Break Through in One Session

3-Hour Therapy Intensives in Washington, DC

Tired of circling the same issues in weekly therapy?
Get weeks of progress in a single, focused session.

Schedule 20 Minute Free Consultation

The Problem You’re Facing

You’ve been in therapy for months—maybe years. You understand your patterns. You know what needs to heal.

But every week, just as you’re getting somewhere deep, the session ends.

Next week, you start over. The momentum is gone. Your defenses are back up.

You’re not making progress—you’re treading water.

The Solution: Therapy Intensive Sessions

3 hours of uninterrupted, focused therapy designed to help you:

Break through defensive patterns keeping you stuck
Process the deeper wounds underneath
Experience real resolution—not just insight
Leave feeling genuinely changed

No more stopping just as you’re getting started.

Book Your Intensive Now

Is This Right for You?

Therapy Intensives work best if you:

Already understand your patterns but can’t break free
Feel stuck in shame, perfectionism, or self-criticism
Are tired of starting over each week
Want breakthrough, not just maintenance
Are ready for real change

This might NOT be right for you if:

You’re in acute crisis
You’re brand new to therapy
You prefer shorter weekly sessions
You’re not ready for deeper work yet

Who I Help:

I specialize in working with high-achieving professionals, who work in stressful contexts in the DC area—particularly those in international development, mission-driven careers, and bilingual communities.

Services available in English and Spanish.

What to Expect: The 3-Hour Session

I know “3 hours of therapy” might sound overwhelming. But the structure is designed to feel spacious and natural, not exhausting. This is a tentative structure of an intensive session, however, it will be tailored for your individual needs, and the progress of the session will be determined by your own internal GPS.

Phase 1: Clarify the Issue (30 minutes)

Define exactly what we’re working on. What specific issue do you want to resolve? What’s been blocking you?

Phase 2: Assess Readiness (30 minutes)

Make sure you’re genuinely ready for this work. No forcing. No bypassing. We work with—not against—protective parts.

Phase 3: Understand the Pattern (30 minutes)

Map out the protective strategies you’ve developed. Perfectionism. People-pleasing. Harsh inner critic. We understand why they exist.

Break (10 minutes)

Pause. Stretch. Get water. Give your nervous system a moment to reset.

Phase 4: Work with Your Defenses (50 minutes)

Gently work with protective patterns keeping you stuck. Using internal dialogue, mindfulness, and body-centered techniques.

Phase 5: Heal the Core Wound (30 minutes)

Once defenses feel safe to step back, we work directly with emotional wounds underneath. This is where real healing happens.

Phase 6: Integration (30 minutes)

Make sure all parts of you feel safe and cared for. Process what happened. Leave feeling grounded and resourced.

What Results Can You Expect?

Best-Case Scenario:

You experience a fundamental shift in how you relate to an old wound or limiting belief. The emotional charge has genuinely changed. You feel lighter, freer, more spacious.

Other Valuable Outcomes:

Significant acceleration of your healing process (months of progress in one session)
Greater clarity about patterns that have been confusing you
Breakthrough moments that continue unfolding in the days and weeks that follow
Deeper self-compassion and trust in your own process

Important: This isn’t magic. It’s intensive, focused work. You might feel emotionally tired afterward (in a good way), and you’ll want to take care of yourself the rest of that day.

Why Am I Qualified to Offer This?

I’m Claudia Salazar, LICSW, and I’ve been preparing for this depth of work for over 20 years.

My Training Includes:

20+ years as a psychodynamic psychotherapist working with complex emotional issues
4-year intensive training in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)—specifically designed for extended breakthrough sessions
Advanced training in trauma-focused, body-centered approaches (Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Brainspotting)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) training—a powerful framework for working with different aspects of self

I work primarily with high-achieving professionals—particularly those in international development, mission-driven careers, and bilingual Spanish-speaking communities in the DC area.

I offer services in both English and Spanish.

Investment & Logistics

Duration

3 hours (includes one 10-minute break)

Investment

$1,300

New clients (includes 1 hour pre-intensive consultation)

$1,000

Current clients

When: Tuesday afternoons, 2-5pm and/or Friday 9am-12.

Where: Washington, DC (in-person)

Availability: Limited spaces each month

Booking: 50% deposit required at time of booking.

Cancellation: No cancelation allowed. One re-schedule allowed.

Schedule Free 20-Min Consultation

How It Works

Step 1: Schedule a free 20-minute consultation

We’ll talk about what you’re struggling with and whether an intensive is right for you.

Step 2: Complete brief pre-session questionnaire

This ensures we use our time together as effectively as possible.

Step 3: Attend your 3-hour intensive session

We meet for focused, transformative work.

Step 4: Integration & next steps

We’ll discuss what ongoing support (if any) would be helpful for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an existing client?

No. New clients include a pre-session consultation in the fee.

What if I’m not sure I’m “ready” for deep work?

That’s exactly what we’ll explore in the consultation. Part of my job is to help you assess readiness, not push you into something you’re not prepared for.

Can I do this online/virtually?

I prefer in-person for intensives because the depth of work benefits from full presence, but I may consider virtual sessions case-by-case.

What should I do after the intensive?

Clear your schedule for the rest of that day. Be gentle with yourself. Drink water, rest, journal if you feel moved to. You’ve done significant emotional work—honor that.

Is this covered by insurance?

No, intensive sessions are private pay only. However, I can provide a superbill for potential out-of-network reimbursement of a portion of the session.

What if I need to cancel?

If you cancel with at least one week’s notice, your deposit will be applied to a rescheduled session. Less than one week’s notice with no reschedule means the deposit is forfeited.

How many intensives will I need?

Most people find value in one intensive for a specific issue. Some return quarterly or twice a year. There’s no required number—we’ll figure out what serves you best.

What Clients Say About Deep Work

“Something really feels different during a longer-focused session. I worked through something I’d been stuck on for months. It wasn’t just intellectual—I actually felt different afterward.”

— Current client

“The extended time made all the difference. I didn’t have to hold back or rush. I could finally go all the way through the process instead of stopping right when it was getting real.”