EMDR Intensives in Denver CO
You’ve done the weekly therapy thing before. You know your patterns, you probably even know where they came from, but no amount of “insight” or understanding has ultimately changed how you feel. You still feel stuck. You still keep replaying conversations in your head, you’re still saying yes even when you want to say no. You’re still burned out, exhausted and resentful.
You’re ready for change, but squeezing an hour-long session in every week for months and months feels daunting, and nearly impossible with everything you’re already juggling. It’s not that you aren’t committed to feeling better, but you really don’t know how you could fit it in around all the work and family and travel that keeps coming up.
That’s what an EMDR intensive is for. An intensive isn’t your average weekly or biweekly therapy session; it’s one focused day to go deep on what’s keeping you stuck, so you can feel better faster.
Why Choose an Intensive?
Intensives allow you to go deeper into a specific issue so you can get real solutions and make progress faster.
Instead of spending a lot of time catching up on the events of the last week or two, they focus on deep diving into one goal. They’re not designed to solve every problem in one session; they’re designed to help you understand and resolve one specific issue in a shorter amount of time. They’re also really helpful for people who travel often and can’t commit to weekly therapy, or who don’t have time for weekly sessions in a super busy schedule.
You know how it feels when you have a great conversation with a friend or loved one for a few hours, and you walk away feeling better, clearer?
Like you just had time to get deep into something, and it felt SO good to really get into it? Process it. Understand it. Decide what to do about it.
Maybe the conversation wasn’t easy, but it felt really productive. You felt so supported, but not judged?
That’s what intensives are like.
Why EMDR?
EMDR is an evidenced-based type of therapy that works when traditional ‘talk therapy’ has left you feeling stuck. Talk therapy is great, but sometimes no matter how much you talk about something, it doesn’t feel different…that’s where EMDR comes in. EMDR removes the bridges the gap between what you know and how you feel.
Want to know more about how it works? Read about EMDR therapy here, or see EMDRIA’s explanation of EMDR.
Examples of what we can work on:
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People-Pleasing Intensive
You are tired of always bending over backwards to keep others happy and not even knowing what you want or need. You’re tired of worrying SO much about what others think and how they feel literally all of the time. You still want to care about how others feel, but not let it dictate your life. You’re tired of feeling exhausted and resentful. Tired of running yourself ragged for other people. You have a busy work or family schedule that doesn’t allow for weekly therapy, but you still want to stop the people-pleasing and start feeling better. Intensives for people-pleasing let us address in 1-3 intensives what it can take 6 months-1 year to do in weekly therapy.
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Burnout Recovery Intensive
You’re a high-achiever. You get sh*t done at work. At home. Always. You are reliable - maybe too reliable, so the workloads just keep increasing. You don’t like to let others down so you’ve kept up, but it’s affecting your relationships and maybe even your health in a way that doesn’t feel good. You know some stress is a part of life, but this doesn’t feel sustainable anymore. You wonder if there is a way to feel balanced, and quitting your job doesn’t feel like the right option, so you don’t know what to do. The bad news is, you’re burned out. The good news is burnout is treatable and it can be treated quickly. Intensives can help you understand and break the burnout cycle quickly, without sacrificing yourself or your career.
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Perfectionism
It never feels good enough. No matter how much you accomplish, how much you do, or how much you make, it always like there is more to do. You wish you could just let yourself relax or go on vacation with feeling anxious about what you’re missing, but it feels impossible. It’s like a push at your back that never stops. On the one hand it’s helped you be successful and achieve so much, but on the other it’s hurting your relationships and making it feel impossible to ever slow down (how do you even hit a moving a goal post?) In an intensive we’ll identify and work on what drives this perfectionism so you can learn how to be ok with slowing down and taking breaks, without giving up your ambition.
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Past Experiences, Big or Small
That thing you think you should be ‘over’ by now, except you either find yourself still thinking about, or you’re afraid to think about it because it becomes to overwhelming. Common ‘things’ are past experiences in relationships or job, car accidents, medical events, etc. In an EMDR intensive we’ll reprocess that event so that doesn’t feel so intense anymore, and so all those old feelings don’t come up every time you are reminded of it.
EMDR Intensive at a Glance:
What it is: a full day of EMDR therapy focused on one specific issue
Who it’s for: high achievers stuck in people-pleasing, perfectionism, anxiety, burnout, or past experiences that still impact them
When: Fridays, 9am–3pm, with an hour break for lunch
Where: in person at my office, 1756 N High St, Denver
Investment: $2,500, including a 90-minute intake, a pre-intensive workbook, 5 hours of EMDR, and a 30-minute follow-up
Your therapist: Ashley French, MA, LPC, EMDR-trained through an EMDRIA-approved program
What to Expect
Consult call: First we’ll schedule a free consult call so I can hear more about why you want an intensive, talk about what to expect, and make sure it’s a good fit.
Intake and workbook: You’ll have a 90-minute intake where I gather background information, so we don’t spend your intensive time on it. You’ll pick one thing you want to work on and complete a short, structured workbook before your intensive, so we can hit the ground running.
Your intensive day: Fridays, 9am–3pm, with an hour for lunch. Wear comfortable clothes and dress in layers (bring a sweatshirt). Bring water, your lunch and anything else you might need during the day (medications, snacks, etc). I’ll have extra water and snacks on hand, and I’ll encourage you to take a walk around the neighborhood or drive over to City Park to move around and get some sun on your face.
Follow-up: You’ll have a 30-minute follow-up 1–2 weeks after your intensive to check in on how you’re doing and talk about what’s next.
Investment
Full-Day EMDR Intensive: $2,500
Includes your 90-minute intake, pre-intensive workbook, 5 hours of EMDR, and 30-minute follow-up.
Additional Full Day: $2,000
For returning intensive clients and current clients. Includes 5 hours of EMDR and a 30-minute follow-up, with no new intake needed. Depending on whether we’re continuing the same issue or starting a new one, you may complete a shorter version of the workbook.
*A non-refundable 50% deposit is due within 7 days of scheduling your intensive, and the remaining 50% is due at your intensive. I accept all major credit cards, HSA and FSA cards.
FAQs about EMDR Intensives:
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This depends entirely on your individual goals and progress. Some clients do one intensive and feel satisfied, while others decide to schedule another day. I only schedule one intensive at a time, and we can schedule more if needed or desired.
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Not necessarily. Intensives are NOT appropriate for anyone in crisis, including suicidal thoughts, self-harm, psychosis, or thoughts of harming others. They’re also not a fit if you don’t have a stable home environment, are experiencing domestic violence, or are actively misusing drugs or alcohol. If you use THC, you’ll be asked to refrain for the duration of your intensive.
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Yes! Clinical research has shown that the intensive model can be effective. In this study, researchers found that intensive therapy was just as effective as weekly therapy administered over 3 months. You can read more about other clinical research supporting the economic value and the effectiveness of intensive therapy models here and here.
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Denver Therapy is an out-of-network provider, meaning I am not contracted with any insurance companies. You can submit a ‘superbill’ to your insurance and may be eligible for partial reimbursement depending on your plan and benefits. Always check with your individual insurance to determine your out-of-network benefits.
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EMDR intensives are in person only, at my office in Denver.
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No. You don’t need to live in Colorado, but intensives take place in person at my Denver office, which means you will need to physically come to Denver in order to do an intensive with me.