Specialty Intensive Treatment Services
Evidence-based treatment delivered multiple days per week either in person or virtually
What is an Intensive Program?
Intensive treatment is designed for individuals who need more structure and support than standard outpatient therapy, while remaining connected to their daily environment whenever possible.
Clients participate in treatment multiple days per week, typically ranging from 9 to 20 hours per week, depending on the program and clinical needs. Intensive services at EBTCS are offered both in person and virtually, using the same evidence-based models and clinical standards across modalities. We can even work with you at home or in the community!
Treatment is highly individualized and may include:
- Individual therapy
- Exposure-based interventions
- Skills training
- Family or parent support
- Coordination with schools, medical providers, and psychiatry when indicated
Whether delivered in person or virtually, the goal is the same: stabilize symptoms, build skills efficiently, and support lasting change.
What makes EBTCS intensive programs different
Built around evidence — not volume
Every intensive program at EBTCS is designed around treatments with strong research support.
- Anxiety and OCD programs center on exposure-based CBT
- DBT programs follow a full-model DBT approach
- Eating disorder treatment is grounded in DBT with integrated medical and nutritional care
Intensity is used purposefully — not as a substitute for quality or precision.
Designed for complexity
We treat the full picture:
We routinely treat clients with co-occurring conditions, including severe anxiety disorders/OCD, trauma, emotion dysregulation, suicidality, self-harm, substance use, school refusal, and medical or psychiatric complexity.
Care is coordinated across disciplines so treatment addresses the full picture, not isolated symptoms.
One-on-one care
Unlike many IOP and PHP programs, much of our intensive care is delivered one-on-one. Treatment plans are tailored to the individual’s symptoms, goals, developmental stage, and response to treatment and our clinicians are all doctoral level experts.
We designed treatment this way because it’s what we’d want for our friends and family – care that is tailored to you without any “fluff.” This means faster progress that’s longer lasting.
In-person and virtual intensive care: choosing the right fit
We offer intensive treatment both in person and via telehealth, allowing care to be matched thoughtfully to clinical needs, developmental considerations, and family circumstances. We can also meet you in your home, at school, or in the community as needed.
What stays the same across both modalities
- Evidence-based treatment models (CBT, ERP, DBT, etc.)
- Doctoral-level clinicians
- Individualized treatment planning
- Family involvement and coordination
- Progress monitoring and step-down planning
How modality is determined
The decision to pursue in-person or virtual intensive care is made collaboratively during the intake process. Factors we consider include:
- Symptom severity and presentation
- Age and developmental level
- Ability to engage effectively via telehealth
- Safety and support needs
- Geographic access and practical considerations. Virtual care can be delivered in all PSYPACT states.
Virtual intensive treatment is not a shortcut or a reduced version of care. When clinically appropriate, it allows individuals to receive the same structured, high-quality treatment while practicing skills directly in their real-world environment.
In person or virtual – the same great care tailored to your needs to help you get better faster.
Child & Adolescent Anxiety and OCD Intensive Program
Intensive treatment for children and teens with severe anxiety and OCD
When anxiety or OCD begins to disrupt a child’s ability to attend school, participate in daily activities, or function independently, standard outpatient therapy is often not enough. Our Child and Adolescent Anxiety and OCD Intensive Program provides focused, evidence-based treatment multiple days per week to help children stabilize, build skills, and regain momentum.
Who this program is designed for This program is appropriate for children and adolescents who:
- Experience severe or escalating anxiety or OCD
- Are unable to attend school consistently
- Have not improved sufficiently with weekly therapy
- Need a structured alternative to hospitalization or residential care
Require daily exposure-based treatment and family support
How treatment works
Treatment typically occurs Monday through Friday, averaging approximately 20 hours per week over about 8 weeks, though intensity and length are individualized. Care is built around:Who this program is designed for This program is appropriate for children and adolescents who:
- Individual exposure-based CBT and ERP
- Parent coaching and family-based interventions
- School collaboration and environmental supports
- Psychiatric consultation when indicated
Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment week, followed by a fully individualized plan designed to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. As functioning improves, treatment gradually steps down to support independence and transition to outpatient care.
Why families choose EBTCS
- Doctoral-level anxiety and OCD specialists
- Individualized treatment rather than group-based care
- Strong parent involvement using evidence-based models
- Expertise with complex and co-occurring conditions
School Refusal Intensive Program
Evidence-based intensive treatment for school refusal and school avoidance
School refusal is more than reluctance — it is often driven by intense anxiety, panic, or emotional distress that can escalate quickly. Our School Refusal Intensive Program provides structured, multi-day treatment to help children and adolescents return to school safely and sustainably.
