EMDR Intensives in Indianapolis
then the session is over.
You’ve checked in. You’ve settled your nervous system. You finally get to the thing you actually came to therapy to work on—and someone looks at the clock.
An EMDR intensive gives you a longer, protected block of time for focused trauma work without repeatedly stopping and restarting every 55 minutes.
It isn’t about cramming as much trauma as possible into an afternoon.
It’s about giving the work the time it needs.
- Extended time for focused trauma processing
- Fewer stops and starts
- A personalized, supportive approach
- In-person in Indianapolis and virtual throughout Indiana and Florida
- In-person in Indianapolis for clients from Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg and surrounding Central Indiana communities + virtual therapy throughout Indiana & Florida.
Maybe weekly therapy is working. You just keep running out of therapy.
An EMDR intensive can make sense for all sorts of reasons. Not necessarily because you’re doing terribly. Sometimes you’re actually doing quite well—and there is one particular thing that remains remarkably uninterested in all the insight you’ve acquired.
You understand the story.
You may even be able to explain exactly why you react the way you do.
Your nervous system remains somewhat unimpressed by this information.
Something important starts connecting.
You’re finally in it.
And then:
“Okay, we need to wrap up.”
Next week, you find your way back there again.
A memory. A loss. A betrayal. A particular experience. A trigger or belief that keeps showing up in your current life. You’re ready to give it more focused attention.
Work. Kids. Travel. School. Life.
Maybe weekly therapy is theoretically possible but practically absurd.
A longer block of treatment may fit your actual life better.
You may prefer to travel from Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg or elsewhere in Central Indiana for one concentrated appointment rather than make the trip every week.
Excellent.
You may not need a different therapist.
You may simply want focused EMDR work with Jenny while continuing your regular therapy with someone you already know and trust.
Meet Jenny Staats, LMSW
Jenny provides EMDR intensives at High Thrive Counseling in Indianapolis. Her approach is warm, practical, collaborative, and paced around the person in front of her—not around how much work is “supposed” to happen in three hours.
An intensive gives Jenny more room to prepare carefully, follow the work where it needs to go, slow down when needed, take breaks, and close the session intentionally.
The goal isn’t to see how much trauma can possibly fit into an afternoon. It’s to create enough time and structure for focused work to happen without rushing the person doing it.
So... what actually is an EMDR intensive?
An EMDR intensive is an extended EMDR therapy session that gives you more uninterrupted time for preparation, trauma processing, grounding, and integration than a traditional weekly appointment.
More protected time
Instead of fitting the work into a 50- or 60-minute appointment, you have a longer block of time for focused EMDR work.
Less stopping + restarting
There is more room to settle in, stay with useful processing, take breaks when needed, and continue without repeatedly rebuilding momentum.
Preparation still matters
Longer does not mean faster, harder, or more intense for the sake of intensity. Preparation and pacing remain part of good EMDR.
EMDR intensive vs. weekly EMDR
Both can be excellent. An intensive isn’t automatically better than weekly EMDR. And weekly therapy isn’t somehow the “slow” version. They are different treatment structures. The better question is: Which format makes more sense for you and the work you want to do?
| Weekly EMDR | EMDR Intensive | |
|---|---|---|
| Session length | Usually 50–60 minutes | Extended 3- or 6-hour blocks |
| Schedule | Typically weekly or biweekly | One or more concentrated days |
| Getting started | Opening and closing happens each session | Fewer repeated starts and stops |
| Continuity | Work unfolds across appointments | More uninterrupted processing time |
| Best fit | Ongoing support and gradual work | Focused treatment goals or concentrated work |
| Travel | Requires repeated appointments | Can be useful for clients traveling to Indianapolis |
| Existing therapist | Often your ongoing treatment | Can supplement therapy you already receive elsewhere |
Still reading and thinking, “I have no idea whether that is me?”
Perfectly reasonable.
You are not expected to clinically screen yourself from a webpage. That is what the consultation is for.
Jenny can help you think through what you want to work on, what support you already have, and whether an intensive actually makes sense for you right now.
Who might benefit from an EMDR intensive?
There is no single diagnosis or trauma history that automatically makes someone a good candidate. What matters more is what you want to work on, where you are right now, and whether concentrated trauma work makes clinical sense.
You have a particular target.
A memory, experience, trigger, loss, betrayal, or belief feels especially important.
You understand it—but still feel it.
Insight is there, yet your body or emotions keep reacting as though the past is present.
Weekly EMDR feels stop-and-start.
Meaningful work repeatedly begins just as it is time to end the session.
You want uninterrupted time.
A longer protected block may fit the work better than repeated shorter appointments.
Your schedule is complicated.
Work, parenting, travel, school, or life makes weekly appointments difficult.
You already have a therapist.
You want focused EMDR work without leaving a therapist you already know and trust.
You are traveling to Indianapolis.
Concentrated appointments may make more sense than repeatedly driving into the city.
