Emotionally Focused Therapy Intensives
with Sarah Howell, LCSW, ICEEFT-Certified EFCT Therapist
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) intensives are immersive, 3- or 4-hour sessions designed for individuals (EFIT), couples (EFCT), or families (EFFT) who want to go deeper, faster. Rather than spreading meaningful work across multiple shorter meetings, intensives allow for sustained emotional engagement and accelerated change within a single morning.
Each virtual intensive includes segments with a short break and a written integration/reflection summary provided afterward to help clients process and consolidate the work.
Why Intensives Work
Research shows that extended sessions can lead to faster progress, deeper emotional engagement, and longer-lasting change. Longer therapy blocks minimize the repeated “warm-up and cool-down” process that occurs in weekly sessions, allowing clients to stay in emotionally engaged states necessary for growth and repair.
In EFT, these immersive sessions help couples reach and sustain deeper connection more efficiently, while individuals can access and transform core emotional patterns within a stable therapeutic frame.
Structure and Investment
3-hour intensives: $750
4-hour intensives: $950
Includes written integration summary
50% deposit required at booking (fully refundable up to 14 days before; 50% refundable if canceled 7–13 days before; non-refundable within 7 days)
Ongoing Access & Continuity Between Intensives
Clients scheduling intensives at least every 4–6 weeks can request to be added to Sarah’s cancellation list. If a weekly opening or cancellation becomes available, Sarah will reach out to offer a 55-minute ad-hoc session to maintain momentum and integration between intensives. These shorter sessions are optional and billed at the standard hourly rate.
Grounded in Evidence
EFT intensives integrate attachment science, experiential depth, and neurobiological principles of change. Research on EFT and intensive treatment models consistently demonstrates meaningful progress within fewer total hours, particularly for couples and individuals ready for immersive emotional work.
References
Johnson, S. M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L., & Schindler, D. (1999). Emotionally focused couples therapy: Status and challenges. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6(1), 67–79.
Dalton, J. A., Greenman, P. S., & Johnson, S. M. (2015). Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy with couples dealing with trauma: Theoretical framework and outcome research. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 14(3), 219–239.
Hurley, D. (2020). A pilot study of EMDR therapy delivered intensively: A case series of 10 clients. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 14(3), 168–179.
Korn, D. L., & Leeds, A. M. (2002). Preliminary evidence of efficacy for EMDR resource development and installation in the treatment of complex PTSD. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(12), 1465–1487.
Ecker, B., Ticic, R., & Hulley, L. (2012). Unlocking the emotional brain: Eliminating symptoms at their roots using memory reconsolidation. Routledge.
Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2019). Psychotherapy relationships that work (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Pennebaker, J. W., & Smyth, J. M. (2016). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and eases emotional pain (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.