Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, better known as EMDR Therapy, has been around for more than three decades. In the last few years, clinicians have adapted it into a concentrated format called an intensive. Instead of sixty minutes once a week, an intensive compresses assessment, resourcing, and reprocessing into several hours over one to three days, sometimes longer. The draw is obvious: deep, focused work without the weeklong gaps where momentum can fade.
As a therapist who runs both weekly sessions and intensives, I see how the format itself shapes outcomes. Some people benefit from the steady rhythm of weekly support, particularly in grief therapy or ongoing couples therapy. Others feel stuck repeating the same story, never reaching the core material. Intensives are not a magic shortcut, but when the fit is right, the amount of change packed into a day or a weekend can be striking.
What an EMDR Intensive Actually Looks Like
The word intensive sounds vague until you have a schedule in front of you. A common structure for a single day is six hours with planned breaks, usually two 2.5 hour work blocks with a long lunch and shorter pauses for water and movement. Multi day formats often stack two to three of these days in a row or over two consecutive weekends.
The day opens with a targeted check in. We confirm the plan built during the assessment phase, recheck stabilization skills, then step into reprocessing. EMDR Therapy uses bilateral stimulation, usually via eye movements, tactile buzzers, or alternating audio tones. We activate a specific memory or target, notice images, sensations, and beliefs, and let the brain do what it naturally tries to do during REM sleep, which is metabolize stuck material. The therapist offers prompts that keep the process within a safe range, sometimes weaving in cognitive interweaves when the mind stalls on a particular belief.
Because we have hours rather than minutes, we can follow threads to completion. In a weekly format, you might open a painful scene, get two sets of eye movements, then notice the clock. That stop and start can feel jarring. In an intensive, we keep going until the disturbance level, measured with the SUDs scale from 0 to 10, drops near zero, or until the body and mind feel quiet enough to pause. A typical day covers one to three targets, with time set aside for integration and grounding.
Who Leans Toward an Intensive
I think of intensives for people whose pain is circumscribed enough to name, and whose life circumstances allow for a short term push. Consider a physician who witnessed a code blue that now hijacks her when she hears an alarm, a parent who cannot drive through the intersection where the accident happened, or a first responder who has one haunting call among many routine ones. A weekend may not erase the event, but it can remove the sting, and that shift can ripple into sleep, irritability, and concentration.
There is another group who benefits, even with more complex histories. These are clients who already have strong stabilization skills and a supportive structure around them, who feel ready to spend longer stretches inside painful material without losing their footing. Think of someone deep in trauma therapy for complex childhood abuse who has plateaued. A three day block sometimes breaks through entrenched avoidance that weekly sessions cannot budge, provided we plan careful aftercare.
Brief grief therapy can also fit well in an intensive when a person is fixed on a few unresolved moments, such as not reaching the hospital in time or the memory of a final conversation. We are not removing grief, which is a natural bond, but we can lessen guilt and traumatic imagery that complicate mourning. In family therapy or couples therapy, an intensive can be used to address specific relational injuries, for example an infidelity discovery day, by pairing EMDR with structured dialogue work. That said, conjoint intensives require meticulous screening to protect each partner’s safety.
A Taste of the Work: Two Examples
A physician in her late thirties came in for a one day intensive after six months of interrupted sleep and spikes of panic during resuscitations. We focused on one resuscitation that had lodged in her mind, especially the image of a child’s still face. After two hours of resourcing and installation, we moved into reprocessing. She began with a SUDs of 9. Across 90 minutes of bilateral stimulation, her mind jumped through associated scenes, then slowed around a belief, I failed him. With a few targeted interweaves, including recalling the team’s efforts and the medical facts of the case, her SUDs dropped to 1. Two weeks later, she reported sleeping through alarms on call without a jolt. She still felt sadness on pediatric codes, which is appropriate, but not the same chokehold of panic.
A man in his mid fifties sought help after a messy divorce. Weekly work had already addressed communication patterns, but he could not shake a looping scene of reading text messages that revealed the affair. We set up a two day intensive. Day one focused on the discovery memory. Day two turned toward a childhood scene where he learned, if I am not perfect, I am worthless. The divorce had cracked open that older belief. By the end, his disturbance dropped, and he described a new meaning statement that felt authentic, I can be flawed and still be chosen. He later returned with his ex partner for a separate round of couples therapy focused on co parenting, better prepared to enter the sessions without being flooded.
