Mar 21, 2024
In today’s episode of the Colleague Down the Hall podcast, Steffeny Feld joins me to explore the concept and benefits of therapy intensives. This is an alternative therapeutic approach that allows for deep, focused work over a condensed period, rather than traditional weekly sessions. We touch on the flexibility of intensives across different treatment modalities and client populations, the challenges of insurance billing, and the importance of aligning practice decisions with personal values and lifestyle needs. This episode emphasizes the transformative impact of therapy intensives for both therapists and clients, highlighting the possibilities for flexibility, creativity, and a commitment to personal and professional well-being.
“A lot of people who come into the Facebook group or into the Intensive Design Lab, just assume it's only EMDR, or it's only trauma, which I'd say for the most part, you know, that's a group or presenting concern that has really taken off with intensives recently, but that's not the only issue or presenting concern or modality or whatever, that can work. Some other ones, I think couples work is really, really good for intensives. So you think about couples who are in difficult times of life or conflicts, and maybe they're getting into something into a session and then they have to go back to life and it's not quite resolved yet. So a couple of intensives can be really powerful.” -Steffeny Feld
Here are some highlights to explore:
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Benefits for Therapists and Clients: For therapists, intensives can reduce burnout by focusing deeply on one client at a time rather than juggling multiple clients with diverse needs each day. For clients, intensives offer the possibility of making significant progress in a shorter period of time.
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Adaptability Across Modalities: While often associated with trauma work and EMDR, therapy intensives can be adapted to various treatment modalities such as Brainspotting, CBT, IFS, etc, as well as a variety of client needs, including couples therapy, grief work, anxiety, emotional blocks, sports performance issues, etc.
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Challenges with Insurance: Navigating insurance reimbursement for intensives can be complex. Some therapists opt for a private pay model for intensives to simplify billing and ensure compensation reflects the intensive nature of the work. However insurance-based therapists can also benefit from intensives.
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Personalization and Flexibility: Therapists can creatively design intensives to suit their strengths and preferences as well as the specific needs of their clients. This might include integrating different therapeutic techniques, offering sessions in unique settings, or collaborating with other professionals to provide a holistic experience.
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Impact on Therapist Well-being and Practice Management: Offering intensives can be a way for therapists to manage their own energy and prevent burnout. It allows for a more sustainable practice model, where therapists can work less but maintain or even increase their income.
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Exploration and Experimentation: Therapists interested in intensives can choose to start small, experimenting with slightly longer sessions or single-day intensives to gauge what works best for them and their clients before fully committing to this model.
About the Guest:
Steffeny Feld is a Certified EMDR Therapist & Consultant in St Louis, MO. She created the Intensive Design Lab to support therapists to launch intensives in their practice so they can work less and earn more, while helping clients heal. The Intensive Design Lab offers workshops, courses, coaching cohorts, and templates to help therapists launch intensives swiftly and simply, so they can stay focused on the deep therapeutic work they love.
Connect with Steffeny:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/therapyintensivecommunity
Website: www.kaleidoscopecounselingstl.com
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@SteffenyFeld
Connect with Jeanene:
*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook
*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/
*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt
*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/