Why are the Intensives done in group format? Wouldn’t I get more out of it if I did the Intensive one-on-one?
A: The group plays an important facilitative role in the Intensives. In our view, the work and the possible outcomes are greatly enhanced by the presence of others. So much of our emotional pain, our needs, and our struggles, as well as the “stuff” that heals these wounds and meets these needs involves others and our being in relationship with others. The group format generates many more possibilities for relating to others than are available in one-on-one interactions. More opportunities for intimacy and closeness—and the “healing powers” they engender—are created when “more” people are present.
We also know that more learning takes place by watching others than you might think. And there is an inherent validity connected to the feedback from people who are neither trained nor paid--unlike therapists whose feedback is often questioned due to their being in the role of "the professional."

Q: What makes this different from therapy? I’ve been in therapy for years, what would I expect to get out of this that I haven’t gotten out of therapy?
A: Therapy is specialized conversation designed to support specific aims and goals, for example, problem solving, healing wounds, skill-building, etc., all occurring within the context of a relationship. The Intensive is a place to get a lot more of that conversation generated and moving along at a much more rapid pace than tends to be the case in traditional therapy. Most importantly, the Intensive facilitates the ability to move into “deeper” levels than most therapist/client collaborations are ever able to achieve, no matter how much time they spend together.
The method we use—called Core Issue Completion Therapy—zeroes in on emotions and the “stuck points” related to emotions in ways that just do not or can not happen in other contexts. It is because of this direct and “powerful” focus on emotions that we label the work “intense”—and it is intense.

Q: Is the Intensive supposed to be an adjunct to therapy or is it meant to stand alone? What if I am not in therapy, but wanted to participate in an intensive?
A: The Intensives are primarily an adjunct to therapy, but there are instances in which an Intensive can be “all that’s needed” for certain persons with certain goals. It depends on many factors. The primary goal of the Intensives is to produce substantive healing and completion. Think of the way in which being treated by a family doctor sometimes is not enough, and a surgeon needs to be “called upon” to accomplish something a bit more drastic. You don’t “fire” your doctor before going in for surgery, nor do you replace her; you just go to the specialist to accomplish that “something drastic,” then return to more “normal” levels of care. Quite frequently, the “need” for surgery is first spotted by the family doctor, though you may know this is what’s needed even without requiring the doctor’s recommendations. In this frame, you can think of the Intensive as rather “essential” emotional surgery for some, but “elective” emotional surgery for others. In either case, the results can be profoundly healing.

Q: What is the difference between the 2-day and 3-day format? How do I decide which one is right for me?
A: The 3-day Level 2 program is the smaller more intense work group.  The 2-day Level 1 program is for early stage work that involves the re-focusing of one’s awareness on the specific relevant emotional issues that are driving one’s self-defeating behaviors.  For many people, this highly enhanced awareness is enough to support them in making dramatic changes in their lives.  Others find they need the more intense work focus of the smaller group that the 3-day offers. Regardless of the format chosen, this work is hard, and a great amount of courage, stamina, and commitment is required of participants. 

Q: Why would I want to participate in a program that focuses on going to the very intense emotional places I typically seek to avoid?
A: In our view, the avoidance is never an effective long term solution to life’s challenges. Whether we’re talking about the circumstances and situations that confront you or the emotional pain and turmoil that you wish you did not have to face, at some point you will need to move beyond avoidance, move past “coping” and get to some resolution. Or, you can expect to be stuck and paying for your failing to accomplish a resolution indefinitely. All of us have at times chosen to resist dealing with pain and have found ways to cope with our anguish. But these are only short-term strategies for effective living. They aren’t meant to be permanent. In our programs the work is focused on resolution of the longstanding emotional “incompletions” of our lives. These incompletions present us with the ultimate challenge: summon all the courage we need to face what we’ve been trying to avoid in our experience and find a way to resolve it with the help and guidance from highly trained experts in this work, or take the path of less resistance and continue with life as usual.

Q: My therapist suggested I participate in this program, but I find myself afraid, actually very afraid. Does this mean the program isn’t right for me?
A: No, not necessarily. It could be just the opposite. That which we fear does not go away simply because we opt to try to stay safe and comfortable. Instead, all of this painful emotional “material” continues to reside within us and can have great power over us – limiting our actions, relationships, growth. By avoiding all of this—giving in to our fear of it all—we really disempower ourselves. The goal of the Intensive work is to move past the fears, call up the avoided material in order to “clean it up,” ideally, once and for all. The fact that you are afraid now, may very well indicate that the fears are already beginning to be called up so that they can be addressed and worked through. That being said, if the fear is extremely intense it is possible that the fear may be a signal that you are not quite ready to face your inner world squarely. To help you decide, we can talk it over with you, or your therapist can help you assess your level of readiness. While the presence of some fear is expected, having too much fear is not where we want you to be at the start of this experience. We encourage you to be honest with yourself and ask if you are “afraid” or “too afraid.” If it seems that answer is too afraid, it may be that you need more time to build up some extra confidence and courage before doing this work.