Why Intensives Sometimes Work Faster
It is not that the brain learns faster in an intensive, it is that the therapy has fewer barriers. You are already warmed up from the previous hour, and your nervous system does not need to waste half the session shifting gears from work to therapy mode. Without the weekly cliff, we also spend less time patching over fires that erupted between sessions. The therapist’s mind benefits too. I keep the case map fresh, I do not have to reassemble threads from last Tuesday, and https://www.mindbodysoulmates.com/isable-smith-lcsw-wheat-ridge-colorado I can notice shifts within the same day.
There is another simple fact. Trauma patterns often run on momentum. Avoidance grows each time we back away from the hard thing. An intensive creates a protected container where you face the hard thing, steadily, with adequate support, until your nervous system gets the message that the past is over.
The Trade offs You Should Weigh
The upsides do not erase the costs. A six hour day is taxing. Even with breaks, your body may feel wrung out by dinner. If you carry chronic pain, migraines, or a condition like POTS, back to back days may be too much. Financially, intensives are often out of network and require a larger upfront fee, for example 1,200 to 3,000 dollars for a one to three day block in many U.S. Markets. Some insurers reimburse at standard session equivalents if the clinician breaks the day into units on a superbill, but not all do. Travel adds expense if you are seeing a specialist outside your area.
Timing matters. EMDR Therapy can stir temporary increases in dreaming, emotional lability, or body sensations. If your calendar is packed with high stake events in the following week, build in buffer. Parents of young children may need child care arranged not just for the sessions, but also for the evening after to recover.
Finally, the format changes the therapist’s role. In weekly therapy, I am also a steady relational presence. In an intensive, we are more like co workers on a project for a brief sprint. If you want extended relational work, attachment repair, and ongoing integration, pair an intensive with continuing therapy afterward.
How EMDR Intensives Pair With Other Modalities
EMDR is a flexible framework. In grief therapy, we might use it to reduce the sting of specific traumatic snapshots, then shift to meaning making and continuing bonds work. In couples therapy, EMDR can be used individually with each partner to clear trauma triggers that sabotage communication, with conjoint sessions focusing on repair dialogues and agreements. Some clinicians offer dyadic EMDR work in the room with both partners present, but that requires careful boundaries.
In family therapy, especially around intergenerational trauma, I sometimes work with one family member in an intensive, then facilitate a family session a week later to share insights and plan structural changes at home. For trauma therapy related to complex PTSD, EMDR intensives often interweave parts work, sensorimotor techniques, and somatic grounding. We may open with stabilization using breathing ladders, orienting exercises, or bilateral tapping that clients can learn and use independently.
Medication management remains a parallel track. Most SSRI or SNRI medications do not interfere with EMDR. Benzodiazepines can blunt affect and slow processing, so we discuss safe timing. Stimulants may heighten arousal, which can be helpful or disruptive depending on the person. Medical collaboration is part of screening.
Safety, Screening, and Red Flags
A thorough assessment is non negotiable. Good candidates can usually name a target or two and tolerate focused attention on distress for several minutes without dissociating. They have some stability in sleep, housing, and relationships. They can use agreed upon stop signals if overwhelmed.
There are clear situations where a full scale intensive is not the first step. Active substance dependence, ongoing domestic violence, significant suicidality, unstable psychosis, or uncontrolled bipolar mania require stabilization and safety first. If a client has a history of complex dissociation, including OSDD or DID, intensives can still work, but the structure changes. We plan shorter work blocks, longer resourcing, and explicit agreements about parts communication. For some, a half day format spaced out over weeks fits better.
Medical factors are real. Concussions in the last three months, uncontrolled seizures, or acute post operative recovery are reasons to pause. If someone has a high baseline of anxiety with frequent panic attacks, we test how they respond to bilateral stimulation in a shorter trial session. The goal is not to push through, but to calibrate.
What Changes During an Intensive
The subjective experience shifts first. People often report that the image becomes grainy, or that the body tension eases a few notches, or that a bizarre association arrives, then the original memory feels different. By the end of a target, many choose a belief like I did the best I could or I am safe now, then we strengthen it with bilateral stimulation. I track SUDs and the Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale, which runs from 1 to 7. I also watch the body cues that matter more than numbers, a deep spontaneous breath, a change in posture, or a different look in the eyes.
After the intensive, the arc continues. Dreams can be vivid for a few nights as the brain keeps integrating. Emotional startle responses often fade. People describe subtle but tangible differences, like driving past the accident site while noticing the trees rather than white knuckling the wheel. Partners notice that arguments cool faster because a trigger is less sticky.
