey. Before we set off, it helps to know where we are heading, to consider the route, and to make sure you have what you need for the terrain. Once we have enough resourcing in place, we can move forward with a clearer plan and a pace that fits you.

When we begin the intensive, we first spend time developing and solidifying resources to help you to stay connected to the present moment, and to find a sense of grounding and calm. This might include exploring anchoring attention in sensory experiences — sounds, sights, touch, smell — and/or working with the breath, as well as creativity and imagework to help you feel more stable and supported as we do the deeper work.

During EMDR we use bilateral stimulation (BLS) — this could be eye movements, alternating taps or sounds, depending on what feels right for you. For children and some adults, we may also include creative and sensory ways of working, such as drawing, metaphor, or the sand tray.

A core part of intensive work is integration. We make sure each session/day ends with containment and a plan for aftercare, so that you can feel contained. After an intensive, many people notice changes in how they relate to the memory or the difficulty, often a sense of having more distance, more choice, and greater knowing that what happened in the past is not happening now.

Once we have finished the intensive, you may wish to book follow-up sessions on an ad hoc basis, as the work is digested and integrated. Some people also choose to return for a further intensive later, if there are other parts of their experience they would like to work with.

How long does an EMDR intensive last, what are the structure options?

Intensive EMDR is usually a more concentrated format than typical therapy.

A structure that often works well for intensives is around four hours per day over three days, with breaks as needed. I usually keep the day protected so that we have flexibility with pacing, and we can shorten the day or include extra breaks if that is what your nervous system needs.

Other options can be double sessions weekly, or double sessions twice per week for three weeks.

Alternatively, you could simply have a structured EMDR block with a similar sequence to ‘normal’ therapy, with a session once a week for twelve weeks and then discuss whether additional sessions are required. We can explore what will work best for both our availability.

For children and young people, intensives are adapted to fit developmental needs: shorter blocks, more movement and sensory breaks, and clear planning with caregivers where appropriate.

EMDR Intensive Retreat/ Break

If you are doing an intensive over a week and do not live in the Lake District, you could consider staying locally, building in gentle rest and walks between sessions to support you in your therapy journey. 

For people from out of the local area, follow-up sessions can be arranged online. While I do not offer accommodation, I am happy to share recommendations.

If you are considering this option, please also consider how you might get support during this period, whether a supportive friend or dog or other resource might take the break with you, or have telephone contact, to offer relational support when you are not in sessions.

Next steps

If you would like to explore weekly EMDR or EMDR intensives, the first step is an initial consultation, so we can explore what might best support you and what time scale and structure is most likely to be helpful.