Q: What kind of follow-up is available after the intensive program? What if something comes up during the intensive that doesn’t get resolved and I am left feeling more open and vulnerable than before I participated?
A: We have a variety of ways in which contact and support are offered after the program. Direct contact is available, by phone on a scheduled basis if geographical limitations interfere with face-to-face follow-up support. Indirect support offered by way of our keeping in contact with your therapist is also something we do for people to support the ongoing processing of the work after the Intensive.
It is quite likely that some things will go unresolved, but you will be empowered to ride with it, to “tolerate” it and feel more secure in your ability to do so, and guided to a much clearer path to resolving it.


Q: How much does this cost? Does insurance cover it?
A: The base fee is $1250 for the 2-day program, and $2500 dollars for the 3-day Intensive.  To date insurance companies have in some cases offered partial coverage for this service.  We will submit to your insurer to help in the process of attempting to get reimbursed.  We do offer payment plans, and we consider each applicant's situation and have a liberal scholarship program.

Q: What are the qualifications of the therapists that lead the programs?
A: All members of the staff are either licensed mental health professionals, primarily psychologists with extensive experience and specific training in this work, or physicians.

Q: What types of results have people who participated in the program obtained? What types of results can I expect?
A: Many participants have experienced profound life-changing results. There is no guarantee of this level of result for everyone, but all of those who have participated to date have found the work to be of great value. You can expect that for yourself as well.
People have resolved long-standing grief; some have been able to give up their addictions and habits (drugs, alcohol, eating, sex, spending, etc.) and no longer experience cravings; many have had their self-image and self-esteem completely re-worked and restored; a number of participants have been surprised at how empowered and free they have felt in their relationships; others have tapped into dreams and life goals that have been dormant for years; and almost everyone who has done this work has reported an unexpected level of clarity regarding their understanding of who they are, how they got stuck or lost, and where they now want to go in life,

Q: If I participate in this, will I be done with therapy for good?
A: Many people view therapy as essential for the “good life”—a life that involves being healthy, whole, happy, and self-actualized. These “high level payoffs” don’t come easily or quickly.
In our view people become dysfunctional when their emotional wounds lead to self-defeating patterns that, in turn, create added misery and begin to substantially detract from the quality of their lives. When left untreated these "festering wounds" can be utterly disabling. Therapy, when it works, supports the healing of these wounds and supports healthier functioning in general. However, healing emotional wounds is not like curing a virus; it’s more like doing physical therapy on a damaged limb. You get better by doing exercises that “work it out,” you facilitate the healing directly through the work that you do. If the conversation about your life and your struggles to grow and heal is one you value, then we don’t think therapy ever needs to end. High level healing is its own reward, and in fact, we view what we do as being highly cost effective. Not because therapy is over once and for all, but because the healing process can be greatly accelerated and enhanced by work of this kind. Some healing challenges just can't be met by "normal" therapy practices, and for these situations the Intensives may provide the crucial missing ingredients.
That being said, it is also true that any significant wound or emotional challenge that you manage to complete in therapy is, by definition, finished.
To the extent that you have been in therapy for “the same old issues” that haven’t changed much since you started in therapy, it is possible you will be able to complete those during the program and find you are done with that aspect of your healing and growing. So, for instance, a participant with a history of abandonment and longstanding difficulties in trusting others was able to “complete” this core issue during an Intensive. Afterwards, she reported finding herself able to risk to trusting others,having "good results" in her relationships, and in so doing realized that this issue has been totally “retired” for her. Many people have been surprised to find that prior to the Intensive they had not completed their grieving over some significant loss, and they were able to complete this process during the program. When a significant piece of completion is achieved people often feel like taking a break from therapy, to enjoy the “natural high” that is connected to their new found freedom and clarity. Then, recognizing this was a very good thing, they might decide to come back for more.

Call (561) 744-1169

(877) 744-1169

Breakthrough Behavioral Technologies, LLC
169 Tequesta Drive
Tequesta, Florida 33469

info@stopemotionaleating.org