EMDR Intensives
for Body Image Trauma
EMDR Intensives Therapy offers a powerful, focused path
to heal body image trauma at its root —
so you can finally reclaim your body,
your worth, and your voice.
You’ve spent years trying to shrink yourself — not just your body, but your voice, your needs, your feelings.
↠Maybe it started with subtle comments from your parents: “Are you sure you want to eat that?”
or “You were prettier when you were thin.”
↠Over time, those comments became internalized shame and self-hatred— shaping how you see yourself and your worth.
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You’ve lived in a body that’s been
scrutinized, judged,
and never allowed to just be.
Exercise became punishment.
Food became a source of guilt.
Your inner critic sounds a lot like
your mother’s voice.
And even now, when you try to care for yourself, old patterns pull you back into self-blame, over-control, and never feeling “enough.”
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EMDR Intensives can help you heal those early wounds
— at the root.
Rather than spending months in weekly therapy trying to unpack what’s beneath the surface, intensives offer a powerful, focused approach to:
↬ Reprocess the painful messages you received about your body and worth
↬ Quiet the internalized voices of criticism and control
↬ Create space to reconnect with your own truth, your body, and your inner child
↬Release shame, not your hunger
This work isn’t about changing your body.
It’s about healing the pain of why you felt you had to.
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My Story
Growing up in Taiwan, I was always the biggest girl in class. After puberty, most of my friends were petite — in the 40 to 50 kg range — while I was always around 60 kg.
The experience was like death by a thousand paper cuts. Every day, my parents made"judgmental and critical comments like:
“You should listen to your uncle — he told you to lose weight.”
“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for being so fat?”
“I’m doing you a favor by telling you the truth (of how fat you look). No one else will.”
I was being put on diet after diet: no dinner, only vegetable soups for a month, liquid-only cleanses. If it was a fad diet, I probably tried it. One time, my mom put me on a liquid diet for two weeks and I lost 7 kg. I gained all the weight back — and with it, came stretch marks and shame. My body still remembered how on the edge of fainting, dizziness, and that pounding heartbeat felt like.
I was never given the foundation for a healthy relationship with food or my body.
I was always hungry. Always thinking about food. And always guilty when I ate too much.
It felt like the only way to be accepted — to be loved — was to shrink myself.
In my late 20s and early 30s, things got worse. I thought I had found a “healthy” lifestyle, but in reality, I was overexercising and restricting my food intake to only what was considered “clean” or “safe.” I hit my breaking point when a coach encouraged me to count macros and tightly restrict calories — all while my binge eating was secretly out of control.
Healing didn’t happen overnight for me.
But in therapy, I was introduced to the Health at Every Size model and intuitive eating. I joined a therapy group where I started learning how to truly listen to my body and care for it with compassion. With time, I used EMDR to process the trauma of my parents’ voices — those internalized messages that still echoed in my head. Somatic Experiencing helped me tune in, slow down, and actually honor what my body needed.
The healing journey took years. But now, I know what it feels like to accept myself. To love myself. To feel peace in my own skin.
I created this EMDR Intensive because I don’t want you to have to spend years doing this work alone. I want you to know it’s possible to love your body, to honor it, and to live fully in the one precious body you have.
As for my family — if they could only love me when I have a smaller size of a body,
that’s a tragedy I’ve learned to live with.
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Why EMDR Intensives?
Traditional weekly therapy can be powerful — but it often moves slowly, especially when you're working through complex trauma, long-standing patterns, or painful memories that feel stuck in your body.
EMDR intensives offer an accelerated path to healing by giving you uninterrupted time and space to go deep — without the stop-and-start rhythm of weekly sessions.
With an EMDR intensive, you can:
Make more progress, faster. Months of therapy work can often be accomplished in just a few focused days.
Stay fully immersed. Instead of reopening trauma and pausing after 50 minutes, you have the time to process deeply and integrate fully.
Reduce overwhelm. Intensives are paced around your nervous system. There’s space for rest, reflection, and regulation throughout.
Work through specific events or themes. Whether it’s a recent loss, childhood memory, or relational trauma, intensives provide the focus to actually move through it.
Honor your time and energy. If you have a full schedule or limited emotional bandwidth, this format respects both.
If you’re craving relief, clarity, and lasting change — EMDR intensives might be the turning point you’ve been waiting for.
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What is EMDR Intensive?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) intensives are extended therapy sessions that allow us to make more progress in a shorter period of time. Instead of weekly 50-minute sessions, you’ll receive several hours of focused therapy over an optional 1–3 days.
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Is this for you?
You might be a good fit for an EMDR intensive if:
You’re tired of carrying the emotional weight of diet culture
You experienced body shaming from family, especially in childhood
You’ve done some therapy before, but feel stuck in old patterns
You want a deeper, more immersive healing experience
You’re ready to stop fighting your body — and start listening to it
What to Expect
In a half-day or full-day intensive, we’ll create a safe, supportive space to:
Identify the roots of your relationship with food, body image, and self-worth
Use EMDR to process stuck memories and beliefs
Integrate the healing with somatic tools, grounding, and self-compassion work
You’ll leave with more clarity, relief, and a deeper connection to yourself — not just cognitively, but in your nervous system and body.
