dr courtney domenico

If weekly therapy feels too slow - or you're ready to address something specific without months of buildup - an intensive may be a better fit.

Sometimes 55 minutes a week isn't enough time to do the work you are ready to do in therapy. That can lead to feeling stalled out and ready for a change in momentum. Instead of the usual week-to-week format that can get sidetracked by everyday stress, IFS-Informed EMDR Intensives offer focused, uninterrupted time to go deeper.

On this page you will find what Intensives are, what they help with, and reasons they might be a good fit for you.

Intensives offer a focused and immersive approach to healing by weaving together evidenced based practices of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). This unique combination allows for deeper emotional processing and the release of stuck patterns.

Because we have more time, we move at your pace (we will both look at the clock less)! We check in often, get permission, and make room for all the parts of you- even the ones that feel unsure or uncertain. Nothing gets rushed, and nothing gets pushed aside. What might take months in weekly sessions can often be achieved in just a few days, allowing for profound and lasting transformation in a shorter period of time.

It's normal to feel unsure about doing deep work in a condensed format. Intensives are not about pushing or forcing breakthroughs. We move at a pace guided by your system, check in frequently, and make room for hesitation, protectiveness, and uncertainty. Many people are surprised by how grounded and supported the process feels.

After we make a decision on your consultation call that an intensive feels like a good fit, we will schedule a 45 minute intake session. During this session, we talk through what you are hoping to work on so we have the best understanding of how to best use our intensive time. We will decide on a half day or full day (which is typically 3-6 hours of deeper work). You will receive handouts of resources that you can use throughout our time together. I usually aim to schedule the intensive within 7 days of the intake session. The majority of your intensive work will be spent getting to know your system and working at a pace that feels right for you. For the half day intensive, we take breaks as we see fit. For the full day intensive, we also break for lunch.

Please note: Intensives work best when there is ongoing therapeutic support in place. Because of the depth of this work, clients are required to be in individual therapy, and I coordinate with your therapist before and after the intensive to support integration and continuity of care. This therapist consultation is included in the intensive fee and helps create the most effective treatment experience and supports long lasting change.