Considering a Therapy Intensive? How to Decide Which Therapy Intensive Is Right for You
Therapy intensives are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. They offer a deep, focused approach to therapeutic growth that allows people to work through big emotions, life transitions, and unresolved trauma in a shorter period of time. But with so many different therapy intensives available, how do you know which one is the right fit for you?
Not all therapy intensives are the same. The structure, approach, and experience of an intensive can vary greatly depending on the practice that offers it, the therapist facilitating it, and the therapeutic approach being used. Before choosing one, it’s important to ask the right questions to make sure it aligns with your needs.
What Are You Hoping to Work On?
Before selecting an intensive, think about the specific issue you want to address. Some intensives are designed for couples, while others focus on trauma, grief, stress, or creative blocks. Some intensives might be strictly for adults.
For example, at LifeSpring, our Brainspotting Intensives are designed for individuals looking to work through:
Difficult emotions or experiences that are impacting how you feel and function
Recurring nightmares or distressing memories
Creative blocks that are getting in the way of work or passion projects
Internal blocks that are hindering your personal or professional growth
What Therapy Modality Is the Provider Using?
There are many different types of therapy intensives, including:
EMDR Intensives: Often used for trauma processing
Couples Therapy Intensives: Focused on addressing relationship challenges in a dedicated period of time
Brainspotting Intensives: Designed to help process deep emotional experiences and trauma
Each modality has its own strengths, and it’s important to choose one that aligns with your needs. Brainspotting, for example, is a powerful tool for unlocking and processing emotions stored deep in the brain, making it especially effective for trauma, grief, and emotional processing. Regardless of the modality that you choose, it is most important that you have a trusting relationship with your provider.
Who Is Facilitating the Intensive?
The person guiding your therapy intensive matters even more than the modality. Some important things to consider when researching a provider:
✔ How much experience do they have using this therapy approach?
✔ Have they been trained in providing intensives specifically?
✔ Do they have advanced certifications or consultant-level expertise?
✔ Most importantly, do I trust this person and feel comfortable with them?
For example, at LifeSpring Counseling Services, all of our Brainspotting Intensives are facilitated by Melissa Wesner, LCPC, who is not only a Certified Brainspotter but also a Brainspotting Consultant. She has years of experience helping clients using Brainspotting and has worked with a wide range of individuals seeking deep emotional healing.
Is a Therapy Intensive Financially Feasible?
Unlike traditional therapy, therapy intensives are not covered by insurance. That’s because insurance companies don’t typically reimburse for extended therapy sessions, even when they can be highly effective or desired by their client.
This means that before committing to an intensive, you’ll want to consider:
The total cost of the intensive as it relates to your personal finances
Whether the value of the progress that could be made is worth the investment for you right now
Therapy Intensives are a more expensive service, given the amount of time involved, and given the specialized training and experience required of the provider who is offering this service. They often follow a value-based model, rather than an hourly fee model.
Making the Right Choice for You
Choosing a therapy intensive is a personal decision. The right fit depends on what you need, who you feel comfortable working with, and what therapy approach will serve you best.
If you’re considering an intensive, take time to research different options, ask providers about their experience, and make sure the approach aligns with your goals. Most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable with the person who will be facilitating your Intensive.
At LifeSpring, we provide a free 15 minute consultation, so you can ask your questions and get a feel for whether or not Melissa Wesner, LCPC will be a good fit for you.
If interested in learning more about our Brainspotting Intensives at LifeSpring, check out the following articles below.
Call our office, Monday-Friday (9am-5pm) at 410-497-8451 or email Melissa at melissa@lifespringcounseling.net to set up a 15 minute consultation.
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Interested in Online & In-Person Brainspotting for Trauma and Grief and Loss?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Online and in-person Brainspotting for trauma and grief and loss aren’t the only services offered at our Baltimore, MD office.
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
