EMDR Intensives

EMDR Intensives offer a different way of accessing trauma therapy: longer, protected periods of therapeutic time rather than traditional weekly 50-minute sessions.

Individually planned and delivered online by Dr Donna Rooney, Chartered Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Therapist.

Imagine being able to give therapy more than 50 minutes at a time.

An EMDR Intensive is a way of undertaking EMDR therapy in longer, concentrated blocks of time rather than the traditional model of meeting for one session each week.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based psychological therapy, best known for its use in treating trauma and PTSD. It helps people process distressing experiences and memories that can continue to influence how they think, feel and respond in the present. You can read more about how EMDR works on my About EMDR  page.

Instead of beginning important therapeutic work only to find that it's almost time to stop, an intensive gives us protected time to stay with the process. We can spend longer understanding what is happening, work with the experiences that are keeping you stuck, and have time for processing, reflection and integration — without repeatedly having to pause and pick things up again the following week.

At Dove Psychology, an intensive isn't simply a very long EMDR session. It's a carefully planned package of psychological therapy, including assessment, preparation, an individually tailored intensive day and follow-up afterwards.

The aim isn't to process as much as possible, as quickly as possible. It's to create the time and space for focused, meaningful therapeutic work while maintaining the careful pacing, safety and individualised approach that good trauma therapy requires.

EMDR Intensives offer a way to process trauma and distress in a more focused and time-limited way, that might otherwise take months of weekly sessions. People often find that doing it in this way helps them get to the core of what they are struggling with, with less interruptions from life stressors.

More time to go deeper

With longer blocks of protected therapeutic time, we don’t have to stop simply because a traditional 50-minute session has come to an end. 

Less stopping and starting

Weekly therapy inevitably involves returning to everyday life between sessions and then recommencing with the work the following week. An intensive allows greater continuity and momentum. 

Focused on what matters to you

The intensive is planned around an agreed therapeutic goal rather than trying to address everything all at once. 

Protected time away from everyday demands

Setting aside a full day creates protected space to focus on yourself and the work, rather than fitting therapy into an already busy week. Many people find it is much easier to carve out one day of time, rather than a regular weekly hour.

Meaningful therapeutic work within a concentrated period. 

EMDR Intensives allow a substantial amount of therapeutic work to take place within a concentrated period, which can be particularly appealing if you would prefer focused blocks of therapy rather than committing to regular weekly sessions.

An intensive isn’t necessarily better than weekly therapy – it’s a different way of working. For some people, having longer periods of protected, focused therapeutic time can be particularly helpful. Part of our assessment will be considering whether this format is a good fit for you.

EMDR Intensives can be particularly helpful when there is a specific experience, difficulty or therapeutic goal that you would like focused time to work on. You may be new to therapy, have already had therapy but feel there is something you haven't been able to move past, or simply prefer the idea of focused therapeutic work rather than committing to regular weekly sessions.

Intensives can be used to work with: 

• Trauma and PTSD
• Single event trauma
• Distressing or intrusive memories
• Anxiety linked to previous experiences
• A specific fear or phobia 
• Traumatic bereavement or loss
• Workplace/occupational trauma
• Multiple or cumulative difficult experiences*

* More complex/cumulative difficulties may require more than one day. 

Intensive work isn't automatically right for everyone. We'll consider your current difficulties and circumstances, stability, support, trauma history, dissociation, risk and what you hope to achieve.

You don't need to work out whether an intensive is right for you before getting in touch. That's something we'll consider together.

01 Enquire → 02 Free consultation → 03 Assessment → 04 Preparation → 05 Intensive → 06 Follow-up

01 - Enquiry

Complete a short confidential enquiry form

02 - Free zoom call

A brief Zoom call to talk about what brings you to therapy, what you're hoping to achieve and answer any initial questions.

03 - Assessment (2 hours)

A comprehensive two-hour psychological assessment to understand your difficulties, history and goals, and consider whether intensive EMDR is appropriate.

04 - Preparation

Complete your preparatory materials, which I'll review in detail before planning and tailoring your intensive.

05 - Your intensive day

Your 9am–5pm intensive day, incorporating EMDR processing, careful pacing, breaks, grounding and integration.

06 - Follow up

Review how things have settled, any changes you've noticed and whether anything further would be helpful. 

Your intensive day

Your intensive runs from 9am–5pm, giving us a full day of protected time to focus on the work we've planned together. The day is divided into four 90-minute therapy blocks, with generous breaks in between.

