EMDR Intensives

EMDR Intensives —
a Different Kind of Therapy for a Different Kind of Person

Traditional therapy can sometimes feel like progress in slow motion. Intensives flip that script. Imagine compressing 3–6 months of therapy into 1–3 days. That’s not hype—it’s how intensives are structured. We use protocols backed by neuroscience & clinical evidence to help your brain reprocess stuck trauma, reduce emotional reactivity, & build new, healthier neural connections.

Intensives work because they provide continuity, containment, and concentrated focus. This allows your brain to stay in the processing zone without the disruption of weekly therapy's “stop/start” rhythm. For many people, this leads to breakthroughs in days that would normally take months to achieve. A growing body of research supports this: condensed EMDR sessions have been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms significantly in fewer hours of therapy, with benefits that last over time.

EMDR intensives are powerful—but they’re not a quick fix or a fit for everyone. If you’re in acute crisis, struggling with active addiction, or needing ongoing relational support, a more traditional therapy format may be safer right now. That’s not failure—it’s just good timing. But if you’re regulated enough for deep trauma work, & you're motivated to lean in, even when it gets hard? Then you’re in the right place.

EMDR Intensives are effective for a variety of past experiences & memories.

  • Accidents

  • Attachment Trauma

  • Breakups & Toxic Relationships

  • Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence

  • First Responders & Law Enforcement Experiencing Burnout

  • Helping Professionals Experiencing Vicarious Trauma

  • Immigration Fears/Experiences

  • Interactions with Law Enforcement or the Legal System

  • Medical Trauma of Any Kind

  • Military/Veteran Trauma

  • Natural Disaster Survivors

  • Panic Attacks or Vasovagal Syncope

  • Phobias & Fears

  • Pregnancy Loss/Termination

  • Mass Shooting, Gun VIolence, or Mass Casualty Trauma Survivors

  • Racial Trauma or Stressors

  • Violent Crime Victims, including Kidnapping & Human Trafficking

  • Sexual Abuse or Assault, Whether Experienced as a Child or Adult

Even if you can’t identify specific experiences, an EMDR intensive can be effective.

You don’t need another place to vent.

You need resolution.

EMDR intensives are for people who want change, not just coping skills. You might be a therapist, a high performer, a caregiver, or a trauma survivor who’s tired of circling the same pain points. Maybe you’ve already identified your core wounds & don’t need 10 more sessions to name them again—you need support to move through them. Intensives give you that structure.

They’re customized, goal-oriented, & built using established EMDR protocols, often combined with inner child work & somatic resourcing — all grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing model. Research shows that EMDR delivered in a condensed format is not only safe & effective, but often accelerates treatment outcomes compared to standard weekly sessions.

EMDR Intensives FAQ

How do I know if an EMDR intensive is right for me?
If traditional weekly sessions haven’t quite done the trick, EMDR intensives might be the shift you need. You might be a great fit for an intensive if:

  • You’re ready for deeper work that can create meaningful change, fast.

  • Past experiences still affect your present, & you’re ready to process them.

  • You have time off & want to invest in your mental & emotional well-being.

  • You’ve tried EMDR or Brainspotting before & found it effective.

  • You’re gearing up for a big transition & want to feel more grounded & prepared.

  • You’re in ongoing therapy but feel stuck & want to break through a plateau.

    I get it—sometimes you don’t have months or even weeks to spend in weekly therapy. Life moves fast, & your schedule might not leave much wiggle room. That’s why EMDR intensives offer a focused, accelerated path forward—helping you process what's holding you back & move toward the change you’ve been craving.


If I already have a primary therapy, can I still do an EMDR intensive?

Absolutely! This is something called adjunct EMDR. You can continue seeing your primary therapist after your intensive. Many clients find that the intensive workbook used during the intensive is very helpful to use as a guide when continuing weekly therapy after an intensive.


Can I use my health insurance to cover the cost of an intensive?

Unfortunately, insurance companies put limits on how many hours in a day, & how many times a week clients can attend therapy. For this reason, intensives are self-pay only.


Are EMDR intensives effective?

  • 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 & here.

  • Intensive EMDR treatment is feasible & is indicative of reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame. Learn more here.

  • An intensive program using EMDR therapy is a potentially safe & effective treatment alternative for complex PTSD. Learn more here.

  • The economic value is compelling: even compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises & concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing & coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session. Learn more here.


Do you offer payment plans for intensives?

I offer payment plans through Afterpay and Klarna. Both are third party payment arrangement companies. Depending on the cost of your intensive, you may be able to make four bi-weekly interest-free payments, or you may have the option to make monthly payments that do incur interest at a set rate, set by each respective company.

