EMDR Intensives in Ottawa and Embrun
In-person: Embrun or Ottawa
Virtually: Across Ontario and Quebec
Busy parents and professionals with hectic schedules appreciate how effective and safe EMDR Intensives are. The term “EMDR Intensive” isn’t meant to make you feel like you will be rushed - it means the opposite. You will finally get the time and space to do deep healing without the stress of running out of time. Some call it a “retreat for deep brain and body healing”.
Think of EMDR Intensives as “Disney Fast Passes”: you get in the same ride as everyone else, but you get to jump in front of the line. You get to destination in the same way, except you arrive to destination sooner.
That’s because we create an environment that isn’t rushed or fast paced: it’s an environment optimal for deep, immersive work. An environment you just can’t get inside hourly sessions alone. This is where you stay in your “zone of genius” (your zone of optimal processing) longer than with standard hourly therapy sessions alone.
Danik Bernier, MSW, RSW is a Certified EMDR Therapist offering EMDR Intensives in-person to Ottawa and Embrun residents, as well as virtually across Ontario and Quebec.
EMDR Intensives get to the root of your nervous system activation faster.
It's been proven.EMDR Therapy has been the subject of ongoing research, proving time and time again its safety and effectiveness. Read here for FAQs about EMDR therapy.
What We Offer
EMDR Intensives: 1-3 Days
What it looks like :Free consultation: We meet for about 30 mins to determine if EMDR Intensives are right for you, then we schedule a formal intake session.
Intake session (60 min): We prepare for your EMDR Intensive sessions. We create a plan (we determine what is fuelling your present-day triggers and get you ready to release them) so you know exactly what we will work on during our time together and how much time we will need (this depends on unique circumstances: some people require 1 day, others 2 or 3). We also establish a self-care plan so you know what will be most helpful to take care of you after your EMDR Intensive.
EMDR Intensive: During the 1-3 days scheduled, we do the work. Each day takes 5 hours. Two 2-hour blocks of therapy with a 1 hour break in between. Each day typically runs from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Follow-up (60 min): The week following your EMDR Intensive, we meet for an integration session. This means we check-in to assess for any remaining symptoms and create a plan for the future.
Virtual across Ontario and Quebec or in-person at the Embrun and Ottawa offices: EMDR Intensives work great both in-person or virtually. Availability for in-person is limited and can only take place at the Embrun or Ottawa office.
Insurance coverage: I encourage you to confirm with your insurance provider that Social Work is covered. In addition, I encourage you to confirm that submitting insurance claims for sessions of 5 hours is permitted (I can also provide 4 receipts for sixty-minute sessions).
Fee for 1-day intensive: $1200 for 5 hours total
Fee for 2-hour intensive: $550
Fee for 60-min intake: $275
Fee for 60-min follow-up: $275
FAQs
Who can benefit from EMDR Intensives?Anyone who is interested in EMDR, especially after having tried talk therapy, can benefit from EMDR Intensives - even those who present with dissociation. In the past, Danik Bernier, MSW, RSW has conducted EMDR Intensives for postpartum moms with birth trauma and traumatic grief, adults with OCD and trauma, CPTSD and PTSD, burnout, depression, anxiety, phobias, adults survivors of abuse, adult children of narcissists, and survivors of intergenerational trauma.
Are EMDR Intensives safe for dissociation?People who experience dissociation often find the EMDR Intensive format to be a better fit for their needs compared to hourly EMDR sessions because there is ample time to establish nervous system safety. Dissociation can happen during an EMDR Intensive, just as in any EMDR or trauma-informed psychotherapy session, but there is something different: the clinician has ample time to bring the client back to their “adult-self” after ensuring the dissociative parts are no longer activated. A thorough assessment of dissociation (DES-II: Dissociative Experiences Scale - II and the MID: Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation) will be conducted during the intake to ensure the most appropriate clinical approaches are used to prepare the client for EMDR.
Are EMDR Intensives safe and effective?When done right by a specialized clinician, EMDR Intensives are safe and effective. Danik Bernier, MSW, RSW is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant-in-training who takes ongoing training and clinical consultation to maintain a high quality trauma-informed service. Danik has focused on EMDR Therapy since the start of her private practice in 2022. Studies show that prolonged EMDR therapy is effective short-term and long-term.