Therapy Intensives in Washington, D.C., Virginia & Maryland
Are you frustrated because traditional weekly therapy isn't getting you the results you need? Despite your best efforts, self-doubt, perfectionism, and stuck patterns are still running the show. Therapy intensives are how we break through, faster.
Schedule a free consultationAt Full Self Psychotherapy, we offer therapy intensives in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, in person at our Dupont Circle office and virtually, for adults who are ready to dive in and do the damn thing.
What Is a Therapy Intensive?
A therapy intensive is a focused, deep-dive approach where you spend 90 minutes or more in a single session, going way beyond what weekly therapy can reach. We use that uninterrupted time to address the root causes of perfectionism, self-doubt, anxiety, trauma, and creative blocks, the patterns and nervous-system responses that have been keeping you stuck.
This isn't crisis intervention. It's a powerful, focused way to create lasting change for people who are tired of slow progress and ready for something that actually works.
How a Therapy Intensive Is Different From Weekly Therapy
In a 45-minute weekly session, you spend the first 10 minutes getting settled, the last 10 realizing you've hit something important, and the middle 25 only beginning to scratch the surface. Then you leave, activated but unresolved, and wait another week.
In a therapy intensive, there is no forced stop. When you reach the root of something important, you have the time and the safety to stay there, work through it, and move toward resolution in the same session. We follow your process instead of the clock.
Key differences
- Duration: 90 minutes to a full 6-hour day, instead of 45.
- Depth: Time and safety to access the material that brief weekly contact can't reach.
- Momentum: No re-entry cost of starting and stopping every week.
- Efficiency: What takes months in weekly therapy can happen in one or several intensives.
- Flexibility: Standalone, or as a complement to ongoing weekly therapy with another provider.
Who Are Therapy Intensives For?
Therapy intensives are for adults who:
- Are frustrated with slow progress in weekly therapy and ready to break through
- Are processing trauma, PTSD, or complex developmental experiences that feel too layered for brief sessions
- Are managing anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, or creative blocks that just won't budge
- Are navigating a major life transition (career change, relationship shift, grief, identity questions) and want focused support
- Have a limited schedule and can't commit to weekly therapy, but can carve out a full day or a focused multi-week sequence
- Are working with another therapist and want a focused intensive to supplement or accelerate that work
- Are curious about EMDR, IFS, or somatic approaches and want an immersive introduction
Adults with ADHD or neurodivergent processing styles often find the intensive format way more productive than weekly sessions. The extended time reduces the cognitive warm-up cost of each session and lets you stay in deeper focus for longer.
You're in the right place.
Approaches We Use: EMDR, IFS & Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Our intensives integrate evidence-based, brain-and-body-based approaches that are specifically suited to deep-dive work.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer carry the same emotional charge. EMDR intensives are particularly effective for PTSD, single-incident trauma, and anxiety rooted in specific past experiences. The extended time of an intensive allows for deeper processing cycles than a 45-minute session permits.
IFS (Internal Family Systems)
IFS helps you identify and work with the different internal voices, beliefs, and protective parts that drive self-doubt, perfectionism, and emotional reactivity. IFS intensives create the space to go deep with individual parts, rather than briefly checking in with them.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy integrates movement, sensation, and somatic awareness into the therapeutic process. It's especially effective for working with trauma that's stored in the body, the kind of stuck that feels physical even when nothing in your story explains it.
These three modalities can be used individually or in combination, depending on what you need. We customize every intensive to the person. There is no one-size-fits-all protocol.
What to Expect in an Intensive Session
Our therapists love intensives because we do the damn thing. No more stopping just as we're getting to the real work, we dive in, and you actually feel the shift happening in real time. It's deep, immersive, and so much more effective than chipping away in 45-minute increments.
Initial Consultation & Planning
Before we schedule, we'll meet for a free consultation to talk about your goals, current challenges, and whether an intensive is the right approach for you. Together we'll map out the order of your goals.
Extended, Focused Sessions
Intensives range from 90 minutes to a full day (6 hours), with breaks built in to support nervous-system regulation. We use EMDR, IFS, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to process stuck patterns, resolve past trauma, and create lasting shifts.
A Personalized Approach
Unlike a standard session, we don't have to pause just as you're getting to the root of something. We follow your process instead of the clock. This is why breakthroughs that might take months can happen in hours.
Integration & Follow-Up
Healing doesn't stop when the session ends. You'll receive personalized integration strategies to help you absorb and apply what surfaced, plus next steps for continued support.
Therapy Intensives for Specific Concerns
Our intensives are structured to address a range of goals, including:
Trauma & PTSD
EMDR intensives are particularly effective for trauma processing, allowing for more complete reprocessing cycles in a single immersive experience.
Anxiety
Extended sessions give you the time and safety to move beneath anxious thought patterns and work with the body-based responses that keep them running.
ADHD & Neurodivergent Experiences
Designed for neurodivergent nervous systems, with flexible pacing, movement breaks, and a non-linear approach to session structure.
Perfectionism & Self-Doubt
IFS-informed intensives are especially effective for uncovering the protective parts driving the inner critic.