[Approval for a payment arrangement with Afterpay or Klarna is solely dependent on one’s approval with that company—Heather Schumer has no influence or input into those approvals/denials.]

Pricing & Investment — What’s the Cost of Staying Stuck?

Let’s be real—therapy is an investment. Not just of your money, but of your time, your energy, & your capacity to face the hard stuff. & intensives? They’re a powerful, accelerated way to make that investment count.

Why Intensives Cost More Upfront (But Save You in the Long Run)

A single intensive can move you further in your healing journey than months of weekly sessions. That means fewer therapy hours overall, less emotional bandwidth spent gearing up & winding down each week, & a shorter timeline between stuck and thriving.

You’re not just paying for time—you’re paying for transformation.

Three Options. One Goal: RELIEF.

Option 1

Hit the ground running. Heal hard.
Walk away lighter.

This 9-hour EMDR intensive is designed to help you make powerful progress—fast. Whether you're stuck on one specific issue or just need a reset, this option delivers focused support & major relief in a short amount of time.

Here’s what’s included:

  • Pre-Treatment (2 hours, virtual)

    • We’ll talk through what to expect, complete any assessments, & identify the targets your brain’s ready to process

  • EMDR Reprocessing (6 hours)

    • Scheduled as 3 hours/day for 2 consecutive days

    • Deep, focused work that cuts through the noise & gets to the root

  • Post-Treatment Integration (1 hour, virtual)

    • Reflect, regroup & map out what’s next with intention

  • A Customized EMDR Intensive Workbook

    • Tailored tools & prompts to help you get the most from your experience

  • Personalized Aftercare Recommendations

    • You won’t leave wondering “now what?”—you’ll have a clear path forward

  • Investment: $2100

Perfect for focused work on one specific issue or a quick reset.

Option 2

More space. More depth.
More transformation.

This 12-hour EMDR intensive is built for those ready to do the work—multiple memories, complex layers, or long-standing patterns that just won’t budge. Let’s go deeper so you can feel a real shift.

Here’s what’s included:

  • Pre-Treatment (2 hours, virtual)

    • We’ll set the stage for success—go over the EMDR intensive process, complete assessments, & identify priority targets for reprocessing

  • EMDR Reprocessing (9 hours)

    • Scheduled as 3 hours/day for 3 consecutive days

    • This is immersive, uninterrupted healing time—no fluff, no distractions

  • Post-Treatment Integration (1 hour, virtual)

    • Time to slow down, reflect, & figure out what you need next

  • A Customized EMDR Intensive Workbook

    • Designed to help you organize your breakthroughs, track insights, & stay grounded

  • Personalized Aftercare Recommendations

    • Walk away with a roadmap for what comes after—because healing doesn’t stop when the clock does

  • Investment: $2940

Perfect for targeting multiple memories or untangling layers of traumatic experiences.

Option 3

All in, all out healing.
Deep work for deep wounds.

This 15-hour EMDR intensive is for people carrying heavy stuff. If your trauma feels big, old, or buried under years of coping—you need time, space, & structure to unpack it. This is that.

Here’s what’s included:

  • Pre-Treatment (2 hours, virtual)

    • We’ll lay the foundation: clarify goals, complete assessments, & build your personalized reprocessing plan

  • EMDR Reprocessing (12 hours)

    • Choose your pace: 3 hours/day for 4 days, or 4 hours/day for 3 days

    • However you slice it, this is powerful, extended trauma reprocessing with room to breathe

  • Post-Treatment Integration (1 hour, virtual)

    • Regroup and anchor the shifts you’ve made before heading back into your day-to-day

  • A Customized EMDR Intensive Workbook

    • Includes guided exercises, prompts, & processing tools created for you

  • Personalized Aftercare Recommendations

    • Aftercare recs that meet your needs, not a one-size-fits-all checklist

  • Investment: $3780

Perfect for processing complex, longstanding trauma & making big breakthroughs when nothing else has worked.

Healing shouldn’t be out of reach. To make EMDR Intensives more accessible, I offer payment options through Afterpay & Klarna (pending credit approval from the provider you choose).

You’ve got options:

Payment option 1
✅ Break the total cost into 4 equal biweekly payments over 8 weeks.
✅ Only 25% due up front
✅ No interest
✅ No hidden fees

Payment option 2
✅ Spread payments out over 6 to 18 months with monthly installments.
✅ Interest ranges from 5.99% to 8%
✅ No penalty for paying it off early (yep, save that interest if you want)

Take what works best for you—healing is hard enough without financial stress.

Imagine walking away from this week feeling lighter.
Take the first step towards your future & schedule a consult.