Nature scene representing inner parts work

For the parts that have been waiting the longest.

IFS & EMDR Trauma Reprocessing Intensive · Short-term · Experiential · Built for depth

Some things don't move in weekly therapy. Not because the therapy isn't good — but because certain wounds need more time, more focus, and a different kind of container to finally be reached.

This intensive is short-term and designed with intention — a small series of sessions, scheduled close together, giving your system the sustained attention it needs to go toward what it has been protecting, and to begin to let it go.

What happens in these sessions

We follow your system's lead.

We use Internal Family Systems and EMDR in an integrated way — meaning we don't bypass your protective parts to get to the trauma. We work with your protectors first, building enough trust and safety that your system can open to what's underneath.

From there we move toward the exile — the part carrying the wound — and do the real work of reprocessing and unburdening. Sessions are 90 minutes, scheduled in close succession within one to two weeks, so momentum is maintained and your system stays open between sessions.

This might look like mapping and meeting protectors, building trust with the parts that keep watch, and moving toward the exile when the system is ready. Unburdening can happen within a single session — and sometimes the work of building safety IS the work. Every system is different, and we won't rush yours.

At minimum, you will leave with a clearer map of your inner world and a felt sense of what your parts have been carrying.

Who this is for

You might be ready if —

You have a specific trauma or memory that keeps activating
You've done therapy before but feel stuck on something that won't move
You have a protective system that's been hard to get past
You're ready to go toward something — not just talk about it
You have an existing therapist or support system in place
A couples therapist has suggested individual trauma work to support your relationship

What to expect

The process, step by step.

1 Free 30-minute intake call — we talk about your history, what feels ready, and whether this is the right fit. No pressure to commit before we speak.

2 Preparation session — 90 minutes — history taking, parts mapping, and trauma target identification. For clients who already have an existing therapist and have done foundational stabilization work, we can often move into processing quickly. If more resourcing is needed, we may recommend additional preparation work with your existing therapist before proceeding — this is a clinical decision made together, not a hurdle.

3 Processing session(s) — 90 minutes each — moving toward the exile, reprocessing, and unburdening. One session may complete a trauma target entirely — or serve as the beginning of a multi-session arc, depending on your system's pace. We follow your nervous system's lead and never rush toward completion. Sessions are scheduled in close succession, typically within one to two weeks, so momentum is maintained.

4 Integration session — 90 minutes — scheduled within 24–72 hours of your final processing session while the neuroplasticity window is still elevated. Space to consolidate what shifted, help parts metabolize what changed, and build new understanding into something lasting.

5 Reassessment — together we determine whether the work feels complete or whether additional processing sessions would serve you. There is no pressure in either direction — your system will know, and we'll listen to it.

Pricing

Preparation session — 90 minutes · $225

Processing session(s) — 90 minutes each · $225 per session

Integration session — 90 minutes · $225

The number of processing sessions varies by client and system — determined together based on what emerges. Most clients complete one to three processing sessions. $225 deposit to book your preparation session.

Requires existing therapeutic support — an ongoing therapist, counselor, or mental health provider who is aware you are doing this work. This isn't a bureaucratic requirement — it's a clinical one. Your existing therapist holds the ongoing container; I provide the intensive processing work. If you don't currently have a therapist, an IFS Depth Session may be a better starting point.

The research

Why this works.

What the research shows

EMDR is gold-standard trauma treatment

EMDR is recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense alongside the most well-established trauma therapies. A comprehensive 2024 meta-analysis found EMDR equally effective as the leading trauma treatments across randomized controlled trials — and many clients no longer meet PTSD criteria after completing a course of treatment.

Wright et al. (2024), Psychological Medicine · VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines (2023)

Intensive formats work — and have lower dropout

Research on intensive, massed, or condensed trauma treatment shows outcomes equal to or better than traditional weekly therapy. One significant advantage: dropout rates in intensive formats are dramatically lower than weekly treatment — likely because clients can see clearly when the work ends, and because the condensed format maintains momentum.

Bongaerts et al. (2022) · Kline et al. (2018) · Butler & Ramsey-Wade (2024)

Short-term intensive treatment is safe and effective

Brief intensive trauma treatments — multiple trauma-focused sessions integrating various modalities over a short period — have been shown in recent studies to be a safe and effective strategy for reducing PTSD in adults. A shorter, contained format also lowers the barrier for people who find prolonged weekly therapy overwhelming or hard to access.

Westerveld et al. (2025), JMIR Research Protocols

IFS produces significant trauma outcomes

A pilot study of IFS therapy for adults with PTSD and histories of multiple childhood traumas found significant positive effects on PTSD symptoms, depression, dissociation, affect dysregulation, and disrupted self-perception. A 2024 study published in the APA's leading trauma journal further supported IFS as a feasible and effective treatment for PTSD.

Hodgdon et al. (2022), Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma · Comeau et al. (2024), Psychological Trauma: APA

Your therapist

About Heidi

Heidi McKinley, M.S., P-LPC, NCC

I'm an IFS therapist and attachment trauma specialist trained in IFS, EMDR, and AEDP. I work with complex trauma, relational wounds, and protective systems that have been hard to move. I don't rush past protectors — I work with them. And I collaborate with referring therapists because I believe the best outcomes happen when the whole team is aligned.

Ready to begin?

Start with a free 30-minute intake call. No commitment required — just a conversation.

Book Your Intake Call

Available via telehealth in Wisconsin and Louisiana.
Therapist referrals welcome · Couples therapists encouraged to reach out.