Therapy Intensives

The traditional model of weekly psychotherapy is shifting to meet your needs. Now more than ever, we need flexibility in how we get support.

Perhaps you’ve been meaning to get into weekly therapy for a while now, but your schedule has been so hectic and demanding that a weekly therapy appointment feels more overwhelming than supportive.

The intensive application of trauma-focused therapy seems to be well tolerated in individuals impacted by trauma- and stressor-related experiences, and the economy for participating in Therapy Intensives is compelling: even compared to other trauma therapy, the intensive format may decrease treatment time, because of time not spent on:

  • Checking in at the beginning of each session

  • Addressing current crises and concerns

  • Focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after trauma healing, or

  • Assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session. Learn more here.

So What Are Therapy Intensives?

Therapy intensives typically refer to concentrated and immersive therapeutic programs designed to address and process trauma and stressor-related experiences. These intensives are often more extended and focused than traditional weekly 45-60 minute therapy sessions, aiming to provide you with a more profound and comprehensive healing experience.

Here at Meadow Grove Counseling, such trauma-focused therapy approaches as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), expressive therapies such as sand therapy and play therapy, Internal Family Systems, mindfulness, and Somatic Experiencing are integrated based on each individual client’s needs, fostering an individualized approach for each therapy intensive. Child and adult clients have access to all of the therapy spaces during their intensives, including the play therapy space, the sand therapy room, the multipurpose room, and the talk space to promote an immersive experience.

Therapy intensives offer several potential benefits for individuals seeking treatment for trauma, and related challenges. The key advantages of  therapy  intensives may  include:

Accelerated Healing

Therapy intensives are designed to provide rapid progress in a shorter amount of time compared to traditional weekly therapy sessions. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who want to address their trauma and stressor-related experiences more quickly.

Focused Support

Therapy intensives offer a concentrated and focused therapeutic experience. Individuals can dedicate an extended period to explore and process traumatic and stressor-related experiences memories and associated emotions without distractions from their daily lives.

Consistent Support

Therapy intensives typically include full-day therapy sessions, providing clients with consistent and ongoing support during their time in the program. This frequent interaction with a trained therapist can be crucial for progress.

Comprehensive Approach

Therapy intensives often incorporate various therapeutic modalities and techniques, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), sand therapy, and mindfulness- and somatic-based activities. This diverse approach aims to address trauma and stressor-related experiences from different angles.

Extended Duration

Therapy intensives often span several hours to several consecutive days or even weeks, allowing individuals to delve deeper into their trauma and engage in more extensive therapeutic work.

Deep Exploration

Dive deep into the core issues underlying your challenges with extended therapeutic sessions and possibly process memories that may have been difficult to address in standard sessions. Intensive processing may also lead to a more profound understanding and possibly a faster resolution of the traumatic and and stressor-related experiences.

Reduced Disruption

While Therapy Intensives require a short-term commitment, they can be less disruptive to a person's overall schedule and responsibilities than weekly or bi-weekly therapy sessions. Individuals can temporarily step away from their daily routines to prioritize their healing.

Holistic Focus

Therapy intensives may address not only the psychological aspects of trauma but also the physical and emotional dimensions. Mind-body techniques and activities may be incorporated to promote holistic healing.

Tailored Treatment

Therapy intensives often involve a customized treatment plan that is specifically tailored to the individual's unique needs and goals. This personalized approach can result in more effective and efficient treatment.

Empowerment

Experience a sense of empowerment as you actively engage in your healing process and perhaps move towards a more fulfilling and resilient life.

Is Intensive Therapy Right for Me?

Therapy intensives are suitable for individuals seeking a focused and accelerated approach to healing. Consider a therapy intensive if you:

  • Have a desire for rapid progress in addressing trauma, stressful life experiences, or anxiety.

  • Prefer a concentrated and immersive therapeutic experience.

  • Are committed to actively participating in your healing journey.

What is the Cost of a Therapy Intensive?

  • 2-3 full days of a therapy intensive (6 hours each day) is an investment of $2,625 - $3,750.

What is Included?

  • One 60-minute, consultation call to assess for candidacy, gain insight, and identify obstacles and your goals for therapy.

  • Assessments to identify symptoms you’d like to alleviate, your attachment style, areas of activation or triggers, strengths you’d like to enhance, and memories or experiences that still need attention. We will also target unpleasant beliefs, body sensations, emotions, or images from which you are seeking relief.

  • Preparation for your intensive treatment experience and articulation of specific treatment goals.

  • Personalized treatment, which allows you to work on your treatment goals, including targeting unpleasant beliefs, body sensations, emotions, or images from which you are seeking relief.

  • Trauma-focused treatment planning, resourcing, and reprocessing with Vanessa Simmons, LPC, SEP, RPT at her office in Lancaster, PA.

  • One 60-minute, post-treatment interview (online available, if you are physically located in Pennsylvania at the time of the interview) to assess and support your adaption to positive changes from treatment.

FAQs

  • Trauma-focused therapy intensives address the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences.

  • Trauma-focused therapy intensives allow the opportunity to progress through your symptoms in a more succinct and focused way without the interruption of a 50-minute session. An intensive format may decrease overall treatment time because of time not spent on: a) checking in at the beginning of each session, b) addressing current crises and concerns, c) focusing on stabilizing and coping skills that the client won’t need after healing, or d) assisting the client in regaining composure at the end of the session.

  • Yes. Trauma-focused therapy intensives for current clients are available in modified formats and pricing.

  • Yes. Perhaps you’ve 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 adjunct trauma-focused intensive therapy can help. We will identify what format is best for you during your initial consultation.

  • Full-day intensives offer a multitude of resources and can help to significantly decrease the devastating effects of single event trauma (e.g. negative cognitions, disturbing emotions and body sensations). While significant healing can occur in a 2-3 full-day intensive, Complex PTSD deserves more treatment than one 2-3 day intensive. Many of my clients experiencing Complex PTSD may wish to return for additional trauma-focused therapy intensive work in the future to continue to work on their trauma histories.

  • Participating in a 2-3 full-day trauma-focused therapy intensive may create impactful change more efficiently than just weekly, 50-minute sessions or even one half-day intensive. We will identify what format may be best for you during your initial consultation.

Take the Next Step

Call or complete the online consultation inquiry form to schedule the complimentary (up to) 60-minute phone consultation to learn more about how participating in a therapy intensive may be helpful to you and to explore if we are a good fit.