You won't be processing difficult material continuously for six hours. Each block will be shaped by where we are in the work and may include preparation, reflection, EMDR processing, grounding and reviewing what is changing as we go.

9:00–10:30 | Morning session
We'll begin by checking in, reviewing our plan for the day and making sure you feel ready before moving into our therapeutic work and EMDR processing.

10:30–11:00 | Break
Time to step away from the screen, move around, have a drink or snack and give yourself some space from the work.

11:00–12:30 | Morning session
We'll continue with our planned therapeutic work, adapting the focus and pace according to what is emerging and how you are responding.

12:30–1:30 | Lunch
A full hour away from therapy. I'll encourage you to have something to eat, move around and give your mind some time to rest rather than continuing to think about the work we've been doing.

1:30–3:00 | Afternoon session
We'll return to the work, reviewing anything you've noticed over lunch before continuing with EMDR processing as appropriate.

3:00–3:30 | Break
Another opportunity to properly step away, move around, have a drink or snack and reset before our final session.

3:30–5:00 | Final session & integration
Our final block gives us time to continue therapeutic work where appropriate, but we won't simply process until 5pm. We'll make sure there is protected time towards the end of the day to bring the work to an appropriate stopping point, reflect on the day, help you feel grounded and settled, and talk about what you might notice afterwards.

A structure, not a rigid schedule

This timetable gives you an idea of what to expect, rather than a schedule we have to follow to the minute. We may take additional breaks, take breaks at different times, spend longer on preparation or grounding, or change the focus of a session depending on what you need. The priority is to work at a pace that is appropriate for you, rather than trying to fit you around the timetable.

After your intensive

An intensive involves a significant amount of psychological work, so it’s quite normal to feel emotionally or physically tired afterwards. You may also notice thoughts, feelings, dreams or memories arising as things continue to settle and process. I’ll talk you through what you might notice and how best to look after yourself in the days following your intensive.

You may begin to notice changes in how you think, feel or respond to situations in everyday life. It can be helpful to make a note of these, and we’ll review how things have settled during your follow-up session, as well as considering whether any further therapeutic work would be helpful.

Your space | Your technology | Bilateral stimulation | Your safety

EMDR can be delivered effectively online, allowing you to undertake your intensive from the privacy and familiarity of your own home. The therapeutic process remains much the same as when we are working together in person — we can talk face-to-face, prepare for the work together and use bilateral stimulation during EMDR processing.

For many people, online intensive work also has some practical advantages: there is no travelling before or after a long therapy day, you can take breaks in your own surroundings, and when we finish you are already somewhere familiar and comfortable.

Creating the right environment

Having the right environment around you is an important part of making online intensive work feel private, comfortable and protected. I want you to be able to properly step away from everyday demands and give yourself the space for the work we're doing.

You will need: 

• A private space where you won’t be overheard or interrupted. 
• A room where you can be alone during therapy. 
• Somewhere you can comfortably sit (for several hours at a time with breaks) and where we can clearly see each other. 
• Arrangements for children/pets/caring responsibilities so you are not likely to be interrupted. 
• Not trying to squeeze the intensive into a working day – the time is properly protected. 
• Ideally no significant commitments immediately afterwards (you might feel emotionally or physically drained afterwards). 
• Phone nearby but on silent. 
• Water, snacks/lunch, tissues, comfortable clothing, and anything else you might need to feel comfortable during the day. 

What technology will I need? 

You don’t need any specialist equipment. You’ll need a laptop or computer with a camera and microphone, a reliable internet connection and enough space to sit comfortably in front of the screen. Some people also like to have headphones in order to protect the confidentiality of their session, but this is entirely your choice.

If you are worried about any of this, we can always talk this over beforehand and check your set up, so you don’t need to figure everything out yourself. 

How does EMDR work online? 

The EMDR process itself is very similar whether we are working together in the same room or online. We will still talk face-to-face via video, and I will guide you through each stage of the process just as I would if we were sitting together.

During EMDR, we use something called bilateral stimulation — a rhythmic left-to-right activity that takes place while you briefly focus on aspects of the experience we are working with. Online, I will usually guide you to do this using alternating taps with your hands, or through eye movements.

For eye movements, you don't need any specialist equipment. We can identify two comfortable points within your field of vision and I will guide you to move your eyes between them at an appropriate pace. For hand tapping, I will show you how to alternate gently from side to side and guide the pace as we work.

