Feeling Like You’re Spinning Your Wheels in Therapy? Here’s How to Move Forward Fast
If you've ever felt like you're stuck in therapy, you’re not alone. Sometimes, it can feel like progress is slow, and that’s frustrating when you’re eager for change. But here’s the thing: healing doesn’t always have to happen over months or years. Therapy intensives offer a powerful way to make breakthroughs faster.
I remember starting my own therapy journey and being eager to get started once I’d finally committed to the idea. But then, it ended up being months before we got to any EMDR because those 50 minute sessions would fly by before we had a chance to really get anywhere. Intensives allow for faster work in less time!
Why You Might Feel Stuck
First, let’s normalize this feeling. It’s completely normal to hit a plateau in therapy. Sometimes, progress slows because we bump up against deep emotional walls, or because the demands of daily life make it tough to focus on healing. Stagnation can also happen when there just isn’t enough time in traditional weekly sessions to go deep enough to create meaningful shifts.
Think about it this way: if you’re only spending 50 minutes a week on deep emotional work, that’s a very small window to process, reflect, and integrate real change. Some issues require a more immersive approach—and that’s where therapy intensives come in.
What is a Therapy Intensive?
A therapy intensive is a focused, extended therapy session—often spanning a half-day, full day, or even multiple days—where you and your therapist dedicate concentrated time to work through the challenges keeping you stuck.
Instead of stretching therapy out over weeks or months, you get the time, space, and support needed to go deeper, faster. Therapy intensives often use specialized approaches, like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which I use in my practice, to help process emotions and trauma more efficiently than traditional weekly therapy sessions.
How Intensives Help You Move Forward
Therapy intensives offer several powerful benefits:
Uninterrupted Focus: No time constraints mean you can dive deep into emotions and experiences without feeling rushed.
Faster Progress: Many clients report feeling significant clarity, relief, and forward momentum after just one intensive.
Customized Tools: You’ll walk away with practical strategies and insights to use in daily life, giving you more confidence and resilience moving forward.
Worried about the intensity? That’s totally understandable. But here’s the thing: therapy intensives are designed to be paced according to your needs. It’s not about pushing you too hard; it’s about giving you the space to truly heal in a way that traditional therapy might not allow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between intensive therapy and intensive outpatient therapy? Intensive therapy is a focused, one-on-one experience with a therapist over a condensed period, usually spanning a day or several days. Intensive outpatient therapy (IOP), on the other hand, is a structured program that involves multiple therapy sessions per week, often in a group setting, spread out over several weeks.
Should I go on a retreat or do therapy? Therapy intensives are structured to provide evidence-based, deep healing with a licensed professional, making them ideal for those seeking targeted emotional breakthroughs. Retreats, while relaxing and often insightful, may not offer the same level of clinical support or depth of processing as an intensive therapy session.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Feeling stuck doesn’t mean therapy isn’t working—it just means you might need a new approach. Therapy intensives can help you gain momentum and move closer to the life you want. I often work with other therapist to help their clients work through things that may be blocking their progress and then the client returns to their original therapist, so this is an option as well!
If you’re ready to explore this powerful option, I’m here to help. As a therapist licensed in Florida and Alabama, I specialize in working with clients facing religious trauma, medical and chronic illness, PTSD/C-PTSD, and anxiety. Let’s work together to break through the barriers holding you back. You don’t need to spend money every week for months or years on end to feel relief.
Ready to dive into healing? Set up a consultation call today and let’s chat!
