Nervous About a Therapy Intensive? Here’s What You Need to Know
By a trauma therapist in Washington, DC & Virginia specializing in EMDR, IFS, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
If you’re feeling burned out, stuck, or like talk therapy just isn’t cutting it anymore, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything wrong. For so many of the young professionals and creatives I work with in my psychotherapy practice in Washington, DC and Virginia, the surface-level strategies of "coping" no longer feel like enough.
And that’s where therapy intensives can offer something different. Something deeper.
But let’s be real: the idea of a therapy intensive can sound… intense. It’s totally normal to feel unsure or even intimidated at first. You might be thinking:
“Will it be too much?”
“Am I ready to dig that deep?”
“Is this really for me?”
I hear you. Therapy intensives can feel like a big step—but if you’re here, reading this, something inside you knows it might be worth exploring. Let’s break it down together.
What is a Therapy Intensive?
A therapy intensive is a focused, extended-format therapy session designed to help you dive deeper into unresolved patterns, trauma, and stuck points that traditional weekly therapy may not fully reach.
Instead of the typical 50-minute session, intensives can range from 90 minutes to 6 hours, depending on your goals, needs, and capacity. You’re not just speeding up therapy—you’re working in a way that honors how trauma is held in the brain and body.
In my practice, I use a blend of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems), and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy—three powerful, brain-based modalities that target trauma at its root, not just its symptoms.
Common Questions About Therapy Intensives
“Isn’t that too much therapy at once?”
It can feel like a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s too much for you. We go at a pace that feels right for your nervous system. Therapy intensives are not about "pushing through"—they’re about slowing down and giving your healing process the time and space it needs.
“What if I don’t know what I want to work on?”
That’s completely okay. We figure that out together in the intake process, which includes collaborative planning around what would be most helpful for your goals, schedule, and emotional readiness.
“Will I feel emotionally raw afterward?”
Sometimes, yes—but that’s why we build in grounding practices, regulation tools, and integration support. You won’t be left alone to deal with it. These modalities are designed to work with your system, not against it.
Why a Therapy Intensive Might Be Right for You
If you’ve ever felt like weekly therapy doesn’t go deep enough—or that by the time you’ve warmed up, the session is over—intensives might be your answer. They offer a rare opportunity to get into the heart of the issue without the usual start-stop rhythm.
Therapy intensives are particularly effective for:
Healing trauma that feels "stuck" in the body or mind
Untangling perfectionism and people-pleasing patterns rooted in early relational wounds
Addressing creative blocks, avoidance cycles, or burnout
Supporting ADHD clients who may find traditional therapy structure too limiting
Jumpstarting progress if you feel like you’re just spinning your wheels
And yes, I believe intensives are not just effective—they are often the most ethical way to work with trauma.
That’s because traditional talk therapy, while helpful for insight and reflection, primarily targets the cognitive parts of the brain. But trauma? Trauma often lives in the emotional and somatic parts of the brain and nervous system. EMDR, IFS, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy all work directly with these systems, helping you safely process and release stuck trauma—not just talk about it.
Let’s Normalize Feeling Nervous
Here’s the thing: You don’t have to feel ready to be ready. Feeling nervous doesn’t mean therapy intensives aren’t for you. It just means this matters to you. And that’s a good sign.
In my Washington, DC and Virginia-based trauma therapy practice, we spend time figuring out the right fit for you. That includes the length of the intensive, the pace, and the structure that will feel supportive—not overwhelming. It’s not one-size-fits-all.
Whether we decide on a 90-minute deep dive or a 3–6 hour half-day intensive, we tailor it to your unique nervous system, goals, and schedule. You’ll never be asked to go faster than your system can tolerate, and everything is done in collaboration.
You don’t need to be “broken enough” or “traumatized enough” to benefit from this.
If you feel stuck, tired of the same patterns, or disconnected from yourself and your creativity, you’re a great candidate.
Real Talk: The Clients I Work Best With
If you’re a high-achieving, big-hearted person with a tendency to overthink, over-give, or over-perform, this is your space. Many of my clients are:
Creative professionals who feel disconnected from their spark
Adults with ADHD and high-functioning anxiety
People who grew up in environments where their emotions weren’t understood or supported
Those who are exhausted from always holding it together for everyone else
Sound familiar? Then a therapy intensive could help you finally stop white-knuckling it through life and start living with more ease, clarity, and balance.
Tools We Use in Intensives (and Why They Work)
EMDR targets the brain’s natural processing systems to heal unprocessed trauma and limiting beliefs.
IFS helps you understand and work with different parts of yourself (like your inner critic or protector).
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy focuses on how trauma shows up in the body and offers bottom-up healing strategies.
These approaches don’t just give you insight—they give you actual relief. They help you come back into relationship with your body, emotions, and true self.
Takeaways
You don’t have to stay stuck. You don’t have to settle for therapy that only scratches the surface. You can go deeper—and you don’t have to do it alone.
If you’re curious about whether a therapy intensive is right for you, let’s talk. We’ll explore what format would work best, how to fit it into your schedule, and what your nervous system needs to feel safe in the process.
👉 Therapy intensives available in Washington, DC and Virginia (in-person or virtual, depending on the format).
📍 Serving adults navigating trauma, ADHD, burnout, creative blocks, and high-functioning anxiety.
✨ Let’s work together to help you reconnect with the vibrant, grounded, creative version of yourself.
Looking to connect with a therapist who specializes in therapy intensives and brain & body-based therapies to help you heal faster and more effectively?
Reach out today to talk about how therapy with me can help you expedite your healing.
(Washington, D.C. and Virginia residents only)
About the author
Margot Lamson, LICSW, is a licensed psychotherapist offering in-person and virtual therapy in Washington, D.C. and Virginia. She is trained in multiple trauma-focused approaches, including EMDR, IFS, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to support clients seeking meaningful and lasting healing. Margot also provides intensives, combining evidence-based and holistic techniques, to help clients achieve significant progress and feel better faster in a focused, supportive setting.
