You’ll be the therapist’s only client for each full working day of your retreat. The therapist will typically be available to work with you from 9 AM to 4 PM (or equivalent, such as 8 – 3) with an hour break for lunch, and other breaks as needed. While all the therapists use our treatment approach, please bear in mind that it’s done a little differently in every case.

You’ll start with a brief orientation and then the therapist will ask a lot of questions about your history as well as your current situation, including your strengths, resources, problems, and what you have tried so far. The therapist will also ask you about your short-term and long-term goals. (With more than one person, e.g. a couple or parent & child, some of this will happen together and some individually.)

By lunch time (give or take), the therapist will give you their opinion about what’s going on with you, and what you can do to give yourself the best chance of getting to your goals. These suggestions will include some things you can do in the treatment, and some things you can do in your life.

From here, it depends.  Most clients work on one or more of the following and then move on to processing their trauma.

• You might do some guided visualization to help you feel more grounded in a “secure attachment” relationship — especially if you didn’t actually have one in your own history.
• You might do some work on stabilization and/or coping skills.
• You might do some work on practical strategies, problem-solving, etc.

When the therapist and you agree that you’re ready, you’ll start working through your trauma and loss memories, most likely with Flash, PC, or EMDR. You might start with a “test run” of a recent minor upsetting memory, or perhaps a discrete event from the past such as a not-too-serious car accident. Eventually you’ll probably work through most of the trauma & loss memories, typically in chronological order from earliest to most recent. Many people finish this portion of the work within a week or so, but some people take longer.

Then you’ll work with the therapist to develop and practice coping skills to manage anticipated challenges, in a way that will keep you on track towards your goals.

Finally, you’ll plan for any follow-up treatment that may be needed. Often all that’s planned is a check-in just to make sure that you’re on track, with the option to do more as needed.