We'll try the different options together during preparation and decide what feels most comfortable and works best for you. I'll continue to guide and monitor the process throughout — you won't be left trying to "do EMDR" by yourself simply because we're working online.

How do you keep online intensive work safe?

Working online doesn't mean working without the usual clinical safeguards. Before your intensive, we'll agree practical arrangements including where you'll be during the session, how we'll contact each other if our video connection is interrupted and what support is available to you if needed.

More importantly, safety is built into the therapeutic work itself. Assessment and preparation take place before we begin processing, and throughout the intensive I'll be monitoring how you're responding. We can slow down, take breaks, use grounding strategies or stop processing whenever we need to.

Online intensive EMDR won't be appropriate for everybody. Part of my role during assessment is to consider whether this format is suitable for you; if I have concerns about working intensively or remotely, I'll discuss these openly with you.

Online doesn't have to mean distant

I've worked extensively with clients online since 2020 and place the same importance on connection, collaboration and creating a safe therapeutic relationship online as I do when working together in person.

Dr Donna Rooney

Chartered Clinical Psychologist  I HCPC Registered  I   EMDR Therapist

I’m a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience working in psychological services and particular expertise in trauma, PTSD and EMDR.

My background includes NHS adult mental health, specialist and clinical leadership roles, and nine years in independent practice. Alongside my broader Clinical Psychology training, I have specialist training in EMDR and delivering EMDR in an intensive format.

I’ve also worked extensively online since 2020, and bring the same emphasis on safety, connection and individualised care to intensive work as I do to traditional therapy.

One-day EMDR Intensive - £1000

An EMDR Intensive is more than the intensive day itself. Your package includes assessment, preparation, a full day of individually tailored therapeutic work and follow-up, so that we have time to understand what you want to work on, prepare carefully and review how things have settled afterwards. 

What’s included

Free initial consultation – 30 minutes

An opportunity for us to meet, talk briefly about what you’re looking for and decide whether  we would like to move forward to a full assessment. 

No charge

Comprehensive psychological assessment – 120 minutes

A detailed assessment of what you’re experiencing, relevant history, your goals for therapy and whether an EMDR Intensive is clinically appropriate for you. 

Usually £280

Individualised treatment planning and preparation – 2 hours + of dedicated clinical time

This includes reviewing your preparatory materials, formulating and planning the work, tailoring the intensive around your individual needs and completing any preparation work we need to do together before the day.

Value £280 +

Your EMDR Intensive Day – 6 hours of clinical time (Duration of the day 8 hours)

A protected day of individually tailored therapeutic work with Dr Donna Rooney, incorporating preparation, EMDR processing, appropriate breaks and time for integration and ending the work safely. 

Value £840

Post-intensive follow up – 60 minutes

An opportunity to review how things have settled, discuss any changes you've noticed and consider whether any further therapeutic work would be helpful. 

Usually £140

Supporting resources

Any relevant preparation and post-intensive materials to support you before and after our work together. 

Included

Equivalent value based on my standard clinical rate: £1540 +

Your complete EMDR Intensive package: £1000

There are no additional therapy fees for the assessment, preparation or follow-up appointments included within your package. 

If we identify during assessment that your goals are likely to require more than one intensive day, additional intensive days can be booked at £800 per day, reflecting that your initial assessment and preparation are already included within the first package.

Link to full terms and conditions

Payment

A 20% payment is made when booking your assessment. If we agree to proceed, a further 30% secures your intensive date, with the remaining balance payable seven days before your intensive.

Full terms and conditions, including arrangements for exceptional circumstances, will be provided before you book.

Is one day really enough?

It can be surprising to think that meaningful therapeutic work can take place in a single day, particularly if you're used to the idea of therapy happening in weekly 50-minute sessions. An EMDR Intensive gives us a much longer, protected period of time to focus on a specific goal, without repeatedly having to stop, settle and restart the work from one week to the next.

However, an intensive isn't about trying to resolve everything you've ever experienced in one day. We'll agree a realistic focus for our work beforehand, based on what you would most like to change and what we think is achievable and appropriate.

For some people, one intensive may be enough to achieve the particular goal they came with. For others, it may represent a significant piece of work within a longer therapeutic journey, and further intensive or weekly therapy may be helpful. There is no way to guarantee in advance exactly how much therapy someone will need, and I'll always be open with you about this.

