Over recent years, a growing number of therapists are offering an alternative to the conventional ‘one-hour weekly’ model of psychological therapy. Intensive therapy involves seeing a therapist for a longer block of time, ranging from 90 minute appointments to extended sessions covering 3 hours, whole days or even several days or weeks. This means that while the time investment as therapy begins is much greater, the total length of time in therapy (from start to finish) is often much shorter.

Evidence-based

Research suggests that intensive therapy is safe and efficient, as effective as traditional therapy and can significantly reduce overall time in treatment. The rapid relief from symptoms is certainly compelling.

Some other advantages to accessing therapy in this way are as follows:

When we meet for an hour weekly, much of our time is taken transitioning into the session (how are you? what’s gone on this week? what are we covering today?), then same at the end (how was today? what will you take away this week?). While these transitions between day to day and therapy are entirely justified and an important aspect of the therapeutic process, this time can be saved in extended sessions by visiting these bases fewer times over the course of therapy, leaving more time to focus on goals.

Furthermore, real life continues while therapy is ongoing. Working in an intensive way can reduce the risk of therapy being interrupted by inevitable life events and challenges – the time you spend with the therapist is dedicated time to focus completely on you and your healing.

Like any therapy, there are people for whom Intensive therapy might be particularly well suited:

  • If you have the resources right now (time, space and finance) and are focussed on resolving a problem/ issue as soon as possible.
  • If you like the idea of taking time away for yourself, to focus on healing, and you have the time and resources to actively integrate the work you are doing.
  • You have a specific goal that you are focussed on and would like some help to work towards it with confidence (starting a new job, a performance).
  • There are other time pressures on you, for example, you are struggling in work related to your mental health and you are looking for fast resolution of a specific problem.
  • Your life circumstances make it difficult to access therapy weekly
  • You really like the idea of working with a particular therapist/ modality, and this option is not available in your area

Intensive therapy is a hugely promising development in the therapeutics field and provides people with more options to access help, but it’s not an answer to all difficulties, and it won’t be appropriate or available to all. Some of the things that might prevent it from being a good fit are:

  • If you are so low or distressed that you are regularly and actively engaging in self-harm or feeling suicidal. Your safety is always a priority and any risk of increasing distress without adequate resources is taken very seriously.
  • You are experiencing regular and uncontrollable symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares/ panic attacks, especially if you don’t already have access to a toolbox of stabilisation and coping mechanisms first. A more traditional model can be helpful while these skills are established, which makes the active therapy phase smoother and more efficient when we get there.
  • You don’t currently have access to a steady, supportive and safe environment/ family or system to return to after treatment. Its important to know you have those stable resources to help you to integrate the work you have done following therapy.

Interested to learn more?

If working in this way sounds interesting to you, but you are initially overwhelmed by the idea of doing a whole day/ week of therapy (it can transformational, but also really tiring!) one option might be to try some extended therapy sessions, for example a 90 minute or 2 – 3 hour slot first and see how it feels.

Healing work with me always begins with a thorough 90 minute assessment where we talk in depth about your goals and preferences, then I can make an informed recommendation for how the best therapy for you might be shaped. Get in touch to arrange that meeting and lets chat…