Intensive therapy Model

Intensive Therapy is a condensed treatment that can offer more immediate, efficient relief from symptoms. Instead of weekly sessions over a period of weeks or months, you will attend 3-5 days of personalized, one-on-one therapy. During your personalized intensive retreat, your psychologist will meet with you individually for the entire day, and will help you focus on achieving substantial and lasting changes in your life. Intensive therapy can be appropriate for issues such as processing trauma or loss, managing a difficult life stressor that is causing strong reactions, dealing with anxiety, parenting/parent-child relationships, or couples work. 

how it works:
The process begins with a free consultation with the therapist to determine whether Intensive Therapy is an appropriate fit, and whether this model is likely to allow us to adequately address your concerns. After the initial consultation, we will develop a personalized plan, including the recommended length of the retreat. Generally, intensive retreats will last 3-5 days, although in some cases we may recommend up to 2 weeks. Your therapist will typically meet with you for 6 hours per day  with a one hour lunch break and other breaks as needed. Your therapist may also suggest activities for you to do after sessions or during breaks on your own. In addition, your therapist will work with you to develop a longer-term plan which may include follow-up services, interventions to put in place at home to help you reach your goals, or additional readings or practices to help you achieve your goals over time. 

Treatment Modalities and providers:
Intensive therapy retreats often incorporate EMDR, an empirically supported intervention for trauma. We may also utilize techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Based Techniques, Motivational Interviewing, and other empirically supported techniques to best match your needs. Our Intensive Therapy providers are senior Licensed Clinical Psychologists or Licensed Clinical Social Workers who have extensive experience in their field, as well as advanced certifications in EMDR (e.g., EMDR Certification or Approved Consultant status) or other areas of specialization. Additionally, providers have received an additional 29 hours of training in how to conduct intensive therapy sessions from experts in the field. 

PLanning your ideal retreat:
​We encourage individuals to use their intensive therapy retreat as an opportunity to create a week-long therapeutic experience. Once you book your intensive dates, we will provide information on local accommodations, auxiliary services (e.g., yoga, spa services), dining, and other local and regional activities. We encourage you to create a relaxing, rejuvenating experience that will help you to fully benefit from the work you will be doing with us. Your day may start with a relaxing cup of coffee at the local favorite, Hyperion Espresso and a stroll around downtown before heading over to your first therapy session. For lunch, you may choose to take a stroll on the Canal Path (adjacent to our office) or enjoy a relaxing lunch at Foodie. In the afternoon you can extend your self-care with a yoga class at Dragonfly Studio or a top-notch massage or pedicure at Collage Spa (all within walking distance). A short walk back to the Courtyard by Mariott Fredericksburg Historic District and you can settle in to an evening of room-service, while completing the suggested "homework" to reflect on what you have learned and accomplished that day. Not great at planning? Don't worry, we will send you several suggested itineraries, so you can simply enjoy our local favorites (please note: we do not receive any incentives from local businesses, we simply recommend the ones we love).

Downtown Fredericksburg offers a relaxing, historical, and vibrant community with many local and regional activities to enjoy before, during or after your time at WellSpring. Many people enjoy spending a few days after their intensive therapy retreat exploring the area. We are an hour drive/train ride from Washington DC, an hour from the capitol city of Richmond, and about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the beautiful Skyline Drive. Enjoy kayaking or tubing on the Rappahannock River, a day hike in the Shenandoah Mountains, or explore museums in the Nation's Capitol. 

*accommodation, transportation, and meals are not included

Costs:
The cost for intensive therapy varies depending on the length of treatment. In general, costs for the typical full-day (6 hours) is $1200, and for half-day (3 hours) is $600. Our providers work hard before, during, and after the intensive retreat to make it the best possible experience. We strive to keep our intensive prices reasonable, and our prices tend to be lower than other comparable services. Most insurances do not yet cover intensive therapy, so the majority of our intensive therapy retreats are paid as out-of-pocket expense. However, intensive therapy can be cost-effective in that you are accomplishing what would normally take 4-6 months of weekly therapy, copays, deductibles, and missed work in just a few days.