What is a Therapy Intensive?

Have you ever been frustrated when your therapy session is over because you felt that you didn’t get enough time to talk about everything? This can be common for those who are working through trauma and grief. As soon as you feel you get started, the session is over and you have to wait until the next week.

At Breathe Again Counseling, we offer full day therapy intensives. This gives you and your therapist time to concentrate on getting to the root of the issue so that you can begin to walk the healing path sooner. Intensives are a method of providing weeks or months of therapeutic potential within hours of therapy held consecutively. We don’t have to spend time catching up on your week – which is important, but not necessary for each hour of an intensive.

Am I a Good Fit?

How do you know if you’re a good fit for an intensive? You’re a good fit for an intensive if you are ready to do deep therapy work with a highly trained therapist. You’re ready to set aside the time to focus on your stuff without distractions. You’re ready to see movement. You’re tired of feeling stuck or watching the therapy hour fly by and having to wait until the next week to do more work. You are ready for deep change and are willing to do what it takes. And you want support as you go through the process.

How Does it Work?

Your therapist will hold a pre-intensive consultation meeting to better understand your goals (and to get to know you better if we have not previously worked together). This allows your therapist to put together an intensive uniquely tailored to you. You will also get a post-intensive consultation meeting with your therapist to check in on progress. Additional consultation meetings may be scheduled as needed for an additional fee if we are not currently working together in regular therapy.

How Should I Prepare?

It’s perfectly normal to feel ambivalence about the intensive if you’ve never experienced one before. It can even feel intimidating to think about a full day of therapy. However, intensives are not structured in the same way as a regular in-office session. They usually take place at an off-site location surrounded by nature.

Let’s be clear, you don’t have to have it all figured out before you attend. You just need to communicate openly with your therapist. It’s also helpful to have a supportive friend or family member who knows you will be doing the intensive so that they can encourage you before and after the day of the intensive.

Some things you can beforehand are to be open, curious, and reflective about your goals and what feels hard in your life currently. Take time to slow down and listen to your internal voice. What do you hope to accomplish? Maybe you want to be more connected to yourself or get unstuck from something you feel has been holding you back. If you are a person of faith, prayerful awareness and meditation can also be helpful.

Feel free to ask your therapist about any questions you have. They will have information to give you that will help you to approach the intensive from an optimistic and hopeful stance.

What Happens in an Intensive?

Intensives are experiential in nature, meaning that they are more than just talk therapy. These times may include therapeutic art, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brainspotting, somatic work, parts work, equine therapy (weather permitting), canine-assisted therapy, forest bathing (weather permitting), play, and any other intervention your therapist knows will help move you toward healing. This may sound like a lot, but there will be multiple breaks during the day. Together, you and your therapist will choose the pace and activities that feel comfortable to you.

What Should I Expect Afterwards?

It’s best to plan a couple of days after your intensive for rest, relaxation, and self-care as your brain will need space to continue processing for several days afterwards. Clear your calendar. Plan to prepare or buy nourishing meals. Make time for journaling and mindful walks as well.

If you question whether or not the investment is worth it, that is something that can be explored with your therapist. Ask yourself if want to keep living the way you have been living and if you want to continue to carry the heavy load of the past. It’s difficult to think that an investment in your future self is not worth living a life of freedom that is not weighed down by yesterday’s experiences.

Just know that choosing to engage in a therapy intensive is you choosing yourself. It’s an act of self-compassion for the most important person in your life – YOU! If you are ready for deep healing, please reach out to a therapist at Breathe Again Counseling to get started – we know you’re worth it!