How does
EMDR intensive for Body Image Trauma work and What Should I expect?
Curious how it all works? You’re not alone — many clients wonder what to expect from something this focused and immersive. Here, you’ll find a step-by-step breakdown of what the EMDR intensive process looks like, so you can feel informed, prepared, and supported every step of the way.
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Send me an email to let me know you're interested in EMDR intensive for Body Image Trauma. I’ll respond with a brief questionnaire to help me determine whether this approach is the right fit for you at this stage in your healing journey.
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We’ll schedule a free, no-obligation phone/Video call to explore your needs and review your treatment options. If we’re a good match, we’ll schedule your pre-intensive assessment.
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We’ll meet virtually to explore your history, clarify your goals, and develop a personalized EMDR intensive plan. This session sets the foundation for deep, focused work.
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This is where the real healing begins. Depending on the package you choose, you’ll receive 3–6 hours of EMDR therapy per day, with plenty of breaks, nervous system support, and somatic This is where the real healing begins.
Depending on the package you choose, you’ll receive 3–6 hours of EMDR therapy per day, with plenty of breaks, nervous system support, and somatic practices woven throughout. These spacious, uninterrupted sessions create the safety your body and brain need to go deep — without being rushed, interrupted, or confined by weekly 50-minute sessions.
We’ll also incorporate IFS (Internal Family Systems) parts work to connect with the younger parts of you who internalized shame, felt unlovable in their bodies, or learned they had to be small to be safe. These parts are often the ones carrying the trauma, and in this space, they finally get the chance to be witnessed, heard, and healed — not pushed away.
This is where the magic happens:
When stuck trauma starts to move, when exiled parts begin to trust, when clarity and compassion emerge from within.
This is the beginning of real, embodied transformation. -
We’ll meet for a follow-up session to reflect, process, and integrate everything that came up during your intensive. This is your moment to pause, honor your progress, and leave with tools to continue your healing journey.
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Who Is This EMDR Intensive For?
This EMDR Intensive is for you if:
✓ You struggle with body image, self-worth, and feeling “never enough”
✓ You’ve survived years of chronic dieting, restriction, or weight cycling — but still don’t feel at peace in your body
✓ You’ve internalized family messages that love is conditional on your appearance
✓ You feel shame, guilt, or anxiety around food or your body, even if you’re no longer dieting
✓ You’re aware of how early experiences with emotionally immature parents shaped your relationship with your body and self-worth
✓ You’ve done talk therapy, but feel like you need deeper healing that addresses the root wounds
✓ You’re ready for focused, immersive healing with EMDR, IFS, and somatic practices — in a space that honors your nervous system
✓ You identify with Health at Every Size (HAES) and want to reconnect with your body through compassion, not control
✓ You’re a high-functioning adult who is ready and resourced for deeper trauma work, and feel safe engaging in intensive sessions
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Who This EMDR Intensive Is NOT For
To keep you safe and supported, this intensive may not be a good fit if:
𐄂 You are currently struggling with active anorexia, ARFID, or bulimia (These deserve specialized eating disorder treatment with medical oversight)
𐄂 You are not medically or psychologically stable enough for extended trauma processing sessions
𐄂 You have not yet developed enough emotional regulation tools or coping skills to manage intense emotions between sessions
𐄂 You’re in active crisis or experiencing suicidal ideation without support
𐄂 You’re looking for weight loss guidance, food rules, or a fix — this space is rooted in body liberation and trauma healing, not appearance-based goals
𐄂 You need a long-term, structured eating disorder treatment plan (an intensive may complement this work later, but it’s not a substitute)
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What Healing Can Look Like
🌿🌿
Letting Go of Shame:
EMDR Intensives support you in uncovering and transforming the painful beliefs and messages you’ve carried about your body and self-worth. These intensive sessions create space for more compassionate, empowering narratives to take root.
Soothing the Inner Critic:
By addressing the internalized voices of judgment and control, EMDR helps quiet the harsh self-talk that may have been present for years. Over time, these critical thoughts lose their grip, allowing for greater inner peace.
Rebuilding Connection with Your Body:
Through focused, intentional work, EMDR invites you to reconnect with your body from a place of kindness and acceptance—moving beyond the cycle of shame, control, or disconnection.
Healing from the Inside Out:
This work isn’t about changing how your body looks. It’s about healing the emotional wounds that made you feel like you had to. EMDR Intensives address the roots of your pain, not just the surface.
A Shift in How You See Yourself:
Many clients describe feeling a deep sense of relief—“lighter,” “more whole,” and “no longer stuck.” They often begin to view themselves and their bodies through a lens of empathy, rather than criticism.
If you're ready to begin this transformative journey, EMDR Intensives offer a powerful opportunity to reclaim your relationship with your body, your sense of worth, and your inner voice.
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Packages & Investement
3 hour Intensive
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This handbook is designed to support you throughout your EMDR intensive experience. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for your sessions, including what to expect before, during, and after the intensive, helpful tools for self-care, and answers to common questions. It’s a guide to help you feel informed, empowered, and grounded as you begin this deep healing work.
