Answers to the Top 10 Questions About Therapy Intensives
Therapy intensives are becoming more and more popular — and for good reason. They allow clients to experience deep, transformative work in a condensed period of time, without the stop-and-start pacing of traditional weekly therapy.
Whether you’re curious, hesitant, or ready to book, here are the answers to the most common questions people ask before beginning an intensive.
1. Who Benefits Most from a Therapy Intensive?
Therapy intensives are a great fit for anyone eager to experience meaningful change without the wait. If you’re dealing with a particular trauma, a challenging life transition, or ongoing emotional struggles—and you want to make significant progress sooner rather than later—this focused approach could be just what you need.
They’re especially well-suited for people who:
Feel stuck or plateaued in traditional weekly therapy
Have demanding schedules that make regular appointments difficult
Live far away but want to work with a therapist they trust
Are ready to dedicate focused time and energy toward their healing journey
Many clients describe intensives as a kind of therapeutic retreat—an opportunity to step away from daily distractions, slow down, and give themselves undivided attention for healing and growth.
2. What Exactly Is a Therapy Intensive?
A therapy intensive is an accelerated, customized format for therapy where you work in extended sessions — often several hours at a time — over one or more consecutive days.
In my practice, this often means combining approaches like EMDR, parts work, and somatic therapy in a way that fits your unique goals. Instead of stretching this process over months, we can do the equivalent of weeks (or even months) of therapy in a much shorter time frame.
3. How Is an Intensive Different from a Normal 50-Minute Session?
In a standard 50-minute session, the first 5–10 minutes are often spent checking in, and the last 5–10 minutes are spent winding down and grounding before you leave. That leaves only 30–40 minutes for deep therapeutic work.
In a therapy intensive, the sessions are much longer — for example, a 3-hour block allows for roughly 2.5 hours of focused processing time. That’s the equivalent of five or more regular sessions in just one day. This sustained focus helps you stay in the “flow” of the work without being interrupted by the clock.
4. How Long Should My Intensive Be?
It depends on your goals. Therapy intensives can be customized anywhere from 1 to 3 days in length.
One-Day Intensive (3 to 5 hours): Ideal for a focused issue or a specific life event.
Two- or Three-Day Intensive: Recommended for complex trauma, longstanding patterns, or multiple related topics that need more space and depth.
During your consultation, we’ll review your history, needs, and goals so we can tailor the schedule and length to best fit your unique situation.
5. Can I Do an Intensive if I Already Have a Therapist?
Yes! Intensives often work beautifully as adjunct therapy. Many clients keep their primary therapist for ongoing support and come to me for concentrated trauma work. With your consent, I can collaborate directly with your therapist to make sure the work is integrated seamlessly into your ongoing care.
6. Are Therapy Intensives Safe?
Safety is always the top priority. Before we begin, we’ll discuss your history, triggers, coping tools, and support system to make sure the intensive format is appropriate for you. Intensives include plenty of grounding and integration time, so you leave feeling stable — not overwhelmed.
7. How Much Do Therapy Intensives Cost?
Costs vary depending on the length and structure of the intensive. While intensives are not covered by insurance, some clients receive partial reimbursement if they have out-of-network benefits.
If you want to explore this, contact your insurance company and ask:
Do I have out-of-network coverage for psychotherapy?
What CPT codes are reimbursable (such as 90837 or multiple 90837 codes in one day)?
What’s my reimbursement rate and allowable amount?
I also provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement.
8. How and When Do I Pay?
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required at booking to secure your spot, with the remaining balance due on the first day of the intensive. Payment plans may be available upon request.
9. What Is the Emotional Impact of a Therapy Intensive?
Clients often describe intensives as deeply moving, exhausting in a good way, and surprisingly clarifying. It’s common to feel lighter, more hopeful, and more connected to yourself afterward.
Because the work is concentrated, you may also feel emotionally tired or reflective for a few days. We’ll talk about self-care and integration strategies so you can continue the healing process after your intensive ends.
10. What If I’m Unsure Whether It’s Right for Me?
That’s completely normal. We can schedule a free consultation to explore your unique situation, answer any questions, and decide together if a therapy intensive is the right fit. There’s no pressure — this is about finding the best path for your healing.
Final Thoughts
Therapy intensives aren’t for everyone, but for the right person at the right time, they can be life-changing. If you’re ready to carve out dedicated space for your healing and want to make meaningful progress in a short amount of time, this approach may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Joshua Adair is a compassionate trauma therapist, devoted father, and loving husband who believes in the power of words and connection. With a deep love for writing and poetry, Joshua brings warmth and empathy to his work, helping individuals find healing through safe and meaningful therapeutic experiences. He is passionate about creating spaces that allow others to explore, grow, and reconnect with themselves and their loved ones.