Healing Trauma Intensive Group
The Healing Trauma Intensive is adapted from Dr. Ignacio Jarero’s EMDR Group Protocol (EMDR‑IGTP‑OTS), first developed in 1998 when a natural disaster made individual EMDR therapy impossible to provide. Since then, this protocol has been researched and used worldwide to effectively reduce trauma symptoms.
Our intensive integrates a Christian perspective by inviting participants to connect with God throughout their healing journey. Each person engages with God individually and, during reprocessing, is encouraged to welcome Him into the places of pain that need His presence and restoration.
This is not a process group—participants do not share their trauma stories with one another. Before joining, each person meets individually with a trauma therapist to ensure the group is a good fit and to identify the specific memory they will work on during the intensive.
The group meets for two consecutive days, with four one‑hour sessions each day. Between sessions, participants are encouraged to rest, walk, and practice self‑care. A chaplain is available throughout the intensive for conversation and prayer. Each participant also receives an individual follow‑up session with a trauma counselor after the group intensive to complete the full healing process and ensure personalized support.
Research shows that most participants experience significant symptom reduction after completing the group intensive.
(Kaptan, S. K., Dursun, B. O., Knowles, M., Husain, N., & Varese, F. (2021). Group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing interventions in adults and children: A systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized trials. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2549 )
Healing Trauma Intensives Groups can be helpful for…
- PTSD
- Verbal, physical or sexual abuse
- Recent traumatic events
- Difficult memories and experiences
- Fight, flight, or freeze responses
- Negative beliefs about yourself and others
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and shame
- Anxiety, phobias, and panic
- Feeling depressed, hopeless, or ashamed
- Hypervigilant
- Tolerating emotions and regulation skills
Unique Benefits of Trauma Intensive Groups:
01
No Talking
In a group format you do not share the difficult memory that you are working on with the group! Instead of talking, you draw to help your brain reprocess the memory.
02
Reduce Cost!
Receive effective trauma treatment at a fraction of the cost of weekly therapy!
03
Faster
Experience faster and more effective symptom relief by completing the amount of work in a 2-day intensive, that would compare to months of individual weekly therapy
04
Symptom Relief
Research shows that most people experience a 60%-90% reduction in symptoms after an EMDR group intensive (https://www.emdria.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/04/emdr_group_treatment_resourc.pdf.)
05
Reduce frustration and dropout rate
Research shows that Clients are better able to complete the counseling process in an intensive, as compared to weekly counseling in which Clients can become frustrated and overwhelmed and drop out of therapy (Butler & Ramsey-Wade, 2024
06
Individually Tailored
You will have an individual consultation with a therapist before the intensive to determine what past memory you will work on during the intensive.
07
Focus on the root of the issue
In an intensive format, it allows the Client to focus on the root of the issues instead of other symptoms that arise in weekly therapy.
08
Convenient Time Commitment
Instead of committing to months of therapy in your schedule, you can commit to 2 days of therapy. This is especially helpful to those who travel a lot or cannot meet on a weekly basis.