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90 minutes pre-intensive assessment.
3-hour of EMDR intensive (with IFS parts work and Somatic Experiencing).
90 minutes post-intensive evaluations.
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$1620
6 hour Intensive
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This handbook is designed to support you throughout your EMDR intensive experience. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for your sessions, including what to expect before, during, and after the intensive, helpful tools for self-care, and answers to common questions. It’s a guide to help you feel informed, empowered, and grounded as you begin this deep healing work.
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90 minutes pre-intensive assessment.
6-hour of EMDR intensive (with IFS parts work and Somatic Experiencing).
90 minutes post-intensive evaluations.
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$2430
3 Day Intensive
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This handbook is designed to support you throughout your EMDR intensive experience. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for your sessions, including what to expect before, during, and after the intensive, helpful tools for self-care, and answers to common questions. It’s a guide to help you feel informed, empowered, and grounded as you begin this deep healing work.
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90 minutes pre-intensive assessment.
3 Day of 3-hour each of EMDR intensive (with IFS parts work and Somatic Experiencing).
90 minutes post-intensive evolutions.
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$3240
Why Work With Me?
Because I’ve lived it — and I’ve trained for it.
I know what it’s like to grow up believing that your worth depends on the size of your body. To internalize the shameful whispers of family members who said they were “just being honest.” To spend years cycling through diets, bingeing in secret, punishing your body with exercise, and still never feeling good enough.
And I also know what it’s like to come out the other side.
As a trauma therapist trained in EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Somatic Experiencing, I help you go beyond talk therapy — to actually heal the roots of body shame and relational trauma. Together, we’ll meet the parts of you that still carry the pain, protect the shame, or fear rejection if they stop striving.
This isn’t just about fixing how you see your body — it’s about healing the beliefs that told you your body was ever a problem.
I bring not only professional skill but deep empathy and cultural understanding. I work with many clients who are BIPOC, immigrant-raised, or grew up in families where love was conditional and silence was survival. You won’t have to over-explain. You’ll be met with warmth, attunement, and the kind of presence that makes it safe to finally exhale.
If you’re ready to stop carrying this shame —
If you’re ready to stop making your healing conditional on shrinking yourself —
Then I’d be honored to walk with you toward freedom.
FAQs
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Regular therapy typically happens once a week for 50 minutes and can take months (or even years) to address deep-rooted issues. EMDR intensives condense months of therapy into just a few days, offering extended sessions (3–6 hours per day) to allow for deeper, uninterrupted healing. This format helps clients make faster progress without the stop-and-start rhythm of traditional therapy.
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Readiness for an EMDR intensive varies from person to person. You don’t have to figure it out on your own — I’m here to help. Email me to set up a free consultation, and we’ll explore together whether this is the right time and approach for you.
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EMDR Intensives can be a powerful adjunct to the work you’re already doing. With your consent, I’m happy to coordinate care with your current therapist, dietitian, or treatment team to ensure continuity and support across your healing journey.
In fact, I encourage you to continue working with a therapist who specializes in disordered eating and a weight-inclusive nutritionist or dietitian. This intensive is designed to go deeper into the trauma layer — while your ongoing support system helps you stay grounded, nourished, and connected.
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Emerging studies indicate that EMDR intensives can be a safe and effective treatment for trauma-related conditions, often yielding faster results than traditional weekly therapy.
A study published in ScienceDirect found that participants experienced EMDR intensives as safe and facilitating meaningful change, enhancing their sense of agency and engagement.
Research in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research reported that an intensive outpatient trauma-focused program combining EMDR and prolonged exposure therapy led to significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, with 58%–62% of participants no longer meeting PTSD diagnostic criteria post-treatment.
Another study in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology observed that 70% of patients showed a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms one month after completing an intensive EMDR program.
These findings suggest that EMDR intensives can offer a concentrated and effective approach to trauma therapy, providing substantial relief in a shorter timeframe.
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A 50% deposit is required at the time of booking to reserve your intensive. The remaining 50% is due on the day of the session. I accept credit cards and Health Savings Account (HSA) payments.
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Because EMDR intensives require me to block out significant time in advance, I ask for at least two weeks' notice for any cancellations or rescheduling. Cancellations made with less than two weeks’ notice are non-refundable, and you will be responsible for the full cost of the intensive.
This isn’t about changing your body--
It's about healing your relationship to yourself.
You were never the problem.
You were just trying to survive in a home that didn’t know how to love unconditionally.
All along, you were just doing your best to belong in a family that confused control with care, and love with conditions.
Now it’s time to offer that you and your body something new:
Compassion. Safety. And the freedom to exist exactly as you are.
CONTACT
KareKounseling PLLC
12918 Mukilteo Speedway, C-23, #296,
Lynnwood, WA 98087
Serving Washington State
Providing trauma therapy services to clients throughout Washington State, including Seattle, Lynnwood, Everett, Bothell, Redmond, Bellevue, Renton, Kent, Tacoma, and Olympia.