Telehealth or In Person
Both work. In person allows for easier use of tactile pulsers and more control over the environment. Telehealth expands access and is convenient for follow ups. If you do an online intensive, set up your space. A stable internet connection, a private room where you will not be interrupted, adequate lighting, and a backup plan if the platform crashes all matter. I ask clients to have a weighted blanket or pillow, water, and a small snack within reach. For bilateral stimulation at home, we use eye movement on screen, audio tones, or butterfly tapping.
Some clients prefer to travel and combine the work with a quiet long weekend nearby. If you do, plan light activities after each day. A stroll, a simple meal, an early bedtime. Avoid packing sightseeing between therapy blocks.
Preparing for an Intensive
Preparation starts a few weeks out with a detailed intake, a review of medical and psychiatric history, and a conversation about goals. I ask clients to write a few sentences about the specific outcomes they want, not, I want to feel better, but, I want to drive through the intersection calmly or, I want to stop feeling sick to my stomach when my partner is late. We build a target timeline, which is a map of key memories and current triggers.
Then we practice stabilization. Calm place imagery, bilateral self tapping, orienting to the room, and paced breathing sound simple, yet they create the runway. If you have a current therapist, involve them. Share the plan, set a check in before and after, and agree on what to do if symptoms spike.
Here is a short checklist many of my clients find useful.
- Clarify one to three concrete goals you want from the intensive, written in everyday language. Arrange practical support, child care, flexible work schedule, and a quiet evening after each day. Practice stabilization skills daily for one week before, including bilateral tapping and paced breathing. Plan gentle meals and hydration, avoid heavy alcohol or new supplements in the 48 hours before. Confirm aftercare appointments, at least one follow up with your therapist within a week.
What the Day Feels Like
You arrive a few minutes early, settle in, and we review the plan. We begin with five to ten minutes of grounding to set your nervous system in a workable zone. Reprocessing starts, and we cycle in short sets of bilateral stimulation with brief check ins. We stop when the material quiets or when your body says enough for now. Breaks are not a failure. They are part of how the brain consolidates. We might step outside for two minutes of fresh air or switch to a brief somatic exercise to release residual tension.
Lunch is light and simple. Heavy meals can tank your energy and make you sleepy. The afternoon often dives into a second target or continues the first if layers remain. The final thirty minutes are always reserved for integration. We install a positive belief, scan for any residual distress, and end with stabilization. You leave with written aftercare guidelines and a plan for the evening.
Aftercare and Integration
The hours and days after are important. Most people feel a pleasant fatigue. Some feel weepy or irritable. Dreams can pick up. I recommend journaling a few lines if dreams or new insights come, nothing elaborate. Movement helps, a walk or gentle yoga. Avoid major life decisions for a few days. If you notice distress rising above a 6 or 7 on your own scale and not settling with skills, reach out. Part of the package should include a brief follow up contact.
Many clients return to their regular therapist with specific updates. You can show what triggers eased, what meanings shifted, and where to focus next. If you do not have an ongoing therapist, consider one or two integration sessions with the intensive clinician, or join a group focused on skills, such as an eight week emotion regulation class. In couples or family therapy, schedule a time to share what you learned and set one small, observable change at home, for example pausing arguments when either person’s heart rate feels spiky, then returning after a glass of water.
What the Research and Experience Say
EMDR Therapy as a whole has a solid evidence base for PTSD and trauma related symptoms. Intensive formats have a smaller, growing body of studies. Early findings suggest that multi hour, multi day EMDR can produce large symptom reductions in short time frames for single incident trauma, with some maintenance at one to three month follow ups. My clinical experience aligns with this. I have seen SUDs drop from 8 or 9 to 0 to 2 across a weekend, with improved sleep and decreased hypervigilance in the following month.
For complex trauma, expectations must be right sized. An intensive can move the needle, sometimes significantly, yet the work of building safety, boundaries, and new relational patterns still takes time. Think of the intensive as removing a few boulders from the path, not paving the entire road.
Cost, Logistics, and Fair Questions to Ask
Clinicians price intensives to account for preparation, session time, and post session availability. In many cities, a single day ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 dollars, with multi day blocks scaled accordingly. Some offer sliding scale or scholarship days a few times a year. Insurance reimbursement varies widely. If you plan to submit out of network claims, ask for a superbill broken into session length units that your plan recognizes.