Our assessment and preparation sessions help us decide what would be a realistic focus for your intensive and whether this way of working is likely to be a good fit for you.

Is it safe? 

EMDR is an established psychological therapy and is recommended by NICE for the treatment of PTSD. However, like any trauma-focused therapy, it can sometimes feel emotionally demanding. During and after processing, you may notice difficult emotions, thoughts, memories or physical sensations, and occasionally people find that material continues to come to mind as the brain continues to process the work.

This is one of the reasons I place so much importance on assessment, preparation and pacing. Before recommending an intensive, I'll take time to understand your current difficulties, circumstances, support and ability to manage distress, and we'll consider together whether an intensive format is appropriate for you.

An intensive doesn't mean pushing through as much difficult material as possible in a day. We'll work at a pace that is appropriate for you, with breaks and time for grounding and integration built into the process. You remain in control throughout and can ask to pause or stop at any point.

If I don't believe that an intensive is a safe or appropriate way for us to work at this time, I'll be open with you about that and we'll discuss what I would recommend instead.

Will I have to talk about my trauma in detail? 

Not necessarily. One of the things some people value about EMDR is that you don't usually need to describe every detail of what happened in order for us to work with an experience.

I will need enough information to understand what you have been through, how it is affecting you now and what we might need to focus on together. During EMDR processing, you will be asked to bring aspects of the experience to mind, but you don't have to give me a detailed running account of everything you are remembering.

You remain in control of what you choose to share. If there are things you don't want to describe in detail, we can talk about how to work with this while still making sure that I have the information I need to support you safely and effectively.

EMDR isn't about making you repeatedly retell or relive your experience. The aim is to help the memory become less distressing and have less influence over how you feel and respond in the present.

What if I become overwhelmed? 

It’s completely understandable to worry about feeling overwhelmed when thinking about working with difficult experiences. EMDR can bring up strong emotions, thoughts and physical sensations, but you won’t simply be expected to push through these regardless of how you are feeling.

Before we begin processing, we’ll spend time preparing for the work and identifying ways to help you stay grounded and manage distress. During the intensive, I’ll be paying attention not only to what we are working on, but also to how you are responding. We can slow things down, take a break, change our approach or stop processing if we need to.

One of the advantages of an intensive is that we have more time available to us. We don’t need to rush the work simply because the end of a 50-minute session is approaching, and we can build in time for breaks, grounding and making sure you feel settled before we finish.

You remain in control throughout. The aim isn’t to see how much difficult material you can tolerate in a day — it’s to work with it in a way that feels manageable, purposeful and safe.

Can I have an intensive if I’m already seeing a therapist? 

Potentially, yes. An EMDR Intensive can sometimes work well alongside existing therapy, particularly where there is a specific experience or difficulty that you would like to focus on while continuing your longer-term work with another therapist.

It is important, however, that the different pieces of therapy work well together rather than pulling in different directions. As part of the assessment, we’ll talk about the therapy you are currently receiving, what you hope to achieve from the intensive and how this might fit alongside your existing work.

Where appropriate, and with your consent, I may recommend liaising with your current therapist before and/or after the intensive. This can help us agree a clear focus for the work and support continuity of care afterwards.

There may also be circumstances where undertaking an intensive alongside another therapy would not be clinically appropriate. If I think this is the case, I’ll discuss this openly with you and consider what might be most helpful instead.

Will I need further therapy afterwards? 

Possibly, but not necessarily. How much therapy someone needs varies considerably and will depend on what you are hoping to work on, your individual circumstances and what happens during the intensive.

For some people, an intensive may provide enough therapeutic work for the particular issue or goal they came with. Others may identify areas they would like to continue working on, either through another intensive or more traditional weekly therapy. An intensive can also form one focused part of a longer therapeutic journey.

We’ll discuss this as part of your follow-up and consider together what, if anything, would be helpful next. I won’t recommend further therapy simply for the sake of continuing treatment — if I think you have achieved what you came to work on and don't need further input, I’ll be equally happy to say so.

The aim isn’t to complete a set number of sessions, but to help you make meaningful progress towards the goals that matter to you.

You don’t need to know whether an intensive is definitely right for you before getting in touch. The first step is simply to start the conversation and tell me a little about what you’re looking for. We can then consider whether intensive EMDR is an appropriate option together.