At HSTH, intensive therapy sessions can be utilized like an individual workshop or personal retreat - facilitating deeper healing in a shorter amount of time. Intensive sessions are scheduled for *2-5+ hours at a time with breaks as needed & can be scheduled weekly, bi-weekly, & even monthly. They can be a one time experience or an ongoing investment, when appropriate & as needed. The modalities HSTH clinicians use for intensives are EMDR & IFS, two modalities that compliment one another very nicely when paired accordingly. HSTH therapist can even assist clients, families, & groups with pairing their intensives with other activities & events at The Healing Arts Centre - whether that be a yoga class, movement class, massage, reiki session, music event, and/or workshop.

Why choose intensive work?

  • Intensives are more effective & efficient than a typical 53-60 minute therapy session. In a typical session, usually at least the first 10-15 minutes are used for a “check-in” & resourcing, while the last 10-15 minutes can be spent on containing the work you’ve done & wrapping up. This set up really only give clients about 25-30 minutes of deep therapeutic work. Whereas, a 5-hour long intensive allows for 4.5 hours of deep work - which is equivalent to a month of weekly therapy in a single visit!

  • Some clients crave longer opportunities to help them reach their goals sooner rather than later. These longer intensive sessions allow clients the time & space needed to fully “drop into” themselves by providing them with ample time to calm their mind, ground their bodies, & gain a deeper understanding of their inner system - which can facilitate greater reprocessing & integration.

  • Intensives provide more flexibility than the traditional model of weekly psychotherapy with how & when clients access support. At times, they can even allow clients to skip the waitlist by giving them faster access to select spots. They’re designed to support the client’s preferred schedule & timeline for their treatment goals.

  • An Intensive is highly personalized treatment that includes pre-sessions, an in-depth workbook (complete with resources, assessments, sections to share goals/background stories, prompts to initiate reflection, etc.), various creature comforts & accoutrements specific to each client’s needs & preferences, & a follow-up session.

  • Clients can continue their therapeutic relationship with their on-going therapist while participating in intensive services. Intensives allow clients to experience therapeutic modalities their ongoing therapist may not be trained in without having to terminate with them. HSTH clinicians can provide a Release of Information if desired, allowing HSTH to work collaboratively with other therapists & care providers to assist clients in feeling less “stuck” on certain topics/experiences.

Could intensives work for you? Below are some, but not all, examples of a client who could benefit from intensive therapy:

  • Perhaps you’ve had a felt sense that something profound has yet to change, but you’re not quite sure how to shift all the way into a new experience of yourself with your current therapist. Maybe you now cognitively understand new things, yet your body is still confused, so you’re curious about how intensive therapy can help as you work with your primary talk therapist.

  • Perhaps you’re dedicated to change, committed to healing, & you’ve been meaning to get into weekly therapy for a while now, but your schedule has been so hectic & demanding that a weekly therapy appointment feels more overwhelming than supportive.

  • Perhaps you’re needing help —- and a lot of it—- right now, & you don’t want to spend months in the traditional weekly model of therapy treatment to feel better.

  • Perhaps your time is limited due to work, travel, family & caregiving responsibilities, etc., you need efficient support, & regular sessions just aren’t going to work for you during this season of your life.

  • Perhaps you’re getting ready to take the leap with a major life transition or life event (e.g. getting married, having your first child, becoming an empty nester, taking a career leap or moving abroad or to a new city).

  • Perhaps you are a current, weekly client who is needing extra, focused support quickly. 

  • Perhaps you are a new client who just prefers to work intensively.

  • Perhaps you want fast, yet gentle transformation with long-lasting results.

Research on Intensive EMDR Therapy & IFS informed EMDR is Positive:

  • Intensive EMDR treatment is feasible & is indicative of reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame. Learn more here.

  • An intensive program using EMDR therapy is a potentially safe & effective treatment alternative for complex PTSD. Learn more here.

  • The economy is compelling: even compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises & concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing & coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session. Learn more here.

*Unfortunately, intensives are not covered by insurance. But, if you’re In-Network, we can file a claim for the first hour of the intensive. And, if you’re out-of-network, we’d be happy to provide you with a superbill in hopes you’d get fully or partially reimbursed by your insurance provider.