Offered via Telehealth: NY, FL, CA + PSYPACT • In-person: Miami + NYC
EMDR Intensives & Ketamine-Assisted EMDR
EMDR Intensives
Sometimes you know you want to heal, but the week to week pace of therapy can feel slow, hard to schedule, or like you are spending most of the session just catching up. EMDR Intensives offer a more focused option. They are extended sessions designed to create meaningful momentum in a shorter period of time, with more continuity and dedicated space to do deeper work. Instead of weekly 50 minute appointments, an intensive provides a longer block of time to help you settle in, stay with the process, and leave with a clearer sense of closure and direction.
What are EMDR Intensives?
EMDR Intensives work well for people who are ready to address something specific. Maybe there's a memory that won't let go. A relationship pattern you keep repeating. A panic response that gets triggered over and over. Or a life transition that's left you feeling untethered.
You might look fine on the outside, highly functional even, but internally you're dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, shutdown, or burnout that won't quit. You've maybe done talk therapy and gained insight, but your body is still carrying the charge of what happened.
Intensives can also be a good fit if:
Your schedule makes weekly therapy hard to maintain
You travel frequently or have limited availability
You want focused work on grief, chronic stress, panic, or major life changes
You're tired of the stop-start feeling of weekly sessions
Who Can Benefit?
Longer sessions let you actually get somewhere. You have time to settle your nervous system, identify what matters most, and move through the work at a steady pace without rushing to wrap up. Many people find that intensives eliminate that "starting over every week" feeling and allow for more complete closure.
For some, it's also a way to make meaningful progress without extending therapy indefinitely, especially when life is demanding and consistency is hard.
Why Choose an Intensive Format?
Dr. Montalvo offers EMDR Intensives as a three-part process with built-in support before and after:
Preparation Session (50 minutes) We focus on resourcing, stabilization, and planning. We'll identify what you want to target, clarify your goals, and make sure the intensive is paced in a way that feels manageable.
EMDR Intensive Session (2 hours) This is the focused reprocessing work. Two hours gives us enough time for continuity, deeper processing, and a thorough close without feeling rushed.
Integration Session (50 minutes) A follow-up to process what came up, support nervous system regulation, and help you integrate insights into your daily life. We'll also create a clear plan for aftercare and next steps.
What’s the Structure?
An intensive isn't automatically better for everyone. The right pace depends on your current stability, stressors, available support, and what you're working through.
A brief consultation helps determine if an intensive is a good fit or if weekly sessions would be more supportive right now
Is It Right for You?
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR (KA-EMDR)
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR combines a low dose of ketamine (called a "psycholytic" dose) with EMDR reprocessing. The ketamine helps quiet habitual thought patterns, soften avoidance, and increase emotional tolerance so you can stay present with difficult material without getting overwhelmed.
The goal isn't to push faster. It's to create conditions where the work feels more accessible and better contained.
What is KA-EMDR ?
This approach can be especially helpful if you feel stuck in patterns that won't shift through insight alone. Maybe you understand what happened, but your body still reacts like the threat is here.
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR may be a good fit if you're dealing with:
Trauma, PTSD, or complex trauma
Depression or persistent shutdown
Anxiety or chronic overwhelm
Avoidance that makes it hard to access emotions in regular EMDR
It can also help if you've tried EMDR before but struggled to stay within your window of tolerance or found yourself too defended to really engage with the material.
Who Can Benefit?
Ketamine can create flexibility in your nervous system and widen your window of tolerance. Many people describe feeling less guarded, more able to observe emotions without drowning in them, and more connected to the process.
When paired with EMDR, trauma-related material can be processed with more steadiness while still honoring your pacing and internal readiness.
Why Combine Ketamine with EMDR?
Dr. Montalvo offers Ketamine Assisted EMDR as a structured process with support before and after the ketamine session. Preparation and integration sessions are scheduled separately to help clients feel grounded, clear, and supported throughout the work.
Preparation Session (50 minutes, telehealth) We assess fit, review informed consent, and create a personalized plan. We'll go over resourcing skills, clarify what you want to work on, and make sure you feel prepared for the ketamine session.
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Session (1.5 to 2 hours, in-person or telehealth) This is the reprocessing session using a low dose of ketamine alongside EMDR. I'm present the entire time to provide structure, grounding, and support, with plenty of time for a thorough closing.
Integration Session (50 minutes, telehealth) A follow-up to process insights, track shifts, and translate the work into daily life. We'll reinforce regulation tools and create a clear plan for ongoing integration.
What is the Structure?
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR isn't appropriate for everyone. We'll do a thorough consultation and assessment to determine safety and fit, including your mental health history, current stability, and any medical considerations.
You'll also need to complete a medical evaluation with a psychiatrist or qualified provider who will determine medical eligibility and prescribe the ketamine if appropriate. The psychiatric evaluation and medication are provided by the prescribing clinician and billed separately from my psychotherapy services
Is it Right for You?
Have Questions ?
If anything here isn't clear, or if you want to talk through whether these approaches might work for you, reach out. I'm happy to answer questions about the process, safety, scheduling, or anything else.