Guides
How to Prepare for a Therapy Intensive
Preparation is about knowing the focus, making space in your day, and understanding what happens when the appointment ends. It is not a test.
Start with Fit
Have the Clinical Conversation First
Before an intensive is scheduled, Andrea meets with you for a required $100 consultation. You can talk about why extended time appeals to you, what has been difficult lately, and what previous care has or has not addressed. She considers whether an intensive fits the concern and whether more preparation, regular sessions, or another form of care would be more appropriate.
The $100 is credited in full toward your first paid session or intensive. Come with questions about the approach and what the longer appointment is meant to cover. You do not need to retell every painful detail to make the meeting useful. A description of one moment that keeps happening can give Andrea a practical starting point for discussing the focus.
A Defined Focus
Know What the Time Is For
An ERP/OCD Intensive may begin with a specific ritual or avoidance pattern. EMDR work may involve preparation around a selected memory and how you respond to it now. A Couples & Intimacy Intensive may center on a conversation that repeatedly turns into withdrawal or conflict. Each has a different purpose, and the plan should be explained before the appointment.
The formats are 180 minutes for EMDR or ERP/OCD at $1,500 each, and 180 minutes for couples and intimacy at $1,750. More concentrated, extended time does not mean you must cover everything in one sitting. Ask what the planned work includes, what might lead Andrea to slow down, and what kind of follow-up will be discussed. Those questions belong in preparation.
Practical Space
Protect the Hours Around It
For a telehealth intensive, choose a place where you can speak without being overheard and where the connection is reliable. Make sure your device is charged and that you can be physically located in Texas, Colorado, or Idaho throughout the session. Let Andrea know ahead of time if travel or a shared household could affect privacy or scheduling.
Leave some unhurried time before you log in and after the appointment ends. A longer therapy session can bring up material you want to sit with rather than rushing immediately into another obligation. You do not need to create an ideal day, but it helps not to plan the most demanding meeting of your week for the next hour. Andrea can discuss breaks within the appointment.
After the Work
Plan for What Follows
Preparation includes asking what happens when the session is over. There may be regular follow-up, a discussion of practice between meetings, or another plan based on what comes up. You can ask how to bring back something you notice later without expecting yourself to sort it out alone. Integration is a conversation, not a list you must complete correctly.
If you are considering Custom & Multi-Day Intensives, these start at 360+ minutes and cost $2,500 to $3,000+, priced after consultation. The scheduling and follow-up questions become especially important with that much protected time. For any format, Andrea will talk through a plan that respects the concern and your capacity rather than treating intensity as an achievement.
It may help to ask what information Andrea needs before the session, how breaks will work, and what you should do if you feel overwhelmed. You do not need to prepare a complete written history. If you already have a therapist, you can ask how this appointment might relate to your ongoing care. Any coordination should be discussed with you, including what information would be shared and why.
A Next Step
When to Reach Out
When you can name the concern but are not sure how to prepare, request a consultation. Tell Andrea what extended time might make possible for you and what would make it hard to attend fully. She can explain the approach-specific preparation before you decide whether to schedule.
Prepare for the time, not a perfect performance.
Start with a $100 consultation. The $100 is credited in full toward your first paid session or intensive.