You don't have to spend years in weekly therapy to feel better.
EMDR intensives let us go deeper, faster, so you can process what's been holding you back and return to your life feeling lighter, steadier, and more like yourself.
Free 15-min consultation
Fully customizable formats
Faster relief than talk therapy
Welcoming to all genders & identities
Hi, I'm Porter Charles
I'm a licensed therapist who specializes in rewriting the fear-based mind. I know that choosing a therapist is one of the most personal decisions you'll make. So I want you to feel like you know me a little before we ever speak. (longer bio here)
I'm warm, direct, and genuinely invested in the people I work with. I believe healing doesn't have to feel like an uphill battle all the time, and I've seen real change happen when people have the desire, time, and space to do deeper work.
I am regularly consulting with experts in the field and holding my practice to the highest standards. This is work I care about deeply, and that shows up in how I show up for you.
Trauma-Informed
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Working toward EMDRIA Consult Certification
Affirming of all identities
Demystifying EMDR
It's not what most people think
EMDR has a reputation for being mysterious, intense, or only for severe trauma. In reality, it's one of the most well-researched therapies we have, and it works for a much wider range of experiences than most people realize.
You don't need to have been through something catastrophic. If there's a memory, a pattern, or a feeling that keeps showing up and getting in your way, EMDR was made for that.
Myth
"EMDR is only for PTSD or serious trauma."
Reality
EMDR works for anxiety, grief, relationship patterns, difficult memories, self-worth struggles, and much more. If something's stuck, EMDR can help move it.
Myth
"You have to talk through everything that happened."
Reality
You don't have to narrate your story in detail. We work with what your body and mind are holding. Not a full verbal account.
Is this right for you?
EMDR intensives can help with a lot more than you might expect
Whether you've been through something that would fit a clinical definition of trauma, or you just have memories and patterns that keep affecting your life in ways you don't want, that's enough. You don't need to justify why something still bothers you.
Past or Current Trauma
Anxiety
Relationship Patterns
Greif & Loss
and much more
Difficult Memories
Career Barriers
Performance & Fear
Self-Worth
I warmly welcome people of all genders, identities, and cultures. Including men, immigrants, and non-conforming folks who often find it harder to access this kind of support.
What to expect
You stay in control the whole time
You won't have to relive everything in detail. I protect myself from second-hand trauma as well. We'll identify a part of an experience you'd like to work on, briefly notice what feelings and sensations come up, and then process through that, without you needing to narrate the whole story.
Brief emotional discomfort during the process is normal and expected. But you'll never be left alone in it, and we always return to a grounded, stable place before we stop. Think of it less like tearing open a wound and more like finally letting something move through.
We also build in coping time. If at any point you need to pause, slow down, or just breathe. We do that. The structure of the intensive is designed so that we always have that time available.
How it works
What a 4-hour intensive looks like
Hour 1
We get you ready
We start slow. I make sure you have some simple tools to help you feel grounded and settled before we go anywhere. Think of this as building a safe landing pad we can return to anytime.
Hour 2-3
We work through it together
This is the heart of the session. This is where the processing happens. We move through the EMDR protocol at a pace that works for you, with built-in space to pause and resource whenever needed. We gently work through it together. You stay present the whole time, I guide you through it, and things start to shift. Most people are surprised by how different something can feel by the end of this part.
Hour 4
We bring you back down
We close out carefully at the end to wind down. We check in on how you're feeling, do some grounding, and make sure you leave feeling settled and steady. You won't leave in the middle of something.
After
Optional check-in
If it would help, we can touch base by message or call in the days after your session. Processing sometimes continues after we stop, and it's good to know support is there.
Investment
Clear, transparent pricing
Both formats include preparation, the full session, and integration support.
Half-day intensive
$1200
A single deep-dive session. Ideal if you have one area you're ready to work on, or you want to experience the intensive format before committing to more.
4 hours, single session
Why it's worth it: This is often equivalent to 2–3 months of weekly sessions in terms of depth, without the weeks of waiting in between.
Most flexible
Custom package
Custom / quoted after consult
We'll design a package around your goals. Some people do two half-days in a weekend; others spread them out. We build this together on the consult call.
Multiple 4-hour blocks, designed for you
Why it's worth it: Sustained, meaningful progress, without years of weekly appointments. Many people move further in one package than they have in a year of weekly sessions.
Common questions
Things people often ask
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Not at all. EMDR doesn't require you to tell the full story out loud. We'll identify a part of an experience, briefly notice what feelings and sensations come up, and work from there, without a full verbal account. Brief emotional discomfort is expected, but we always return to a grounded place before we stop.
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I am trained through an EMDRIA-approved Training to ethically practice EMDR. I am passionate about EMDR so much so that I'm actively working toward my EMDRIA consultant certification and receiving ongoing consultation with an EMDRIA-approved consultant. This means my work meets rigorous standards, and I'm continuously deepening my training.
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We build in time for that. We establish grounding and resourcing tools at the start, and you can use them anytime. The intensive structure is intentionally designed, so we always have time to stabilize. You won't leave in the middle of something.
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Yes! That's one of the strengths of this format. We'll figure out on the consult call what works best for you. Some people want one uninterrupted block; others prefer a longer break in the middle. We design it together.
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No. Some people come to me specifically for an intensive without any existing therapy relationship, and that works well. Others use intensives to go deeper on something specific alongside their ongoing therapy. We'll talk through what makes sense for you on the consult call.
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That's up to you as to what feels best. Bilateral stimulation (BLS) or Dual Attention Stimulus (DAS), is the back-and-forth sensory input that helps your brain process during EMDR. It can look like following my fingers with your eyes, tapping on your knees, audio tones alternating between ears, a light bar or handheld buzzers that pulse side to side. We will talk about what sounds most comfortable to you before we start, and we can always switch it up if something isn't working. There is no one right way, and your comfort matters.
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I don't, and insurance typically won't cover intensive formats like this one anywhere. I know that can feel like a barrier, but here is a way to think about it: people spend similar amounts on a vacation that lasts a week and fades. This is an investment in actually resolving the memories and patterns that have been affecting your life, sometimes for years. The relief you feel on the other side of this work will stick around a lot longer than a trip to the beach.
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I’ve created this resource article just for that purpose.
Ready to take the next step?
Let's talk… no pressure, just a conversation
Your free 15-minute consult is just a chance to meet, ask questions, and see if this feels like a good fit. No commitment required.
Spots are limited. I keep my caseload small intentionally.