Life Transitions
When you're navigating identity shifts, career pivots, grief, or major relationship changes, an intensive provides the focused clarity that scattered weekly sessions can't.
What Are the Intensive Fees?
We offer one-day intensive packages from 90 minutes to 6 hours, scheduled around your goals and your availability.
Based on the length of your session. Payment plans are available. We'll talk through the right fit during your free consultation.
Book a consultIn-Person and Virtual Intensives
In-Person at Dupont Circle
Our Washington, D.C. office sits at 1350 Connecticut Ave NW in Dupont Circle. Convenient to the District, Northern Virginia, and Maryland, it's a quiet, regulated space designed for deep work to unfold.
In-person intensives are available Monday through Saturday, 8:30am to 6pm.
Virtual Across DC, VA & MD
Life is busy, and carving out time for therapy can feel like just another stressor. That's why we offer virtual intensives, a flexible option designed to fit seamlessly into your routine.
Imagine settling into your favorite chair, a warm drink in hand, and starting your session from the privacy of your own space. Many clients find it easier to open up when they're in a familiar environment, free from commuting or worrying about being seen at a therapy office.
Virtual intensives offer all the same benefits of in-person work, with added convenience and confidentiality. Sessions are held over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.
Is a Therapy Intensive Right for You?
The right person for a therapy intensive is someone who is ready. Not perfect. Not crisis-free. Just genuinely ready to commit focused time and attention to their own healing.
You don't need to have done years of therapy first. You don't need to know exactly what you want to work on. You just need a desire to move and a willingness to stay with what comes up.
GET YOURSELF A FAST PASS NOW! Let's do thisTherapy Intensives, Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a therapy intensive last?
Therapy intensives at Full Self Psychotherapy range from 90 minutes to a full day (6 hours), with breaks built in throughout to support nervous-system regulation. The right length depends on what you want to work on. Many clients book a single 3-hour intensive, while others go for a half-day, a full 6-hour day, or a series of 90-minute sessions every other week. We figure out the right structure together during your free consultation.
How is a therapy intensive different from regular weekly therapy?
A therapy intensive is a focused, deep-dive approach where you spend 90 minutes or more in a single session to make faster, more meaningful progress. Unlike traditional weekly therapy, intensives give you the time and space to explore your challenges deeply, addressing the root causes of issues like perfectionism, self-doubt, anxiety, and creative blocks. With extended sessions, we go beyond surface-level problems, helping you break through patterns that regular therapy may not reach. If you're frustrated with slow progress, intensives offer a powerful, focused way to create lasting change.
What issues are therapy intensives designed to address?
Therapy intensives are designed for adults working through trauma, PTSD, anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, creative blocks, or significant life transitions. They're particularly effective for issues that feel layered or stubborn, where weekly 50-minute sessions just haven't moved the needle. Adults with ADHD or neurodivergent processing styles often find the intensive format more productive than weekly sessions.
Are therapy intensives backed by research?
There's a lot of research backing this format. Intensives have been shown to be effective for PTSD, with similar or even better symptom reduction than traditional weekly therapy and lower dropout rates. Intensive EMDR treatment shows reliable improvement in PTSD symptoms in a very short time frame, and an intensive program using EMDR is a safe, effective treatment alternative for complex PTSD. The intensive format can also reduce overall treatment time and cost compared to weekly therapy.
Can therapy intensives be used with EMDR, IFS, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy?
Yes, and this combination makes the process that much more effective. The extended time allows us to go deeper, faster, and truly dive into the heart of your issues. With EMDR, we recommend at least 90 minutes to allow for deeper processing in one session. Using the traditional 45-minute model can slow things down, requiring multiple reopenings of trauma processing, which can feel frustrating. Therapy intensives help you move through your healing faster and more efficiently.
How should I prepare for and plan my day around an intensive session?
Block out as much of the day as possible, especially if you're a parent or have other responsibilities. Even a few hours of minimized commitments help you stay present and decompress afterward. Plan a lighter schedule before and after the session, stay hydrated, eat a balanced meal, and avoid heavy foods right before. Expect continued processing for up to three days after an intensive, which can leave you feeling more raw or sensitive, so give yourself time to rest and integrate. If your session is virtual, set up a quiet, comfortable space. Take time afterward to journal or go for a walk to process what came up.
Do I need to be a current therapy client to book an intensive?
Nope. Many people book intensives as a standalone experience, while others use them as a focused complement to ongoing weekly therapy with another provider. We tailor every intensive to where you are, whether you're new to therapy or have been doing the work for years. Your free consultation is the place to figure out what makes the most sense for you.
Full Self Psychotherapy is a group practice in Washington, D.C., serving adults across the District, Virginia, and Maryland. Our therapists specialize in EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and therapy intensives, with a trauma-informed, culturally inclusive approach to deep, sustainable healing.
We work with people who are tired of slow progress and ready for change that actually lasts.
Therapy intensives are not a replacement for ongoing psychiatric care, medication management, or crisis services. If you are currently in a mental health crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or your nearest emergency room.