Why EMDR Doesn’t Always Fit Neatly Into a Standard Therapy Hour
If you’ve been in therapy, you may have had the experience of finally getting to something important in a session—and then realizing there are only ten minutes left. That can be frustrating in any therapy. With EMDR and other trauma-focused approaches, it can be especially difficult.
Trauma processing doesn’t happen on a schedule. We may spend the first part of a session getting grounded and figuring out what your nervous system needs. When life feels manageable, we may begin processing right away. Something unexpected may be temporarily more important than what we planned to work on. Sometimes, just as your brain and body are beginning to make meaningful connections, it’s time to stop. This is one of the reasons I offer 75- and 90-minute therapy sessions.
EMDR Is More Than Bilateral Stimulation
When people hear about EMDR, they often picture the bilateral stimulation (BLS)—following a light, tapping, or fingers while thinking about something upsetting. While EMDR often includes BLS, a meaningful session may include preparation, checking in with your nervous system, processing memories or experiences, working with thoughts and body sensations that emerge, addressing parts of yourself that may have developed to protect you (IFS-informed EMDR), and making sure you are adequately grounded in your window of tolerance before you leave. Sometimes the processing itself is relatively straightforward. Sometimes it isn’t. Trauma—especially complex or relational trauma—rarely follows a perfectly predictable path. This can be especially true for mothers. Stepping into this role can reveal relational wounds we couldn’t see or acknowledge, as well as a deep desire to heal ourselves and break intergenerational parenting patterns. This is when extended sessions can be especially useful.
Why Longer EMDR Sessions Can Help
A longer session gives us more room to follow the work rather than constantly watching the clock. A 75- or 90-minute session may allow us to:
- Spend more time getting settled and connected before beginning trauma processing.
- Follow an important memory or emotional response without having to stop prematurely.
- Allow processing to unfold without rushing toward closure.
- Work with parts of yourself that emerge during processing.
- Pay attention to what your body is communicating, rather than staying exclusively in the cognitive or verbal parts of the experience.
- Spend adequate time integrating what you’ve discovered.
- End the session intentionally rather than feeling pressure to abruptly end because the appointment is over.
This can be particularly helpful when working with complex trauma or attachment injuries, where there are more layers to explore than a single traumatic event. Longer sessions aren’t necessarily about doing more therapy. Sometimes they’re about giving the therapy you’re already doing enough room to unfold.
What About EMDR Intensives?
For some clients, even a 75- or 90-minute session may not provide enough uninterrupted time for the work they want to do. EMDR intensives offer longer blocks of focused therapy, often several hours at a time, for clients who want to work more deeply on a specific concern without committing to traditional weekly therapy over a longer period.
An intensive does not mean rushing the healing process. It simply creates more uninterrupted space for preparation, processing, grounding, and integration. Whether this format is appropriate depends on your history, current needs, stability, and treatment goals, so EMDR intensives are offered on a case-by-case basis.
This approach may be especially appealing to mothers whose schedules make weekly therapy difficult, or who want dedicated time to address a specific trauma, transition, relationship pattern, or experience.
Are Longer EMDR Sessions Right for You?
There is no single session length that is right for everyone. Some clients benefit from traditional weekly sessions, while others find that extended EMDR sessions provide the time and space they need to work more deeply. I offer 75- and 90-minute EMDR sessions for mothers in Massachusetts, with longer intensive options considered on a case-by-case basis.
If you are wondering which approach may be right for you, schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation and we can talk through your goals and options.