Before you commit, interview the therapist. Ask how many intensives they have conducted, how they handle dissociation or panic, whether they have hospital privileges or emergency protocols, and what their rescheduling policy is if your body says stop on day one. Clarify what is included, for example intake, preparation calls, equipment, and follow up.
If you are traveling, confirm logistics. Where will you park, what is nearby for lunch, how is privacy handled in the office suite, are restrooms close, what happens if the fire alarm goes off. Practicalities matter when you are doing vulnerable work.
Special Considerations for Couples and Families
Using EMDR inside couples therapy or family therapy is powerful and delicate. When trust has been ruptured, an individual intensive for each partner can soften trauma reactivity that derails hard conversations. If you attempt conjoint EMDR in the same room, you need very clear agreements, and both people must be committed to nonretaliation and support. Sometimes, one partner’s reprocessing brings up new disclosures. Plan how to handle that with your therapist ahead of time.
With families, especially when a parent’s trauma fuels reactivity with a teenager, an intensive for the parent often shifts the entire system. A father who stops freezing when his son raises his voice can enforce clear boundaries without flooding. Afterward, a family session to set new rules and practice de escalation often locks in gains.
How to Decide If This Format Fits You
You could spend weeks analyzing. A simple way forward is to run a small experiment. Schedule a consultation with an EMDR intensive provider and notice your body’s response during the call. Do you feel a little hopeful and grounded, or activated and unsure. Bring the idea to your current therapist. Ask a trusted person in your life whether your schedule and support network can flex to hold a demanding few days.
Here is a short decision aid you can use.
- You have one to three clear targets, or a well defined cluster of triggers that disrupt daily life. You can tolerate focused emotion for several minutes and return to baseline with skills. You have a safe, stable environment with at least one supportive person to debrief with. Your calendar allows 24 to 72 hours of light duty after the work, with sleep protected. You have a plan for ongoing support, either returning to your therapist or brief follow ups.
If most of these ring true, an intensive is worth a consult. If several do not, you might build capacity with weekly sessions first, then revisit the idea in a season.
Final Thoughts
EMDR Therapy intensives compress meaningful work into a tight window. They are not for everyone, and they are not a replacement for thoughtful, steady therapy when that is what a person needs. Still, when a specific memory or trigger holds you hostage, or when you feel ready to face old pain with robust support, a dedicated day or two can change the way your nervous system organizes the past. The result is not forgetting, but freedom, the kind that shows up quietly on a Tuesday afternoon when you notice the light through the trees instead of the old alarm ringing in your chest.
Name: Mind, Body, Soulmates
Official legal name variant: Mind, Body, Soulmates PLLC
Address: 4251 Kipling Street, Suite 560, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, United States
Phone: +1 970-371-9404
Website: https://www.mindbodysoulmates.com/
Email: [email protected]
Hours:
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Open-location code (plus code): QVGQ+CR Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
Google listing short URL: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fACy7i9mfaXGRvbD7
Matched public listing mirror: https://mind-body-soulmates-therapy.localo.site/
Coordinate-based map URL: https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=39.776082,-105.110429
Embed iframe:
Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/MindBodySoulmates/
https://www.instagram.com/mindbodysoulmates/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-body-soulmates/
https://x.com/mbsoulmates2026
https://www.youtube.com/@MindBodySoulmates
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "ProfessionalService",
"name": "Mind, Body, Soulmates",
"url": "https://www.mindbodysoulmates.com/",
"telephone": "+1-970-371-9404",
"email": "[email protected]",
"address":
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "4251 Kipling Street, Suite 560",
"addressLocality": "Wheat Ridge",
"addressRegion": "CO",
"postalCode": "80033",
"addressCountry": "US"
,
"openingHoursSpecification": [
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": "https://schema.org/Monday",
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "19:00"
,
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": "https://schema.org/Tuesday",
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "19:00"
,
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": "https://schema.org/Wednesday",
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "19:00"
,
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": "https://schema.org/Thursday",
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "19:00"
,
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": "https://schema.org/Friday",
"opens": "07:00",
"closes": "19:00"
],
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/MindBodySoulmates/",
"https://www.instagram.com/mindbodysoulmates/",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-body-soulmates/",
"https://x.com/mbsoulmates2026",
"https://www.youtube.com/@MindBodySoulmates"
],
"geo":
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": 39.776082,
"longitude": -105.110429
,
"hasMap": "https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=39.776082,-105.110429"
Mind, Body, Soulmates provides mental health counseling in Wheat Ridge with a strong focus on relationship issues, couples therapy, trauma support, grief work, and family therapy.
The Wheat Ridge location page says the practice works with individuals, couples, families, adults, teens, adolescents, and children dealing with concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and life transitions.
The team highlights approaches such as EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Brainspotting, Gottman Method, Relational Life Therapy, ACT, DBT, somatic therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, art therapy, and play therapy depending on client fit and goals.
The website presents the practice as a therapy team that aims to match each person with a clinician whose background and style fit the situation rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
For local relevance, the office is based in Wheat Ridge on Kipling Street, which makes it a practical option for people searching in the west Denver metro area while still offering virtual therapy across Colorado.
The site says the practice offers both in-person and online therapy, while the FAQ also notes that most sessions are conducted online and in-person availability is more limited.
People comparing therapy options in Wheat Ridge can use the free consultation process to ask about therapist matching, scheduling format, and the next steps before starting care.
To get started, call +1 970-371-9404 or visit https://www.mindbodysoulmates.com/, and use the map and listing references in the NAP section to support local entity consistency.
Popular Questions About Mind, Body, Soulmates
What services does Mind, Body, Soulmates list on its website?
The site highlights relationship therapy for individuals, couples therapy, trauma therapy, family therapy, grief therapy, EMDR, Brainspotting, ACT, DBT, somatic therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, art therapy, play therapy, Gottman Method, Relational Life Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Therapy.
Who does the practice work with?
The Wheat Ridge page says the practice serves individuals, couples, and families, including adults, teens, adolescents, and children.
Are sessions online or in person?
The website says the practice offers both in-person and online therapy in Wheat Ridge and across Colorado, but the FAQ also says most sessions are online and that in-person availability is limited.
Does Mind, Body, Soulmates offer a consultation?
Yes. The site repeatedly invites prospective clients to schedule a free consultation so the practice can learn more about the person’s goals and help match them with an appropriate therapist.
What fees are listed on the website?
The FAQ lists individual sessions at $150 for 50 minutes, couples sessions at $180 to $200 for 60 minutes, family sessions at $150 for one member plus $30 for each additional family member, and an added $15 charge for after-hours and weekend appointments.
Does the practice accept insurance?
The FAQ says the practice does not accept insurance, but it can provide a superbill for clients who have out-of-network benefits.
Can Mind, Body, Soulmates diagnose conditions or prescribe medication?
The FAQ says the therapists can discuss diagnosis when it may help treatment planning, but mental health therapists at the practice do not prescribe medication. The site also says they work closely with psychiatrists when deeper assessment or medication evaluation is needed.
How can I contact Mind, Body, Soulmates?
Call tel:+19703719404, email [email protected], visit https://www.mindbodysoulmates.com/, and review public social profiles at https://www.facebook.com/MindBodySoulmates/, https://www.instagram.com/mindbodysoulmates/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/mind-body-soulmates/, https://x.com/mbsoulmates2026, and https://www.youtube.com/@MindBodySoulmates.
Landmarks Near Wheat Ridge, CO
Kipling Street corridor: The office is located on Kipling Street, making this north-south corridor one of the most practical wayfinding anchors for local visitors heading to Wheat Ridge appointments.West 44th Avenue corridor: West 44th Avenue is a useful east-west reference nearby and ties together several familiar Wheat Ridge parks and civic landmarks.
Wheat Ridge Recreation Center: A recognizable civic landmark at 4005 Kipling St that helps anchor the broader Kipling corridor in local service-area copy.
Anderson Park: A well-known Wheat Ridge park and community reference point that works well for local coverage language around central Wheat Ridge.
Prospect Park: A practical landmark on the 44th Avenue side of Wheat Ridge that also connects well to Clear Creek and nearby trail-based wayfinding.
Clear Creek Trail: A major regional trail connection running between Golden and Wheat Ridge, useful for location content tied to the creek corridor and greenbelt side of town.
Crown Hill Park: One of Wheat Ridge’s best-known parks, with trails and lake loops that make it an easy landmark for local orientation.
Creekside Park: Another useful Wheat Ridge landmark along the Clear Creek side of the city for practical neighborhood-style coverage references.
Wheat Ridge City Hall: A clear civic anchor for location content aimed at residents searching around the center of Wheat Ridge.
Mind, Body, Soulmates can use these landmarks to strengthen local relevance for Wheat Ridge, the Kipling corridor, and the Clear Creek side of the city while still referencing online care across Colorado.