EMDR Therapy Intensives in Santa Monica, California
You’ve done weekly therapy and you understand your patterns. But when it matters most… your body still reacts the same way.
You’re still overthinking, holding tension and still feeling “on.” And at this point, you’re not looking for more insight, you’re ready for something to actually shift.
Does This Sound Familiar?
This is for you if:
You understand your triggers but your reactions haven’t fully changed
You can’t turn your mind off
You feel emotionally exhausted, even when life “looks fine”
You carry self-doubt, guilt, or negative beliefs about yourself
You struggle to relax because your body is holding tension in your chest, jaw, or shoulders
If this sounds like you, you may not need more insight. You may need more time and space for your nervous system to actually process what it’s been holding.
Why You Still Feel Stuck (Even When You Understand It)
Even though you understand your patterns, your nervous system is still responding based on what it learned earlier in your childhood.
So when something gets triggered, your body isn’t responding to what you know now…it’s responding to what it learned back then.
That’s why you can tell yourself “I’m okay” or “this isn’t a big deal” and still feelanxious, tense, or on edge. It’s not a lack of awareness, it’s that your nervous system hasn’t had the chance to fully process those experiences and this is the part that usually doesn’t shift through insight alone.
EMDR Therapy Intensives are designed to work at that level.
How EMDR Therapy Intensives Help
Instead of opening something up and stopping each week, we stay with the work long enough for your brain and body to actually move through what’s been stuck.
The work is still paced and supported, so you’re not overwhelmed, but you’re also not pulled out of it before something has the chance to shift.
When that starts to happen, people usually notice:
their mind feels quieter
their body feels less tense
they’re not constantly trying to stay ahead
they feel more present
Not because they forced it, but because their nervous system isn’t reacting the same way anymore. EMDR Therapy Intensives helps your nervous system finally begin to move.
A Message from the Founder, Olivia Lavelle, LCSW
EMDR Certified Therapist based in Santa Monica, offering EMDR Therapy Intensives throughout California.
If you’re here, there’s a good chance you’ve already been doing the work. You may feel like you haven’t made progress in weekly therapy.
That can be one of the most frustrating places to be..
knowing exactly where things come from, but not seeing it fully shift in your day-to-day life. That’s what led me to EMDR intensives.
What I’ve found is that it’s often not a lack of awareness.
It’s that your body is still holding onto experiences that haven’t been fully processed yet. You can be self-aware and still feel stuck. You can be doing the work and still feel like something isn’t fully clicking yet. And that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
My role is to help you go beyond just understanding what’s happening and support your system in actually processing what’s been carried for a long time. I believe real change happens when your mind and body are both given the space to catch up.
EMDR Therapy Intensive Specialties in Santa Monica
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EMDR Therapy Intensives
Best fit for people who feel stuck despite insight and years of weekly therapy.
Learn More →EMDR Intensives
Ready To Take The Next Step?
You don’t have to keep doing this the hard way.
If you’re tired of understanding your patterns but still feeling stuck in them, EMDR Therapy Intensives give you the space to actually process what hasn’t shifted.
→ Learn More About EMDR Intensives
→ Schedule a Free Consultation
LET’S MAKE THIS EASY
Frequently Asked Questions
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I offer virtual EMDR Therapy Intensives across California.
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I do not accept insurance directly. Because my practice focuses on longer EMDR sessions and intensives, working outside of insurance allows us to structure treatment in a way that prioritizes depth and flexibility rather than insurance limitations.
However, I offer CareCredit, a healthcare financing option that allows you to break the cost of treatment into manageable monthly payments.
If you have questions about payment options, we can discuss what feels most supportive during your consultation.
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We go at a pace your nervous system can handle. You’re not pushed I focus on supporting you. The goal is not to overwhelm you, but to help your system process safely.
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Weekly therapy can feel like starting and stopping. EMDR intensives allow us to stay with the work long enough for your brain and body to fully move through it.
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Yes. Many of my clients have already done years of therapy and understand their patterns. EMDR intensives are designed to help you move beyond insight and actually process what’s still stuck.
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Many clients begin to notice shifts during and shortly after the intensive, especially in how their body feels and how their mind responds to triggers.
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No. EMDR doesn’t require you to explain every detail of your experience. The focus is on how your brain and body process what’s been held.
"Emotions are messengers. We suffer when we silence them."