RECENT TRAUMA INTENSIVE – HEALING HEARTS COUNSELING
Something happened. Don't wait for it to take root.
June 2026
A focused, evidence-based online intensive using Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP) to process acute trauma before it becomes PTSD. Telehealth available in Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont.
WHO THIS IS FOR
You don't have to wait for things to get worse
When something traumatic happens, your nervous system does not always process it cleanly. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, numbness, disrupted sleep: these are not weakness. They are your brain trying to protect you. Left unaddressed, they can turn into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This recent trauma intensive is designed to interrupt that process early, using a protocol built specifically for recent traumatic events.
“I don’t need years of weekly therapy. I need someone who can help me get ahead of this now.”
Assault survivors
(physical or sexual)
Natural disaster survivors
First responders and military
Mass casualty witnesses and bystanders
ER, ICU and crisis workers
Vicarious trauma from distressing news
Explore whether our standard EMDR Intensive might be a better fit for longer-standing trauma.
THE PROTOCOL
EMDR Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol: what makes it different
This is not standard EMDR. The R-TEP (Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol) is designed specifically for trauma that is still recent or active in the nervous system. Rather than working backward through a life history, we target the active memory network while they are still in a more flexible state. Importantly, what “recent” means can vary: the brain’s categorization of the traumatic event is not strictly about calendar time. Some experiences that occurred months ago may still be held in the nervous system as recent, making R-TEP appropriate well beyond the initial days after an event. During your free consultation, we assess together whether this protocol fits what you are experiencing. For a deeper look at how EMDR works, visit our EMDR Intensives page.
Research-backed PTSD prevention
R-TEP has strong evidence for reducing acute stress responses and preventing PTSD onset when applied to recent traumatic events before full memory consolidation occurs.
Early intervention advantage
Memory networks are still flexible after a recent traumatic event. Acting during this window makes processing more efficient and lasting change more achievable.
Individual or group format
Group T-TEP intensives are available for first responder teams, workplaces or co-workers who experienced the same critical incident together.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The process, step by step
Every R-TEP acute trauma intensive is paced to your nervous system. Nothing is rushed. Here is how it unfolds via telehealth.
01
Free 20-minute telehealth consultation
We talk briefly about what happened, what you are experiencing, and whether this acute trauma treatment format is a clinical fit. No pressure, no commitment. You ask questions too.
02
The R-TEP intensive (approx. 3 hours via telehealth)
A focused, extended EMDR session using the Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (R-TEP). We begin with brief stabilization and resourcing so your nervous system is prepared, then move into active processing at your pace with regular check-ins throughout. Three hours is a clinical baseline. Your actual session may be shorter depending on how your brain has categorized the event and how processing unfolds. We never push past what your system is ready for.
Unlike standard EMDR Intensives which may span 1 to 3 days, R-TEP can often achieve meaningful resolution in a single extended telehealth session. Some clients benefit from a brief follow-up session to complete processing. This is assessed together as we go.
Curious about EMDR Intensives in general? Out FAQ page covers the most common questions about how the approach works.
INVESTMENT
Transparent pricing for acute trauma treatment
Recent Traumatic Event Intensive (R-TEP) via telehealth
$975
for approx. 3 hours at $325 per hour
Includes pre-session intake, the full R-TEP processing session via telehealth, and brief post-session integration guidance.
If additional processing time is clinically indicated, sessions are billed at $325 per hour.
This intensive is private pay. For a deeper look at how payment and insurance work in therapy generally, see our post on therapy, insurance and privacy.
THIS VS. WEEKLY THERAPY
You need traction now not a waitlist
Weekly therapy is valuable for ongoing support. But for acute trauma, waiting 7 days between 50-minute sessions means restarting every single week, often before real processing has a chance to gain any momentum. For a recent traumatic event, time matters.
