I'm so excited to now be offering Therapy Intensives in Georgia!
After experimenting with offering 3-hour intensive therapy sessions to a few long-time clients, I quickly knew this was the direction I wanted to move my practice. Having the spaciousness of extended time allows for so much more depth of healing, unfolding, process, and integration. Clients are experiencing significant transformation in just one intensive session, and I am excited to be offering this as a new service because I am seeing it lead to exponential healing and growth for clients.
A Therapy Intensive is an accelerated form of therapy designed to help clients go deeper and get results faster. I offer three to five hour sessions per day for one to three days. Instead of attending therapy one hour per week for a year, why not carve out a few days for Therapy Intensives? It’s a cutting-edge approach to therapy in Georgia to help people feel better faster.
Many people think of Therapy Intensives like a retreat. For that week you can unplug, take time off work, get a babysitter, or even stay in a hotel or Airbnb. This time is completely dedicated to you so you can focus on healing, reflecting, and reconnecting.
Intensives therapy sessions are “trending” and cutting edge because they are transformative!
Many therapists are transitioning to this model because people are seeing dramatic improvement and progress toward their goals through intensives.
In traditional, 50-minute therapy we usually spend the first 10–20 minutes of each session reconnecting and catching up, then we have about 20 minutes for deep work before we begin to wrap up and transition out of the meeting. When we do an intensive, we don’t need time to catch up! We get 2–3 hours of uninterrupted deep work. That’s 6–9x more time! Imagine how much more progress you could make. You wouldn’t have to wait a week in between every session in order to take the next step toward healing.
The structure of 50-minute sessions per week was designed by insurance companies and not by therapists who have their client’s best interests at heart. Imagine if you were going in for surgery and after 1 hour the surgeon says, “Well, we’ve reached our time limit for today. I’ll stitch you up and we’ll pick this up next week.” That’s a terrible idea! Once you’re “in it” you don’t want to pause or return to daily life—you want to move through to the other side. Therapy Intensives allow you to do exactly that.
Therapy Intensives are a bigger financial investment up front, but you get much more value in a shorter period of time. It’s cost-effective therapy compared to going to weekly therapy for months or years and you don’t have to wait to see results. It’s perfect for people who are ready for change now.
Of course, therapy and therapy intensives are not a quick fix. Healing and growth are a lifelong process. But doing a therapy intensive can help you feel better faster and make significant progress in a short period of time.
Who Can Benefit From Therapy Intensives?
There’s a growing demand of clients who want intensives for a number of reasons. Therapy Intensives are perfect for people that are ready and motivated to go deeper than is possible in 50 minutes. They’re ready for relief now. If you’re ready to see things change in your life and your relationships but you don’t want to wait for that to happen next year, a Therapy Intensive may be right for you.
If you have a specific issue, trauma, or stressor that you want support with, this can be the focus of your Therapy Intensive. The dedicated time will be customized specifically to you and your goals.
If you’re not seeing as much progress as you’d like in traditional therapy or you’re feeling stuck, a Therapy Intensive may be able to help get you unstuck and get more momentum.
Therapy Intensives can also be a great fit for people who have a hard time fitting a weekly appointment in their schedules due to work, travel, or other commitments. Intensives offer a format of therapy that may be a better fit for their lives.
Why Choose a Therapy Intensive Over Traditional Therapy?
Therapy Intensives are more effective and efficient than normal 50-minute therapy sessions. Typically in a 50-minute session, there are at least 10–20 minutes of check-in at the start of the session and usually 5–10 minutes spent on closing up or checking out at the end of a session—leaving only 20–30 minutes for deep therapeutic work. Therapy Intensives are different. A 3-hour Therapy Intensive allows for 2.5 hours of depth work. That’s the equivalent of five 50-minute sessions or more than a month of therapy—in a single day!
Will We Just Talk for Three Hours?
No. Therapy intensives with me are not the same as “talk therapy.” Spending three days simply talking with a therapist may help you feel understood and validated, but it will probably not translate into lasting life change.
In intensives, we will use a method of therapy that helps us do deep work, such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, or Hakomi, so that we can help you experience sustained healing and inner shifts that lead to real changes in how you show up in the world. Experiential, somatic-based therapies like these are extremely effective on their own, but in an intensive they are a powerhouse approach for producing lifelong change.
Exactly what we do in your intensive will be catered specifically to you—your needs and your preferences for ways of working. We may even incorporate gentle movement, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or Tapping), chakra work, sound therapy, or guided meditation to help with grounding or integration.
How Many Intensive Days Should I Schedule?
Great question! This depends on your goals for the Therapy Intensive. Some goals can be reached in a Half Day Intensive (3 hours), but other goals are more complex and may require a 3 Day Intensive. I can help you determine the number of days that would work best for your therapy goals.
Already Have a Therapist?
That’s great! Therapy Intensives work very well as adjunct therapy. I would ask that you sign a Release of Information so that your current therapist and I can collaborate and coordinate care.
Because we will be doing internal, experiential work such as Internal Family Systems or Brainspotting on a particular issue, this is often a great complement to more traditional styles of therapy.
Can I Combine Therapy Intensives and Weekly Sessions?
Absolutely! I think this is a great option for many people. In an Intensive we will have time to get a lot of deep work done, and you can still have your regular appointments to process things coming up in your life, work, relationships, etc.
Can I Do an Intensive Online?
Yes! I offer online therapy intensives across Georgia, as well as in-person intensives in Carrollton, GA.
Who’s Not a Good Fit for Therapy Intensives?
If in the past year you have experienced a mental health crisis, been hospitalized, attempted suicide, had significant suicidal ideation, or experienced psychosis, a Therapy Intensive with me is probably not a good fit. The deep nature of the work could be destabilizing.
If you need ongoing weekly or biweekly therapy, a stand-alone intensive may not be enough. However, in some cases, it can be a great complement to regular therapy. If you’re not sure, let’s talk.
Can Insurance Help Cover the Cost?
Therapy Intensives are not typically covered by insurance. However, if you have out-of-network benefits, your insurance company may reimburse a portion. Ask about CPT billing codes like 90837 and your plan’s reimbursement rate.
I can provide you with a superbill or, in many cases, I can file out-of-network on your behalf.
Can I Use My HSA or FSA?
Yes, you can use your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay for your intensive.
Still Not Sure?
Let’s schedule a time to talk. I’m happy to answer your questions and explore whether a Therapy Intensive is the right next step for you.
Curious to Learn More?
Here’s an article I’ve written that offers insights and guidance around Therapy Intensives:
Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?
Contact me to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to learn more about the services I offer and start your path to healing.