Intensives
Sex Addiction Intensive Programs
A year of therapy, in a week or two. For faster, deeper change, Brad Salzman, LCSW, CSAT, designs intensive programs of 1 to 4 weeks, in person or online. Each one is built for one person and coordinated and supervised by Brad.
About 50 clinical hours
A weekly therapy session is about fifty minutes, so a year of weekly therapy, with holidays and cancellations, comes to roughly fifty hours. In an intensive, those hours can happen in one to two weeks.
Clients often say the hours count for more, too. In weekly therapy, the first minutes go to catching up and the last minutes to closing down again. In an intensive, the work carries over from one session to the next and from one day to the next.
Why weekly therapy can be slow
- The addiction doesn’t take the week off. One hour of treatment sits next to 167 hours of ordinary life, in the same environment, with the same phone and the same triggers.
- Every session restarts. Momentum is one of the most valuable things in this work, and weekly scheduling makes it hard to build.
- Everything happens one step at a time. Trauma work, partner work and coaching usually come in sequence, over years. An intensive can run them side by side, on the same material.
- A crisis rarely waits. A discovery, an ultimatum, or a job or license on the line calls for more than an hour a week.
None of this means weekly therapy is bad. Most of Brad’s clients do weekly work, and most people who finish an intensive return to weekly sessions afterward. Weekly therapy is a maintenance dose; some situations need a concentrated start first.
One program, built for one person
There is no standard package. Every intensive is custom-designed around the person: their history, what they are doing, what is driving it, what is at stake, and how much time they have. Someone in acute crisis after a discovery needs something different from someone who has been sober for months and has hit a wall.
Depending on the case, a program can include:
- Individual therapy
- Trauma work, with the approach that fits the history
- Experiential and body-based work
- Partner sessions and, where appropriate, a structured formal disclosure
- Separate support for the partner, with their own clinician
- Psychiatric consultation, when medication or a co-occurring condition needs assessment
- Life coaching and accountability coaching
- Attention to physical health, sleep and nutrition
- A range of other experiential and therapeutic approaches
- Connection with ongoing support groups
- Relapse-prevention planning and a written aftercare plan
No one gets all of these. Each program uses the parts that fit, in an order where each builds on the last.
Designed, coordinated and supervised by Brad
This is what separates an intensive from a pile of appointments. Brad selects every practitioner personally from a network of clinicians and coaches built over 25 years in the field, and works only with people he has vetted. He designs the program, briefs each practitioner on the case beforehand, and they report back to him. Nobody works from a partial picture, and the whole program points in one direction.
Brad is involved throughout. At the end he writes the aftercare plan and stays involved while it is put into practice. The months after an intensive matter as much as the weeks inside it.
Before an intensive
It starts with a free consultation. If an intensive looks like a good fit, the next step is a full clinical assessment, which Brad uses to design the program and recommend a length. Fees are quoted individually after the assessment. Availability is limited, because each intensive takes over Brad’s schedule while it runs.
And when an intensive isn’t the right call, Brad will say so. Some people need a psychiatric evaluation first, some need detox, some are better off starting with weekly sessions, and some need a level of care he doesn’t provide.
In-person intensives
Who it’s for. People who can step away from daily life for 1 to 4 weeks and want to leave their usual environment entirely, which is a real part of the treatment. It suits people who have been caught and are facing decisions in weeks rather than years, people who have done weekly therapy for years without getting better, and people who need more than outpatient care but cannot attend a residential program for six weeks.
Length and team. One to four weeks, sometimes longer, delivered with a team of 4 to 5 therapists and coaches selected, coordinated and supervised by Brad.
How it is arranged. The program is built around the person rather than a fixed timetable, and combines a range of experiential and therapeutic approaches, with time to rest and reflect.
What’s included. The assessment, the custom program, the team’s sessions, a written aftercare plan, and Brad’s involvement afterward. The flagship four-week program includes three months of home-based aftercare. Accommodation and meals are arranged.
Location. Location and travel details are discussed in the consultation.
Online intensives
Who it’s for. People who can’t travel, who can’t disappear for weeks without explaining it, or whose program calls for practitioners in different time zones. It is a full program, not a lighter version, but it asks for honesty about whether you can protect your time and space at home.
Formats. An online intensive runs by video, from wherever you are, with the same care in design as an in-person program. For people who need to keep working, the work can be spread over a longer period, combining sessions with Brad, other members of the team, and regular accountability check-ins.
What’s included. The same assessment, a custom program coordinated and supervised by Brad, a written aftercare plan, and Brad’s involvement afterward.
A hybrid option. Some programs combine in-person and online work, which can make the transition back home smoother.
In person or online: at a glance
| In person | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1 to 4 weeks, sometimes longer | Concentrated, or spread over a longer period |
| Setting | Away from your usual environment; accommodation and meals arranged | From home or wherever you are, by video |
| Team | 4 to 5 therapists and coaches, supervised by Brad | Same design and team, supervised by Brad |
| Best for | Leaving the routine and triggers behind entirely | When travel or time away isn’t possible |
| Before | Free consultation, then a full clinical assessment | |
| After | Written aftercare plan, with Brad involved; the flagship four-week program includes three months of home-based aftercare | |
| Location | Discussed in the consultation | Anywhere |
Common questions
How long is an intensive?
Intensives run from one to four weeks, and occasionally longer. Brad recommends a length based on your situation, and he will say so if he thinks you need less than you expected.
What does an intensive cost?
Intensives are private pay and are quoted individually after an assessment. Ask about fees during your free consultation.
Where are in-person intensives held?
Location and travel details are discussed in the consultation.
Can I do this without my employer knowing?
Many clients choose an online intensive for exactly this reason, or plan an in-person intensive around time off. Discretion is a priority, and you decide who knows.
What if I can't travel?
An online intensive uses the same design and the same team, from wherever you are.
Can my partner be involved?
Yes, where it helps. Partner sessions can be part of the program, and partners can receive separate support for betrayal trauma with their own clinician.
Are intensives only for men?
No. Women are welcome.
What happens afterward?
Every intensive ends with a written aftercare plan, and Brad stays involved while you put it into practice. The flagship four-week program includes three months of home-based aftercare. Many clients continue with weekly sessions afterward.
What clients say
“I went to see Brad after seeing several other therapists for several years. Brad cut right to the heart of the matter and helped me see what was really going on underneath. Working with him really made all the difference in my life.”
“I have had several therapists in my life. A lot of them were smart, but no one really helped me in the way that Brad did. He really changed my life, and I am very grateful to him.”
Ask about intensive dates in your free consultation
If you’ve been at this for years, a week or two is not a long time. Tell Brad what’s going on, and he’ll tell you honestly whether an intensive is what you need.