Part 4:The Paperwork Process for EMDR Intensives
Let’s recap! You’ve explored seeing an EMDR therapist for an intensive. You researched and found a potential therapist, and you’ve already had your consultation call. What comes next? Usually—it’s the paperwork.
Here’s what you can expect from paperwork for an EMDR intensive in Connecticut (or online), based on how I structure my own process.
What Therapy Paperwork Usually Includes
Most therapy intake paperwork is very similar:
Name and contact information
Address and emergency contact
Insurance or payment details (if applicable)
That’s the standard part. But I know your real questions are about the deeper stuff: What do you need to know to help me in an intensive?
Paperwork with Intention
For intensives, I approach paperwork with deep intention. I want your time to be as supportive as possible, and to do that, I need to learn some of your history.
That’s why most intensive clinicians—myself included—provide a customized EMDR client workbook.
What Is the EMDR Intensive Workbook?
I like to think of the workbook as capturing about a year’s worth of getting to know someone in one document.
Is it lengthy? Yes.
Is it thorough? Also yes.
Do you have a voice and choice in what you share? Absolutely.
What’s Inside the Workbook
The EMDR intensive workbook includes:
Psychoeducation about EMDR, parts work, and how dysregulation affects the body and mind—so we begin with common language.
Family of origin patterns and themes to help me understand where you come from.
Day-to-day functioning and goals—what feels hard right now and what you’d like to see change.
Specific themes we may work on such as IVF struggles, intrusive anxiety, or past trauma still lingering in your nervous system.
The workbook also introduces grounding skills, an essential part of EMDR. This ensures you can stay centered both inside and outside of session.
Why the Workbook Matters
The workbook isn’t busywork—it’s part of the healing. By reflecting and writing things down, many clients begin to notice:
Patterns they want to shift
Strengths they already have
Clarity on what matters most
It also saves us time in session. Instead of spending hours gathering history, we can start focused and intentional.
Paperwork as the First Step of Healing
Paperwork may feel like a formality, but it’s also much more. It sets the tone for the deep, intentional work ahead. By completing your workbook, you’re already preparing your mind and body for the transformation of an EMDR intensive.
What’s Next?
Once your paperwork and workbook are complete, the next step is preparing for your Preintensive planning session—what that initial day looks like, how we spend our time, and how we set the tone for the journey ahead. (More about that in the next blog!)
Questions? Learn more about my EMDR Intensive Therapy Services in Connecticut.