Therapy Intensives in Ontario: Extended, Focused and Individualized Psychotherapy Sessions
More time to explore. More space to go deeper.
What if therapy didn't have to fit into a 50-minute session?
Sometimes, just as you're beginning to settle into a conversation, make connections or get to the heart of something meaningful, it's already time to wrap up.
Traditional weekly therapy can be incredibly valuable, but the conventional 50-minute format isn't necessarily the best fit for everyone or for every therapeutic goal.
Therapy intensives offer a different way of engaging in psychotherapy: extended sessions that provide dedicated time and space to focus on a specific therapeutic goal, allowing for sustained exploration with fewer interruptions or competing priorities. Think of it as a deep dive with a deliberate, laser-sharp focus.
Now accepting new clients for therapy intensives, offered virtually across Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and in person in Kemptville, Ontario.
What Is a Therapy Intensive?
A therapy intensive is an extended psychotherapy session, or series of sessions, designed around a specific therapeutic goal or area of focus. Unlike traditional therapy, where conversations are spread across weekly or biweekly appointments, an intensive creates an opportunity to engage in sustained, goal-directed therapeutic work.
The process begins by identifying what you'd like to explore and what you hope to gain from the experience. Your intensive is then tailored to your goals, needs and preferences, drawing on psychological knowledge, therapeutic exploration and practical exercises where appropriate.
Depending on the focus of your intensive, this might involve exploring your relational patterns and developing a deeper understanding of your relational blueprint, translating a recent autism diagnosis into meaningful changes in everyday life, or identifying the factors contributing to autistic burnout and exploring ways to prevent or reduce its impact.
The extended format allows us to move between learning, reflection, experiential work, processing and integration without being constrained by the usual 50-minute session.
An intensive can be a standalone therapeutic experience or complement ongoing psychotherapy with your regular therapist. Some people may also choose to engage in a series of intensives over time, focusing on different therapeutic goals or exploring additional layers of an issue as their understanding and needs evolve.
Why Choose a Therapy Intensive?
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In a traditional therapy format, immediate concerns, recent experiences and day-to-day stressors can sometimes take precedence over other longer-term therapeutic goals. You may find that certain issues never quite make it into the therapy room, or that important topics keep getting pushed aside before you've had the opportunity to explore them in sufficient depth.
An intensive allows you to deliberately set aside time to address a specific issue, giving it the sustained attention it might otherwise struggle to receive.
An intensive provides dedicated, protected time to focus on a specific issue, with fewer competing priorities or distractions.
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In traditional weekly therapy, it's common to spend the first 10–15 minutes catching up on what's happened since the last appointment, while also setting aside time toward the end to process and integrate the session. This can sometimes leave relatively little time for the therapeutic work itself.
With an intensive, there's more opportunity to stay with a topic, follow emerging connections and explore different layers of an experience without having to interrupt the process just as you're getting somewhere.
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Some people need more time to settle into a conversation, organize their thoughts or recognize connections that aren't immediately apparent. This can be particularly relevant for autistic and other neurodivergent adults.
Some autistic people experience a preference for sustained, concentrated attention, sometimes described in terms of monotropism. They may find it easier or more satisfying to explore a subject in considerable depth rather than having to repeatedly pause and resume their exploration across separate appointments.
Others may benefit from a slower pace, opportunities to revisit ideas or less pressure to make meaningful progress within the constraints of a 50-minute session.
An intensive can accommodate these differences by allowing more flexibility in how therapeutic work unfolds.
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Weekly appointments don't suit everyone's schedule, circumstances or preferences.
Perhaps you're already attending regular individual or couples therapy, and the thought of adding yet another recurring appointment to address a specific therapeutic goal feels like a logistical nightmare. Or maybe you're busy with an unpredictable schedule, someone who travels frequently, or a parent or caregiver juggling multiple responsibilities and competing schedules.
An intensive allows you to set aside a concentrated period for therapeutic work without committing to another recurring appointment.
It can also complement psychotherapy with your regular therapist, providing dedicated time to explore a particular issue while maintaining continuity in your ongoing care.
