What to expect after doing your Therapy Intensive in Northern Virginia

One question I often get from clients who are looking for a therapist or who have already decided to get started with me is what they should expect at the end of an intensive. They are curious about how it will feel immediately after completing a 3-hour therapy session or what changes are possible in the weeks and months that follow.

I love this question because it tells me that folks are being very thoughtful about their therapy services and the kind of counseling experience they want to create for themselves.

Living in a time when going to therapy is a bit more mainstream, and celebrities, corporate leaders, and creatives often talk about their own relationship with their therapists has led more people to be better-educated consumers of psychotherapy. So rather than going with the first name provided on a list of providers from their insurance provider, they exercise their power of choice to ensure the best results possible with a new counseling professional.

Length of Intensive Therapy Treatment

One of the first things that help to understand is that the length of a therapy intensive varies widely, according to individual needs and the extent of the goals that one has for that particular course of treatment.

For example, I see some clients who have a very specific thought or belief about themselves that they want to unroot and replace with a new, more empowering belief. They may even already have a sense of where that idea initially came from. In that case, we are likely to uncover and modify this thought within one to two sessions tops.

However, most clients need at least two days, and up to five total, of the longer intensive therapy treatments in order to feel complete in the various needs that they brought with them into the counseling experience.

When you think about it, this makes a lot of sense, given that we often have connected but not completely overlapping areas of emotional pain that we need help with addressing. Resolving the grief that you have for the lack of a healthy connection with your controlling father requires a slightly different awareness and processing from unlearning patterns of devaluing yourself and your work in your chosen career.

The Pace of Intensive Therapy in Virginia

With these differences in length also come different options for the pace of intensive therapy. Some clients prefer to set aside a week to totally focus on the healing work because they have intense schedules that are difficult to get away from, and they want that space to be free of other distractions.

Other clients know that they want a more gradual pace, where they engage in longer therapy sessions a week or two apart from each other, allowing more time to digest their internal changes and gather information from others on the external changes they are displaying. Having validation from others that they seem more grounded and open- a common effect of my client’s experience- can be very motivating for continuing to do this deep work and grow in desired ways.

So now that you have a better grasp of those two important factors, let’s talk about some of the immediate after-effects of a therapy intensive.

Everyday things clients experience immediately after a therapy intensive

1. Light Fatigue

It may come as no surprise to you that you are like to feel sleepy immediately following the end of your intensive day, though the exact reasons may be different than what you would assume.

Engaging in eye movement based therapies, like EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy, can cause a comfortable sense of drowsiness as we are putting the brain through its paces, with memory recall, memory reconsolidating, the use of your creative imagination, emotion processing and insight building. That’s a lot of work! So it’s not just the length of the session, itself, but all that gets accomplished in the mind during that period of time.

For this reason, it may be a good idea to set some realistic expectations ahead of time with those in your household about what you will be needing later on that afternoon/evening, so you don’t have to worry about any optional demands.

Perhaps order out, or feed the kids leftovers, and let them have a little more unstructured time than usual, so that you can do the same. Likewise, try not to schedule work meetings, or other thinking-heavy tasks in the hours that follow your treatment. You are investing in life-changing therapy here! Most of these other things can, and should, wait.

2. Less Triggered

One of the coolest after effects of effective intensive treatment? Not feeling provoked by the usual interactions or trauma reminders that used to create a strong response inside of you. Seriously. You are highly likely to come away from even your first 3-hour appointment noticing that you feel neutral or outright calm when faced with an old trigger.

This is because of the simple and powerful techniques used in Accelerated Resolution Therapy to help you lose the negative associations that you once had with painful memories. Once those intensely negative emotions and sensations are unstuck in treatment, we can replace those old associations with new ones that don’t cause that suffering.

Ultimately, you walk away feeling regained control over your emotional responses, which leads me to the next common effect…

3. Lightness and Resolution

You know that sense of relief you have when you finally muster the motivation to complete an annoying, but necessary task that has been hanging on your to-do list for months on end. I know I love to cross items off my to do list for that brief but oh-so-satisfying dopamine hit. Finally addressing an emotional burden has the same effect, times ten! And it’s a gift that keeps on giving, because it continues to increase with time.

There is a lightness that comes from believing you have the capacity to do a hard thing, especially a hard thing that is undeniably linked to your wellbeing and overall life satisfaction. When we make efforts to prioritize our emotional and spiritual needs, we make a deposit of self-trust with ourselves that boosts our confidence, supports our inner child, and creates excitement, rather than dread, for the future.

As for that resolution I mentioned? Yes, we can get you resolution without even having access to (or wanting to interact with) the person who left you emotionally scarred. That kind of closure is absolutely worth making time for.

4. A Little Bit Strange

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this last effect. It is usually experienced within the first 7-10 days after intensive therapy and it’s actually a very positive sign, even if it doesn’t feel like it at first.

You may notice a slight sense of disorientation as you go about your usual routine, as if you are a little bit disconnected from the experience, or almost watching yourself and others interact from outside of yourself.

This is part of the process of settling into a new version of yourself, the version who isn’t held back by previous intrusive thoughts or limiting beliefs. It’s a degree of increased self awareness that can take a couple days to get used to, and will not even be noticeable in the near future. All of your usual experiences are being re-filtered through your updated mental lenses, as your brain builds new routines for sorting incoming information.

Essentially, you think and believe differently now, and it takes a little time to adjust to, even though the results of this new thinking are very beneficial. And others around you may need even more time to adjust, because they haven’t been used to you saying “No” without over-explaining, or other similar behaviors. Give them time, too, to come around, and you will all be better off for the ways you have grown.

Conclusion

I trust that this was helpful and gave you a lot of encouraging things to think about as you consider your decision to move forward with your therapy intensive.

If you have more questions, feel free to schedule a consultation with me, and we can discuss if this is the next right move for you in your healing journey.

To the future!

Getting Started in Therapy Intensive in Virginia:

1. First, you’ll schedule your consultation call, and I'll evaluate if a personal transformation intensive is suitable for you and how I can support you. In the event that we decide it's not a good fit, I'll be glad to provide you with appropriate referrals.

2. Second, we will arrange the date(s) for your intensive, and I will send you an invitation to my secure client portal.

3. Thirdly, you will receive an electronic intake packet and a deposit invoice, which you must complete within 48 hours to confirm your appointment.

4. Next, you'll need to prepare your therapy space. For most people, this simply involves selecting a location at home or work where interruptions will be minimal, and where you can access good WiFi and a backup network signal in case your WiFi goes down. A reliable set of headphones will also ensure good sound and increased privacy during the intensive.

5. Lastly, we will conduct your intake assessment appointment and provide you with a transformation-intensive workbook (if requested), which will assist you in getting ready for our focused time together.
   

Other Services like our Therapy Intensive in Virginia we Provide:

Satya Counseling and Yoga offer mental health support and personal growth services, including counseling, trauma-informed yoga therapy, and self-care workshops for emotional healing.

Linda Sanderville, LCSW is a psychotherapist with over ten years of experience in effective trauma treatment and training and supervision of other mental health professionals. Currently, she provides specialty services to adults seeking recovery from stressful life events and those who desire to optimize their wellness and the health of their relationships.