Intensive therapy

Intensive therapy is an immersive healing experience where we work together for extended periods of time, typically 3-6 hours in a single day or across multiple consecutive days. Instead of spreading your healing across months or years of weekly 50-minute sessions, we dive deep into the work all at once. This format allows us to access deeper layers of trauma and emotion without the interruption of going back to your regular life between sessions. You stay in the healing space longer, which means your nervous system has more time to process and integrate the work we're doing together.

Intensive therapy works incredibly well for women who feel stuck in traditional weekly therapy or who have specific trauma they want to address without dragging it out over months. You might be someone who has been in therapy before and made some progress but still feels like something is missing. Or maybe you're dealing with a particular traumatic event, pattern, or relationship that you want to work through in a focused way. I find that my intensive clients are often high-functioning women who have been over-giving for years and are finally ready to prioritize their own healing. If you're tired of small incremental changes and ready for transformation, intensive work might be your answer.

I primarily use Brainspotting and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) during intensive sessions because these modalities are designed for deeper, faster trauma processing. Both approaches work with your brain's natural ability to heal itself by accessing and processing traumatic memories in a way that doesn't require you to talk through every detail. I also weave in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Person-Centered Therapy principles to help you build the life you want after we've cleared the trauma that's been holding you back. My spiritual and intuitive approach is present throughout the work, honoring your body's wisdom and the deeper healing that wants to happen.

My intensive sessions typically range from 3 to 6 hours, depending on what we determine will serve you best. Some clients do a single full-day intensive, while others prefer to break it into two half-day sessions on consecutive days. The length allows us to move through the stages of trauma processing without rushing or stopping right when you're in the middle of important work. We'll discuss what format feels right for you during our consultation, and I'll help you understand what to expect based on what you're wanting to address.

The most important preparation is getting yourself into a mindset where you're ready to be honest and vulnerable. Clear your schedule for the day of your intensive and the day after so you have space to rest and integrate. I recommend eating a good meal beforehand, wearing comfortable clothing, and arranging for someone else to handle responsibilities like childcare or work obligations. Bring water and any comfort items that help you feel grounded. I'll provide everything else you need during our session. After we book your intensive, I'll send you specific preparation guidelines so you know exactly what to expect.

After your intensive, you'll likely feel a mix of exhausted and lighter, which is completely normal. Your brain and body have done some serious healing work and need time to integrate everything that shifted. I recommend taking the rest of the day off and being gentle with yourself. Some clients feel immediate relief, while others notice the changes unfolding over the following days and weeks. We'll schedule a follow-up session within a week or two to check in on how you're processing the work and to address anything that's coming up. Many clients continue with regular weekly or biweekly sessions after an intensive to maintain momentum and continue building the life they want.

Absolutely. Intensive therapy is incredibly effective for working with binge eating and emotional eating because these patterns are almost always rooted in deeper trauma, anxiety, or dysregulation. During an intensive, we can address both the traumatic experiences that created your coping mechanisms and the present-day triggers that keep the patterns alive. Using Brainspotting or ART, we can process the emotions you've been avoiding through food and help your nervous system learn new ways to regulate. We'll also incorporate Intuitive Eating principles to help you reconnect with your body's wisdom. The focused nature of intensive work allows us to create significant shifts in your relationship with food and your body in a concentrated period of time.

Not at all. While intensive therapy is incredibly effective for processing significant trauma, it's also powerful for women who are dealing with chronic anxiety, people-pleasing patterns, burnout, toxic relationship dynamics, or feeling stuck and disconnected from themselves. You don't need to have experienced "big T trauma" to benefit from this work. Sometimes the most insidious wounds are the ones that happened slowly over time, like growing up as the "good girl" who learned to ignore her own needs. Intensive therapy gives us the space to address whatever is keeping you from living authentically, whether that's a specific traumatic event or years of subtle messaging that you weren't enough as you were.

I offer intensive therapy sessions both in person at my Lynnwood office and online via secure video platform, depending on your preference and location. In-person intensives allow for a different kind of presence and connection that some clients find helpful for deeper work, plus you get the benefit of being in a dedicated healing space away from your daily environment. Online intensives offer flexibility and comfort, especially if you're coming from outside the Lynnwood area or prefer to be in your own space. Both formats are equally effective because the healing happens through the therapeutic relationship and the modalities we're using, not the physical location.

You're ready for intensive therapy when you can honestly say you're tired of going through the motions and ready to do something different. If you find yourself thinking "there has to be more than this" or feeling frustrated that regular weekly therapy isn't creating the transformation you're seeking, that's a good sign. Readiness also means you're willing to be uncomfortable, to look at the patterns and wounds you've been avoiding, and to prioritize your healing even when it feels selfish or scary. I offer a free consultation where we can talk about what you're dealing with and whether intensive work feels like the right fit for where you are right now. Trust your gut during that conversation because your intuition knows what you need.