Why Intensive Therapy?

Hi! I’m Veronica–Founder of Verus Ridge Counseling and Clapp Therapy Intensives. I’ve worked in the counseling field for 14 years, beginning with residential counseling and therapeutic staff support, and transitioning into community mental health. There, I was taught to pack my schedule full with at least 40 clients per week, to not schedule breaks–because no shows and late cancels meant unpaid time–all while keeping up with the growing list of documentation obligations put in place by insurance companies. Throughout my time working in community mental health and transitioning into private practice, my body began to whisper that this level of intensity was not sustainable, scheduling clients back to back, keeping up with aggressive documentation requirements, and trying to fit important aspects of client care, like coordinating with their other care providers outside of sessions, all with limited breaks in efforts to still have time left to devote to my personal life.

I opened my own practice in 2022 with intentions to slow down and take better care of my nervous system. I saw improvement. I began scheduling daily lunch breaks and even had time for mid-day yoga breaks on occasion. I felt excited to expand and invite other clinicians to join me in a practice that was not based on productivity and numbers, but primarily on nervous system health and regulation. I wanted to offer a place where other therapists could feel safe to set their own schedules according to their needs, while feeling clinically and emotionally supported. I am a firm believer in the “put on your own oxygen mask before you try to help someone put on theirs” ideology. As my group practice grew, I realized that managing a large, week-to-week caseload while growing the practice of my dreams was becoming exhausting and unsustainable. As much as I deeply enjoy my clients—who are truly wonderful people—I could see that this pace of caring for so many people each week was leading me toward burnout. I developed a regular migraine routine which was clearly associated with the busyness of my day and time spent on screens. I also grew increasingly frustrated with the limitations insurance companies place on therapists, such as only paying for one hour of therapy per day, thus setting limits on the timing of client healing, all while not paying therapists what they are worth. Over the years, I’ve learned wonderful and effective treatment modalities—such as EMDR, ERP, I-CBT, and parts work, to name a few—but I’ve had to keep one eye on the clock, trying to fit meaningful, healing work and attunement into a one-hour time frame dictated by insurance companies.

All this to say, when my colleagues introduced me to the concept of therapy intensives, it felt too good to be true. I learned that I could offer focused, uninterrupted time to one client at a time, with a clear beginning and end to our work together, allowing me to fully focus on one person, instead of 25+ per week. I now get to collaboratively create a brief, personalized therapy road map, tailored to my client’s needs and nervous system—without being limited to one hour per day or only in-office sessions. As someone who loves to be outdoors and enjoys movement over sitting in a chair all day, the opportunities and flexibility intensives provide feel comforting and supportive.

Because I specialize in OCD and trauma, I’ve learned that much of the healing work involves facing the fears and discomfort these conditions create. Many of these triggers happen in real-life settings: at home, in public, while driving, in nature, and more. ERP is a therapy method that involves facing and overcoming fear and the unknown, and it works best when the therapist can be there alongside the client during exposure exercises. This work is incredibly rewarding—but it’s also heavily restricted by insurance regulations. In traditional therapy, it’s often difficult to fit in traveling to a location, doing exposure work, returning to the office, and allowing time to regulate before a client returns to daily life. As a result, sessions can feel rushed, and treatment may stretch on for months or even years before clients reach their goals.

While meaningful work absolutely happens in weekly therapy, I learned that I could offer another option—one that allows clients to experience healing and empowerment in a shorter, more focused timeframe, and allows me to care for my nervous system needs, as well. My goal is to help people gain the tools they need to live meaningful lives that aren’t limited by trauma or OCD-related fears, and to be able to continue this work with fulfillment, not burnout. That’s what led me to take the leap and begin offering my own therapy intensives for OCD and trauma–two conditions with which I have my own personal experiences. I wanted to be able to share the treatment modalities that have helped me so much with my clients, offering uninterrupted time to allow the nutrients of these treatments to soak in, and allowing time for clients to move at a pace that fits their nervous system, rather than a one size fits all insurance billing code.

Unfortunately, intensives are not covered by insurance. They are a true investment in yourself. So why trust me with your hard-earned time and money? Because I’m a therapist who understands this work not only professionally, but personally. I know what it’s like to live with OCD and to work through past trauma. I have done—and continue to do—my own healing work so that I can live according to my value system, rather than under the thumb of fear or avoidance. Being able to help others do the same is deeply meaningful to me.

I now have the flexibility to offer therapy with your nervous system in mind. Intensives with me could last three hours to focus on a specific therapy goal, or up to 5 days with 6 hours of therapy each day to create space to navigate through bigger targets. Together, we can work on regulating your nervous system, building a sense of safety within yourself, and equipping you with practical tools to manage OCD or trauma triggers.

If you’re interested in learning more, I invite you to visit my website’s intensive therapy page at https://www.verusridgecounseling.com/therapy-intensives. There, you can learn more about my offerings and fill out a contact form so that together we can determine if an intensive is a good fit for you. You’re also welcome to reach out by email at veronica@verusridgecounseling.com.

All that being said, intensive therapy is certainly not for everyone. For those who prefer to use health insurance for weekly therapy, I’m proud to work alongside five fantastic therapists at my group practice, Verus Ridge Counseling. Our team offers a variety of specialty services through both in-person and telehealth care. You can learn more about them and request an appointment at https://www.verusridgecounseling.com/our-staff.