Counseling Intensive: A Comprehensive Approach to Healing

If you are struggling with mental health issues, traditional weekly therapy sessions may not be enough to help you achieve the breakthroughs you need to feel better. That's where counseling intensives come in.

Counseling intensives are, well, intense. They are designed for the individual who doesn’t want to be in weekly or in every other week therapy for a year+. Perhaps this individual has been in and out of “traditional therapy” for a long time but isn’t seeing the results they are looking for.

Lets talk about counseling intensives, why they are helpful, the benefits of participating in one and who they are specifically created for. Lets get into it!

Counseling Intensive in Florida

What Are Counseling Intensives?

Counseling intensives are extended periods of therapy that typically take place over several days or even weeks. During a counseling intensive, clients work with their therapist for multiple hours per day and receive a more comprehensive approach to therapy than during traditional weekly sessions.

Intensives can take many forms depending on the needs of the client. Some examples include:

- Couples counseling intensives

- Trauma-focused intensives

- Addiction recovery intensives

- Anxiety and depression treatment intensives

-Relationship based intensives

At Sunshine City Counseling, we are so stoked to begin offering exclusive counseling intensives with our owner-founder, Olivia Pelts. While Olivia isn’t accepting 1-1 clients, she is opening up her availability for counseling intensives with groups of 1-4 individuals for a 3 day immersive experience. This allows for a very sacred and unique space to share with others, which is healing in and of itself, while also getting some intensive time with Olivia.

She will be offering a few different groups that will have unique focuses for individuals who are looking to do some work around understanding their story and attachment, spiritual abuse, codependency and others.

She also have limited availability for individuals who wish to do a counseling intensive by themselves.

Here is an example of a typical counseling intensive schedule…

Wednesday: PM

Thursday AM // PM

Friday AM // PM

They are structured in 2.5 hours blocks with lots of time in between sessions for reflection, massage, acupuncture, yoga and other experiential activities Olivia will set you up with.

Why Are Counseling Intensives Helpful?

Counseling intensives provide a unique opportunity for clients to immerse themselves in the therapeutic process without distraction from daily life. By working closely with their therapist for an extended period of time, clients can make significant progress towards their goals and experience deeper healing than they might during regular weekly sessions.

One reason why counseling intensives are so effective is because they allow therapists to use a variety of techniques that may not be possible in shorter sessions. For example, therapists may use experiential therapies like art or music therapy, which can help clients access emotions that may be difficult to express through words alone.

It also saves the participants time and money by investing in a 3 day experience rather than 1-2 therapy sessions a month for a year +. One of our recent participants stated that they achieved more in a weekend intensive with us than they have doing traditional talk therapy 1-2 times a month for the last year. A weekend of intensive learning and healing, essentially, is equal to about a years worth of therapy. If that isn’t efficient and productive then we don’t know what is :)

Benefits of Participating in a Counseling Intensive

There are loads of benefits to signing up to participate in a counseling intensive…

1. Faster Results

Because clients are spending more time with their therapist over an extended period of time, they often see results much faster than they would through traditional weekly sessions. Our therapists in St. Petersburg, FL don’t want to have you in therapy for forever. We want to dive in, dig deep, experience buckets of learning and healing and get you back to your life so you can apply all of that goodness inside of your relationships that matter the most.

2. Deeper Understanding

Counseling intensives allow clients to explore their thoughts and feelings more deeply than they might during a regular session. This can lead to greater self-awareness and a better understanding of the root causes of their issues. In doing a counseling intensive with us at Sunshine City Counseling, you’ll get a lot of face time with our owner-founder, Olivia Pelts, as well as learning from other counseling intensive participants. Often, Olivia employs various pieces of homework to help you not only grasp concepts but also to discover new things about yourself and your healing journey.

3. More Comprehensive Approach

With more time to work together, our therapists can use a variety of techniques and interventions to help clients achieve their goals. Working with Olivia is anything but boring. She is one of the more highly sought after therapists in the southeast when it comes to codependency and relationships. When working with Olivia, you’ll not only absorb a ton of knowledge but you’ll also experience different ways of learning through experiential activities, other small group attendees and you’ll get exposed to some of her favorite health and wellness colleagues in tampa bay (hello, massage and acupuncture therapy).

4. Personalized Attention

Sunshine City Counseling intensives are highly individualized, with therapy plans tailored specifically to the needs of each client. While each counseling intensive will have a particular focus, Olivia does a pre-screening of all participants to ensure they not only will be a good fit but also to better understand what they are coming in with and how they hope to leave. Everything about our counseling intensives is personalized with so much individual and group attention you are going to love the results you get.

Similarly, if you are interested in working with Olivia but want to do an intensive by yourself, you can absolutely do this. Often, Olivia is requested for things such as trauma, codependency, identifying patterns and behaviors, spiritual abuse, anxiety and depression.

5. A Safe Space for Healing

By immersing themselves in the therapeutic process, clients are able to create a safe space for healing where they can let go of their worries and focus on getting better. You’ll spend 3 days with Olivia that is extremely safe, secure and healing. You’ll be given opportunities to attend local yoga classes, acupuncture sessions and a massage while you are engaged in our counseling intensives. This unique space was created with you in mind.

Signs and Symptoms That Participating in a Counseling Intensive Would be Helpful

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the decision to participate in a counseling intensive depends on a variety of factors including the individual's mental health history, current symptoms, and personal goals. However, some signs that someone may be a good candidate for a counseling intensive include:

• Experiencing severe or persistent symptoms of, for example, depression or anxiety

• Struggling with addiction or trauma

• You’ve identified a pattern of dating the same kind of person but are unsure of what to do about it (or how to fix it)

• You have struggled with codependency for a long time and you don’t know how to fix it

• Feeling stuck in traditional weekly therapy sessions

• Seeking more personalized attention from an experienced therapist

Ultimately, the best way to determine if a counseling intensive is right for you is to schedule a free 30-minute discovery call with Oliva Pelts, owner-founder of Sunshine City Counseling, who can assess your individual needs and goals.

Schedule a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call

If you're interested in participating in a counseling intensive, schedule a free 30-minute discovery call where you can talk with Olivia, directly, about your needs and goals, and determine if a counseling intensive is right for you. Again, not every person is a good fit for a counseling intensive and we want to ensure that you are getting the care that you need and that will be the most beneficial for you in the long run.

During the free 30 min discovery call, we will discuss:

- Your current mental health concerns

- The benefits of counseling intensives

- Our approach to therapy

- What you can expect during an intensive

Conclusion - Florida Intensive Retreat

Counseling intensives provide an immersive experience that allows clients to make significant progress towards their mental health goals. With faster results, deeper understanding, and personalized attention from experienced therapists, counseling intensives offer a unique opportunity for those struggling with mental health issues. If you're interested in learning more about counseling intensives or booking a free 30-minute discovery call with one of our licensed therapists, please contact us today!

Olivia Pelts, LMHC

Learn More About Olivia