Riverstone Assessment and Consulting Services

EMDR at RACS

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method that helps people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences. It can reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.

EMDR therapy helps the brain process and resolve distressing memories and allows normal healing to occur. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved. (EMDR International Association)

EMDR 2.0 involves activating the memory and desensitizing by taxing the working memory. This is done with dual-attention stimulus, which can include using eye movements, tapping, or mental or physical tasks. The client and EMDR clinician work together to target the memory and bring down the intensity to facilitate healing.

The EMDR Early Trauma Protocol can include reprocessing pre-verbal experiences (as early as pre-conception, pregnancy, birth, and ages 0-5).

The EMDR Recent Traumatic Event Protocol (EMDR R-TEP), is an adaptation of the standard protocol which focuses on providing immediate intervention for a recent traumatic experience to minimize the risk of long-term negative consequences (Shapiro, 2018).  This protocol can be especially helpful for those who may witness trauma on a consistent basis, including medical providers, first responders, and police officers.

EMDR Intensives

Riverstone Assessment and Consulting Services now offers EMDR Intensives, which are extended sessions targeting traumatic experiences and problematic beliefs. Intensives allow for healing to occur faster than traditional weekly or bi-monthly hour-long sessions, condensing months of progress into a single day. The sessions can last two to six hours. Intermittent breaks are built into sessions, with a 30 minute to 1-hour lunch break included in the full day sessions. 

The package includes an initial 90-minute session to gather information. It also includes two 60-minute sessions, one per week prior to the intensive, to ensure that it is a good fit for the client, while increasing emotional safety for the intensive. One 60-minute follow-up session is also offered one to two weeks after the intensive to assess progress and/or closure. Please note that while intensives provide rapid and effective treatment, additional EMDR sessions may be required to reach your treatment goals. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an EMDR Intensive cost?
First time weekday half-day packages cost $1500.00 and weekday full-day packages cost $2100.00. Each package requires a non-refundable 50% deposit paid at the time of the first session with the remaining balance paid no later than the day prior to the intensive session. Returning clients would not require the initial 90 minute needs assessment and this is reflected in the cost below. Due to the constraints insurance companies often put on extended sessions, Riverstone Assessment and Consulting Services is an out-of-network provider and is not contracted with any insurance agency. We can provide you with a superbill which you can submit directly to your insurance, in the event that they provide any coverage for out-of-network providers. 

• Cost of full day (6 hours) EMDR Intensive + 4 sessions = $2100.00
• Cost of half-day (3 hours) EMDR Intensive + 4 sessions = $1500.00
• Cost of Saturday morning (3 hours) half-day EMDR Intensive + 4 sessions = $1740.00
• Cost of returning clients for half-day  (3 hour) EMDR Intensive+ 3 sessions = $1200
• Cost of returning client for full-day (6 Hour)  EMDR Intensive + 3 sessions = $1800.00

What is your cancellation policy? 
If you need to cancel, please contact us as soon as possible. There will not be a penalty to your deposit if you reschedule the intensive. In the case of not being able to reschedule within one month, the deposit will be forfeit.

Who is an intensive good for?
EMDR intensives can be beneficial for a variety of people, including those who want to jump start their healing journeys, those who cannot accommodate the time for traditional weekly or biweekly therapy, or frontline workers who are often exposed to traumatic events (medical providers, first responders, police officers, etc.).

How often can I schedule an intensive?
That is completely up to you. Depending on your symptoms, history, goals for treatment, and exposure to traumatic events, it may be beneficial to schedule intensives one to two times per month, once a quarter, or once every six months.

Can I schedule an EMDR intensive if I don’t have an ongoing therapist?
Depending on what you are targeting during the intensive, ongoing therapy may be necessary. While intensives provide accelerated healing, trauma experienced during early childhood and adolescence, or repeated and long-lasting exposure to trauma will likely require continuous support.

Can I coordinate care with my ongoing therapist?
Yes! Our priority is to ensure continuity of care for every client.

Up to 30 minutes of care coordination (phone calls and emails with other providers) is included in the cost of EMDR Intensives. If ongoing coordination and additional time is needed, we can bill for that at a rate of $50.00 per 15 minutes.

When are intensives available?
Full-day intensives are currently available Monday through Friday. Half-day intensives are available Monday through Friday, as well as on Saturday mornings (9am -12pm). Please note that Saturday intensives have a higher fee, as they are scheduled outside of regular office hours. 

Get to know your therapist

Maxine Pfeifer, MA, LPCC
EMDR Trained Therapist
LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapist