Therapy intensives are a form of personal therapy retreat, during which therapy is done in a day or a few days versus months of typical, ongoing 55-minute sessions. EMDR is the primary form of therapy used in intensives, however your treatment plan may include exposure therapy, coping skills training, and other therapeutic processes. Intensives are particularly effective for addressing specific phobias (e.g., fear of injections, dogs, heights, spiders, etc.) or for treatment following a single incident trauma.
Why consider an intensive?
In traditional weekly therapy, approximately 15-20% of the session is used for "checking in" and "wrapping up" combined. These are necessary parts of therapy, but are time-consuming in shorter sessions, leaving the average client longing for more time for therapeutic intervention.
Addressing emotional well-being concerns in a matter of days versus months or years has many other advantages. One of these advantages is cost. Sometimes the cost of on-going mental health challenges is simply too great. There can be costs associated with missed work, travel to and from weekly appointments, medications you may find you don't need or need less of following intensive therapy, and, for some, the cost of lost opportunities.
Can you say more about intensives being cost effective?
Yes, here is an example of the efficiency of intensive therapy: Due to a variety of factors, the therapeutic work my clients and I do in a 4-hour intensive tends to be roughly equivalent to 8 weeks of traditional therapy, thereby saving the client approximately 50% in therapy fees.
How long will my intensive be?
When you request intensive therapy, you will be scheduled for a pre-treatment screening with me, during which we will discuss your treatment needs and determine if intensive therapy is appropriate. Intensive lengths are based upon the information collected during this screening. Currently, half-day and full-day intensives (up to 3 consecutive days) are available. Most people are very pleased with the amount of work they can accomplish in their scheduled intensive, however, if you decide you'd like to do more work, we can discuss options for continued growth and healing. Recurring 4-hour sessions may be possible, as well.
Will I be able to tolerate full days of therapy?
By report, EMDR tends to be more tolerable than many other forms of therapy. You do not have to tell me details of stressful experiences for EMDR to be effective. To engage in EMDR, you will however need to think about the upsetting events you'd like to overcome. Your session will also include time devoted to reinforcing positive feelings about yourself and the future.
What are my options for paying for my intensive?
Insurance does not currently cover this therapy time structure, although advocacy is on-going. The fee for a half-day intensive is $770 and full day intensives are $1,400. Clients who prepay at the time of scheduling will receive a 10% discount. Many clients choose to cover their intensive fee by using their HSA card or by using a credit card which enables them to spread out payments over time. My office currently accepts, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, cash, HSA cards, and checks. Payment in full is due at the time of service. A non-refundable deposit of $300 is required for clients who do not choose the prepayment option.
Contact us for more information or to schedule your
individual intensive screening
Hillside Building, 1501 N. Pierce Street, Suite 103, Little Rock, AR 72207
Copyright © 2018-2024 Beth G. White, LCSW, PLLC - All Rights Reserved.