Yes, the first few nights will be incredibly difficult. This is what I know, and is one of a few methods. There are also great links on this forum for the Gradual Withdraw method or other methods. Here's a timeline with no time limits on giving support...
(Btw, it's totally up to you if you want to try a no-cry method. THey take a long time... I did it once and it worked for dropping a feed and getting him to sleep through the first part of the night, but it took almost 2 months).
If you do the stay-in-the room method, just get a chair to sit nearby and do pats or stroke on the head or bum just for a few seconds and use a sleepy phrase. I was the same way... a big softie and wanted to pick up, but the key for us was NOT to get him out of the crib AT ALL. And stay as long as it takes for him to go to sleep then leave. By the 2nd night, our DS was already sleeping better! Do this for every night waking, but do not get him out of the crib. (Your choice if you want to pick him up for a moment, but this usually had disastrous results for us and it seems like you will too). Do this for the first 3 nights. Our training took less time than anticipated because he had some skills already. If you want to do a 2 week one, move your chair farther away every 4-5 days.
YOUR GOAL: Get him to self settle every time he wakes up. Soothe him and help him through it, but let him do the work in the crib. By the 3rd night, there should be some progress. REMEMBER that if you pick him up and nurse, your sleepless nights will continue indefinitely! If you hang in there for a few nights, there will be hope for great nights!
For us, being in the room upset our DS much much more. So I went in at the peak of his cries and as many times as needed and said the sleepy phrase. Mantra cry is very distinct, almost like a babble, or sometimes even a high screech babble/cry but intermittent with very short pauses. DS changed it up once in a while.
Maybe on day 2 or 4, whichever falls on a weekend, DH can be the one in the chair so you can sleep. Then switch again? I wouldn't do day 3 or 5 as they can regress that night.
Let me know how it goes!!! Best wishes!!!