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Starting psychotherapy typically involves spending time getting acquainted, developing a shared understanding of your concerns and identifying therapeutic goals before getting into more focused work.
With weekly or biweekly 50-minute appointments, this process can unfold over several weeks or even months. An intensive allows you to dedicate several hours to assessment, exploration and therapeutic work within a much shorter period.
For example, a four-hour intensive combined with a 90-minute pre-intensive consultation provides nearly the equivalent of seven conventional 50-minute therapy sessions, which could otherwise be spread over seven to fourteen weeks with weekly or biweekly appointments.
By concentrating several hours of therapeutic work into a shorter timeframe, an intensive allows you to move through the process at a more continuous pace, build on emerging insights and make meaningful headway on your therapeutic goals without having to wait weeks between appointments.
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If you're already attending regular psychotherapy at Tall Tree Psychology, we can explore incorporating an intensive into our existing work, whether to focus on a particular therapeutic goal or temporarily shift away from our usual session format.
If you're considering becoming a client at Tall Tree Psychology, we can also discuss the possibility of beginning our work together with an intensive before transitioning to regular psychotherapy, or incorporating intensives at different stages of our therapeutic work.
These options depend on your therapeutic needs and appointment availability. Please note that participating in an intensive does not guarantee access to ongoing psychotherapy at Tall Tree Psychology.
Could a Therapy Intensive Be a Good Fit for You?
You might be a good candidate for a therapy intensive if:
You have something specific you'd like to explore. There's a particular question, challenge or recurring pattern you'd like to understand more deeply.
You're interested in focused therapeutic work. You're willing to engage in reflection, consider different perspectives and participate in exercises that may help you better understand your experiences.
You find 50-minute sessions limiting. It takes time to settle in, organize your thoughts or make connections, and you often feel that sessions end just as you're getting somewhere.
You prefer sustained focus. You appreciate opportunities to immerse yourself in a topic and explore it in depth, without repeatedly stopping and starting.
You feel equipped to navigate difficult emotions. You're willing to experience and explore challenging emotions and have access to some strategies for emotional regulation and self-soothing. You can recognize when you need support, a break or a change of pace.
Your ongoing therapy keeps getting sidetracked. Important day-to-day concerns make it difficult to dedicate time to a particular issue you'd like to work on.
Weekly therapy doesn't fit your life right now. You'd prefer to set aside a concentrated period for therapeutic work rather than commit to regular and ongoing appointments.
You'd like to complement your existing therapy. You're interested in exploring a particular issue in greater depth while continuing to work with your regular therapist.
You don't need to meet every one of these descriptions for an intensive to be appropriate.
When Might an Intensive Not Be the Best Fit?
Although intensives offer certain advantages, the extended format isn't necessarily appropriate for every person or circumstance.
An intensive may not be the best option if:
You're currently experiencing an acute mental health crisis. You need immediate intervention, ongoing crisis support or more frequent stabilization than an intensive can provide.
You need ongoing therapeutic support or open-ended exploration. Your concerns may benefit from regular appointments, continuity of care or the flexibility to explore different issues as they arise, rather than focusing on a specific therapeutic goal.
You're experiencing significant exhaustion or burnout. Your current cognitive, emotional or sensory capacity may make several hours of sustained therapeutic engagement particularly demanding or impossible.
You find extended periods of therapeutic work overwhelming. Shorter sessions with more time for processing, integration and recovery between appointments may be better suited to your needs.
Your goals require more time or ongoing exploration. Some therapeutic concerns involve complex patterns or circumstances that may be better addressed through ongoing psychotherapy rather than a focused intensive.
You're seeking a formal psychological assessment or diagnosis. Therapy intensives are designed for therapeutic exploration and are not a substitute for diagnostic assessment or psychological testing.
An intensive is not about pushing through overwhelm or doing as much therapeutic work as possible in the shortest amount of time.
Intensives require sufficient capacity for sustained therapeutic engagement, but that doesn't mean you're expected to tolerate unlimited emotional or cognitive demands. The work is deliberately paced, with mindful attention to your window of tolerance and respect for your individual needs, capacity and limits.
Suitability is considered individually during the initial assessment, taking into account your goals, current circumstances, support needs and preferences.
