HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR INTENSIVE

how to prepare for your intensive

"The fact that we couldn't have any other distractions, like computer, TV, newspapers, cell phones etc. [was helpful]. I didn't realize how even though this issue has totally engulfed my life, I still had daily things to deal with and ways to distract myself from getting to the business of healing. Just being focused really helped me to begin to feel and get rid of some of the poison that was building up inside of me. I truly began to feel healthier! That and starting to journal. I had tried to do it in the past but ...
In preparing for your Intensive, you are encouraged to make adequate preparations to help ensure the success of your concentrated work.  

First, you are encouraged to spend time thinking about the events that have contributed to the need for the Intensive. As a sex addict, it is important to make a complete, detailed, but confidential list of all of your acting out behaviors. The more detailed and complete this list, the more effective your Intensive.

Second, you are encouraged to take care of all business and family matters before coming to the Intensive and then not conduct any business during the Intensive. Frankly, we have found that clients who conduct “business as usual” during an Intensive get only limited benefit from the experience as your focus and concentration is elsewhere. For this reason, we strongly encourage you to wait and schedule an Intensive when you are able to devote your full concentration to therapy for three days.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of this time, we recommend the following:
  • Refrain from conducting business during the duration of the Intensive
  • Limit phone calls to one per day to check in with family
  • Do not drink alcohol for the thirty days preceding the Intensive
  • Refrain from all alcohol use during your Intensive
  • Do not watch television during the Intensive; you may request that the hotel remove the television set in your room during your stay
We also recommend that you consider staying an extra day or so after the Intensive to process what you have learned with your partner and review your accomplishments of the preceding three days. This is a good time to spend a few days sightseeing or just walking in the many parks in the Lake Norman area. This time can be important as you make plans to reenter life and consider how your relationship may be different in the future.

At RecoveryOnTheGo.com, you can find a number of brief audio books about various subjects related to sex addiction and recovery. Two of the books relate specifically to preparing for an Intensive.  We would suggest that you listen to all of the Recovery On the Go offerings as you preparation for your Intensive.
Share by: