Somatic Experiencing and EMDR intensives are extended-format therapeutic experiences designed to allow for deeper, more focused work than traditional weekly 60-minute therapy sessions. Rather than stopping just as the nervous system begins opening, settling, processing, or connecting important material, intensives create more spaciousness and continuity for deeper exploration, regulation, processing, and integration.
For some individuals, intensives can help reduce the stop-and-start feeling that sometimes occurs in weekly therapy and may allow for greater momentum, increased nervous system regulation, emotional processing, insight, and continuity in the work.
Intensives are flexible and can be structured in many different ways depending on your goals, nervous system capacity, schedule, and clinical needs. They may include Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, nervous system regulation work, preparation sessions, integration support, and extended processing sessions.
For individuals who are already established clients and have an existing therapeutic relationship with me, the work may move more quickly due to already having rapport, familiarity, trust, and nervous system safety established. For newer clients, additional preparation, pacing, and stabilization may be clinically appropriate before moving into deeper intensive-style processing, as trust, safety, and therapeutic attunement are essential aspects of nervous system work.
Examples of how intensives may be structured can include:
This may look like:
This may look like:
Each intensive is collaboratively structured and individualized based on your goals, pacing, nervous system needs, therapeutic readiness, and clinical appropriateness.
Please note: Intensives are not a guarantee of specific outcomes or results. Every individual’s nervous system, history, therapeutic process, readiness, and response to therapy are unique.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between an intensive and regular weekly therapy?
Traditional therapy is typically 50–60 minutes once per week. Intensives provide extended uninterrupted time for deeper processing, nervous system work, EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and integration.
2. How do I know if an intensive is right for me?
Intensives may be a good fit for individuals wanting deeper focused work, additional momentum, extended processing time, or support around specific goals, experiences, or life transitions.
3. Do I have to be an existing client to schedule an intensive?
No. However, established clients often move into intensive work more quickly because rapport, trust, and nervous system safety have already been developed.
4. Can intensives be done virtually?
Yes. Intensives are offered virtually for Arizona residents.
5. What modalities may be included in an intensive?
Depending on your needs and goals, intensives may include Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, nervous system regulation work, grounding practices, psychoeducation, integration support, and parts-focused work.
6. Can I schedule a single extended session without committing to a package?
Yes. Some individuals choose to schedule occasional 2–3 hour extended sessions without purchasing a package. Extended sessions outside of a package are billed at the standard hourly rate.
7. Will we jump directly into deep processing right away?
Not necessarily. Safety, pacing, trust, stabilization, and nervous system readiness are important aspects of this work. Some individuals may benefit from additional preparation before deeper processing begins.
8. How are intensives structured?
Each intensive is individualized. Some may include preparation sessions, extended processing sessions, integration support, or follow-up sessions depending on your goals and needs.
9. Are intensives emotionally intense?
They can be emotionally meaningful and deep, but the goal is not overwhelm. The work is paced collaboratively with attention to nervous system regulation, grounding, and stabilization throughout the process.
10. Are results guaranteed?
No. Therapy and nervous system work are highly individualized processes. While intensives can be supportive and transformative for many people, specific outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
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Sarai Darbandi, LCSW providing Online Therapy to Adults in Arizona.
I am a trauma and anxiety therapist, specializing in helping adults who are stuck in their lives and relationships to process past and present painful experiences, begin to develop intimacy and connection in their relationships, change unhealthy patterns, and grow individually and in relationships.
Somatic Experiencing | EMDR | Intensives | Parts Work | Breathwork
520-386-0470