Weekly therapy
Slow, incremental
- 50 min/week, restart every session
- Months before consistent momentum builds
- Standard EMDR not optimized for recent events
- Good for long-term support and maintenance
Recent Trauma Episode Intensive (R-TEP)
Targeted, fast-acting
- Approx. 3 focused telehealth hours
- Meaningful shift possible in a single session
- R-TEP protocol built for recent traumatic events
- Pairs well with your existing therapist or ongoing care
FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Built for people who don't have time to fall apart
If you are a firefighter, paramedic, ER nurse, law enforcement officer or social worker, you are trained to hold it together. But repeated exposure to traumatic events accumulates and waiting until it becomes a crisis carries its own risks. This acute trauma treatment was designed with your schedule, your skepticism and your specific occupational exposure in mind. No lengthy intake. No “let’s talk about your childhood.” We work with what happened, directly, efficiently and respectfully. Because you spend your days helping other people, you deserve support that respects the pace you operate at.
“You don’t have to be broken to benefit from this. You just have to be honest that something happened and you’d rather not carry it indefinitely.”
Group EMDR intensives available for departments, teams or co-workers who experienced a shared critical incident. Contact us to discuss a group PTSD prevention session for your team.
First responders dealing with longer-standing or repeated occupational trauma may also benefit from our standard EMDR Intensive offering.
EMDRIA Certified Therapist
Licensed in MD, NV, SC and VT
15+ years of clinical experience
Individual and group R-TEP formats
Trauma-informed and evidence-based
YOUR CLINICIAN
Not a platform. A real clinician with 15+ years of trauma experience
Judy Wang is an EMDRIA-Certified Therapist and licensed clinician with over 15 years of specialized experience treating trauma, anxiety and OCD. She delivers this R-TEP acute trauma intensive via telehealth and has designed the program specifically around the evidence base for recent traumatic event treatment and PTSD prevention.
Working with Judy means your intensive is designed around your history, your goals and your nervous system’s pace. Large mental health platforms match you to a database entry. This is clinical craft, delivered one client at a time.
Want to learn more about Judy’s background and approach? Visit the About Judy page.
WHERE I'M LICENSED
Available via telehealth in four states
All R-TEP intensives are delivered online. To work together, you must be physically located in one of the states below at the time of your session.
MD
Maryland
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
NV
Nevada
Clinical Professional Counselor
SC
South Carolina
Telehealth Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
VT
Vermont
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor – Telehealth
COMMON QUESTIONS
Answers before you reach out
R-TEP is most commonly associated with events that occurred within hours to weeks, but the protocol is really about how the brain has categorized the experience rather than strictly how much time has passed. Some events that happened several months ago are still held by the nervous system as recent and respond well to this approach. During your free consult, we assess this together before any commitment is made. If R-TEP is not the right fit, we will talk through whether a standard EMDR Intensive or another approach better serves where you are.
No. EMDR does not require you to narrate the event at length. Processing happens through bilateral stimulation guided by your own internal associations. You remain in control of what you access and at what depth. Many clients find this the most surprising and relieving aspect of the work.
Online EMDR is well-supported by research and widely used for trauma treatment. Many clients find telehealth more comfortable because they process from their own home environment. All you need is a private space and a reliable internet connection.
Yes. This R-TEP intensive works well as a targeted supplement to ongoing care. Clients complete the acute trauma intensive and return to their regular therapist for continued support. Judy can coordinate with your existing providers if you would like.
Yes. R-TEP EMDR group protocol has a growing evidence base, particularly for shared incident trauma common in first responder settings. Group formats can also reduce stigma around help-seeking in occupational cultures where that may be a barrier.
Intensives are offered on a private-pay basis. Due to the nature and length of the intensive, insurance does not have a billing code that would cover the R-TEP Intensive service.
The window is open. Let's use it.
A free 20-minute telehealth consultation costs nothing and tells you everything you need to know about whether R-TEP is the right fit for your recent traumatic event.
Currently serving adults in Maryland, Nevada, South Carolina and Vermont via secure telehealth.