What Does the Intensive Process Look Like?
Each intensive is individually planned, with preparation beforehand and the option for follow-up support afterward.
Initial Phone Consultation — 15 to 20 Minutes
Before scheduling an intensive, we'll arrange a brief 15 to 20-minute phone consultation to discuss what you're looking for, answer initial questions and consider whether this service might be appropriate for you. If the intensive format appears suitable, we'll proceed with a more comprehensive pre-intensive consultation.
Pre-Intensive Consultation — 60 to 90 Minutes
We begin with a 60 to 90-minute appointment to get acquainted, discuss your goals and better understand what brings you to an intensive. This session allows us to explore relevant aspects of your personal history, current circumstances and therapeutic needs, while considering whether the intensive format is appropriate for you.
Together, we'll identify the central focus of your intensive and discuss what you'd like to gain from the experience.
Depending on the topic, you may also be invited to complete questionnaires, reflect on specific questions or gather information that will help guide our work.
Intensive Session — 3 to 4 Hours
The intensive itself is a dedicated period of focused therapeutic work, adapted to your goals and processing needs. Depending on the topic, we may draw on psychological education, guided reflection, experiential exercises and practical applications to your everyday life.
Rather than following a rigid curriculum, the session combines a planned structure with flexibility to explore what emerges as relevant to you. We'll make room for breaks and adjustments throughout the session, with attention to your cognitive, emotional and sensory needs.
Some therapeutic goals may be better suited to two intensive sessions of 3 to 4 hours each, allowing more time for exploration and opportunities to reflect or experiment between sessions.
The number and length of sessions are discussed in advance and determined according to your needs and the intended focus of the work.
Post-Intensive Follow-Up — 50 Minutes (Optional)
Following your intensive, you have the option of scheduling a 50-minute follow-up session. This provides an opportunity to revisit what emerged during the intensive, reflect on what you've noticed since and further integrate new insights and changes into your everyday life.
We can also discuss any questions or challenges that have come up and consider potential next steps, if any. Depending on your needs and goals, this might involve planning another intensive to explore a different area of focus, bringing insights from the intensive into your ongoing therapy with your regular therapist or identifying other resources that could support you moving forward.
For some people, the intensive itself may provide sufficient direction for their immediate goals, without the need for a follow-up appointment.
What Are the Fees for Therapy Intensives?
Therapy intensives are individually tailored to your therapeutic goals and needs. Fees are based on the length and number of sessions, with all costs discussed and confirmed in advance.
The fee structure is as follows:
| Appointment | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial phone consultation (15–20 min) | Included |
| Pre-intensive consultation (90 min) | $575 |
| Intensive session (3 hours) | $1,125 |
| Intensive session (4 hours) | $1,500 |
| Optional follow-up (50 min) | $325 |
To give you an idea of the total cost:
3-hour intensive: $2,025, including the pre-intensive consultation and optional follow-up.
4-hour intensive: $2,400, including the pre-intensive consultation and optional follow-up.
These examples include the optional follow-up appointment. Your total cost will be lower if you choose not to schedule a follow-up, and higher if your therapeutic goals call for multiple intensive sessions.
All fees will be reviewed with you before proceeding, so you'll know what to expect.
If you're an existing client at Tall Tree Psychology and interested in incorporating an intensive into our ongoing work, please contact me to discuss the fees that would apply to your circumstances.
Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement
Psychological services may be eligible for partial or full reimbursement through your extended health insurance benefits, depending on your individual plan.
Because therapy intensives involve longer-than-usual psychotherapy appointments, it is recommended that you contact your insurance provider beforehand to verify your coverage. In particular, you may want to confirm whether your plan covers extended psychotherapy sessions, whether there are limits on the number of hours reimbursed per day and whether any maximum eligible fees apply.
Tall Tree Psychology does not offer direct billing to insurance providers. Payment is due at the time of service, and an official receipt will be issued upon payment for you to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
Interested in Exploring Whether an Intensive Is Right for You?
If you're considering an intensive, the first step is to get in touch. An initial conversation can help clarify what you're looking for, answer questions about the process and determine whether an intensive may be an appropriate fit.