You have enough stability + support.
Readiness, grounding resources, safety, and post-session support matter.
Sometimes more time is helpful. Sometimes more preparation is what you need first.
EMDR intensives are not the right fit for every person or every situation. Sometimes weekly therapy, stabilization, medical support, or additional preparation is the better place to begin.
You are currently in an acute crisis or immediate danger.
Your nervous system feels too unstable for concentrated trauma work right now.
You need additional coping resources or stabilization first.
You are hoping an intensive will function as a guaranteed quick fix.
You cannot reasonably make space afterward to rest and integrate.
Your current circumstances make focused trauma work difficult or unsafe.
Not right now does not necessarily mean not ever.
The goal is not to sell you an intensive. The goal is to figure out whether one actually makes sense for you.
The EMDR intensive process
Your intensive begins before the deeper processing starts. Preparation, pacing, and integration are part of the treatment.
Consultation + Fit
Talk about your history, goals, and whether an intensive is a good fit right now.
Assess + Prepare
Gather background information and make sure you have the resources and support needed.
Your Intensive
Spend extended time doing EMDR processing, with breaks and pacing based on your needs.
Integration
Slow down, process what surfaced, and make sense of the work before ending.
Next Steps
Make a plan for what comes next—ongoing therapy, collaboration, or additional support.
A sample 3-hour EMDR intensive
Every intensive is individualized, so this is an example—not a rigid little trauma-processing itinerary.
Getting settled
(30 min)
Check in, ground, and get oriented.
Focused EMDR
(60 min)
Extended time for focused trauma processing.
Break
(5–15 min)
Rest, reset, hydrate, move around, and breathe.
Continued processing
(45–60 min)
Return to EMDR when it remains clinically useful.
Closing + integration
(30 min)
Reflect, settle, integrate, and plan what comes next.
Already have a therapist? You don’t have to break up with them.
Many clients continue seeing their regular therapist and use an EMDR intensive as focused adjunct work around one particular target.
An intensive can complement the work you are already doing without changing your ongoing care.
With your written permission, Jenny can collaborate with your current therapist so everyone is on the same page.
EMDR intensives for Indianapolis + Central Indiana
High Thrive Counseling offers in-person EMDR intensives in Indianapolis for clients throughout Central Indiana, including Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Brownsburg, Westfield, Noblesville, Avon and surrounding communities.
Virtual EMDR therapy options are also available throughout Indiana and Florida when clinically appropriate.
6229 Indianola Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46220
More about trauma + EMDR
You do not have to decide whether an EMDR intensive is right for you after reading one webpage. Here are a few places to keep learning.
Myths + Facts of EMDR
What EMDR actually involves—and a few things people understandably get a little wrong about it.
Emotional Numbing + Trauma
When “I don’t feel anything” may actually be your nervous system doing quite a lot behind the scenes.
After Witnessing a Traumatic Event
What may happen after you witness something frightening, what can be normal, and what may help next.
A few things people usually want to know.
What is an EMDR intensive?
An EMDR intensive is an extended EMDR therapy appointment that provides more time for preparation, trauma processing, grounding, and integration than a standard weekly session.
How long does an EMDR intensive last?
High Thrive offers 3-hour half-day and 6-hour full-day EMDR intensive options. One-, two-, and three-day formats are available.
How much does an EMDR intensive cost?
Half-Day Intensive — 3 hours per day
- 1 Day — $450
- 2 Days — $900
- 3 Days — $1,350
Full-Day Intensive — 6 hours per day
- 1 Day — $900
- 2 Days — $1,800
- 3 Days — $2,700
EMDR intensive packages are self-pay and are not covered by insurance.
Is an EMDR intensive better than weekly EMDR?
Not necessarily. They are different treatment structures. Weekly therapy provides ongoing support and gradual pacing, while an intensive offers a longer protected block of time with fewer repeated starts and stops.
Can I do an intensive if I have never done EMDR before?
Possibly. Previous EMDR experience is not automatically required. Jenny will assess readiness, explain the process, and make sure appropriate preparation and grounding resources are in place.
Can I keep seeing my regular therapist?
Yes. Many clients use an EMDR intensive alongside ongoing therapy. With your permission, Jenny can collaborate with your current therapist so the work complements your existing care.
Can I do an EMDR intensive online?
Online EMDR may be available throughout Indiana and Florida when telehealth is clinically appropriate. In-person intensives are offered at High Thrive Counseling in Indianapolis.
Does insurance cover an EMDR intensive?
EMDR intensive packages at High Thrive Counseling are self-pay and are not insurance-covered intensive packages.
How do I know whether I am ready?
Readiness is individualized. Jenny will consider your treatment goals, current stability, coping resources, support system, safety, and ability to remain present with difficult material.
Not sure whether an EMDR intensive makes sense for you?
That is exactly what the consultation is for. Talk with Jenny about what you want to work on, what treatment you have already tried, and whether an intensive is a useful next step.