When school refusal needs intensive treatment
This program is often recommended when:
- Anxiety prevents a child from attending school
- Absences have become chronic or escalating
- Standard therapy and school interventions have not been sufficient
Families need coordinated clinical and school-based support
What treatment includes
- Exposure-based CBT targeting school-related anxiety
- Gradual, supported return-to-school planning
- Parent coaching to reduce avoidance patterns
- Ongoing collaboration with school personnel
- Psychiatric consultation when indicated
Treatment typically runs Monday–Friday and averages 20 hours per week, with gradual reduction as school attendance and coping improve.
Why early intervention matters
The longer school refusal continues, the harder it becomes to reverse. Intensive, coordinated care helps interrupt avoidance patterns before they become entrenched.
Adult Anxiety and OCD Intensive Program
Intensive outpatient and PHP-level care for adults with anxiety and OCD
For adults whose anxiety or OCD significantly interferes with work, relationships, or daily functioning, intensive treatment can provide the structure and momentum needed to make meaningful progress.
This program may be right if:
- OCD or anxiety dominates daily life
- Weekly therapy is not producing sufficient improvement
- Symptoms require daily exposure-based intervention
- A step-down from higher levels of care is needed
How our program is different
Unlike many IOP and PHP programs, treatment is delivered primarily one-on-one by doctoral-level clinicians. Exposure therapy is central, with additional CBT interventions added as needed.
Clients typically participate Monday through Friday, averaging 20 hours per week, followed by a structured step-down phase.
DBT Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Full-model DBT for adults needing higher-intensity care
Our DBT IOP provides comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy for adults (18+)experiencing severe emotion dysregulation, suicidality, or self-harm who need more support than standard outpatient DBT.
Program highlights
- Full DBT model (individual therapy, skills groups, out of session coaching)
- 9–12 hours of treatment per week
- Optional psychiatry and family involvement
- 8-week treatment cycles
What Makes Our Program Different
Full Model DBT Approach
Our program follows a full DBT model, including three weekly skills groups and two individual DBT sessions per week.
Built for Complexity
We treat the full picture, including co-occurring trauma, emotion dysregulation, suicidality, substance use, and self-harm
Collaborative, Compassionate Care
Our multidisciplinary team includes DBT therapists, psychiatrists, a dietitian and family supports. This program is designed to stabilize symptoms, build skills quickly, and support transition to ongoing outpatient DBT
Young Adult Launch Intensive Program
Intensive treatment for young adults struggling with anxiety and life transitions
The transition into adulthood can be more stressful than expected. For some young adults, the pressure of increased independence—college, work, decision-making, and self-direction—leads to anxiety, avoidance, and difficulty moving forward. What begins as a temporary pause can quickly become feeling stuck. Our Young Adult Launch Intensive Program provides structured, evidence-based treatment to help young adults reduce anxiety, rebuild momentum, and move toward independence.
When transition stress requires intensive support
This program is often recommended when:
- Anxiety interferes with starting or returning to college or work
- A young adult has stepped away from school due to stress and is struggling to re-engage
- Daily structure and follow-through have decreased
- Avoidance or overwhelm is limiting independence
- Weekly therapy has not been sufficient to create forward movement
A common example is a student who leaves college due to stress or anxiety and intends to return—but finds that the longer they are out, the harder it becomes to restart.
Who this program is designed for
This program is appropriate for young adults who:
- Feel stuck during the transition to independence
- Experience anxiety, avoidance, or overwhelm related to next steps
- Have difficulty initiating or sustaining daily responsibilities
- Would benefit from structured, intensive support to regain momentum
How treatment works
Treatment typically occurs Monday through Friday, averaging 20 hours per week, with intensity tailored to individual needs.
Care is built around:
- Individual, goal-focused therapy
- Structured support to reduce avoidance and increase follow-through
- Skills for managing anxiety and stress related to independence
- Development of routines and expectations that support daily functioning
- Coaching around school, work, and life transitions
- Family involvement when appropriate
- Psychiatric consultation when indicated
Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment, followed by an individualized plan focused on helping young adults take consistent, meaningful steps forward. As progress builds, treatment gradually steps down to support independence.
Why families and young adults choose EBTCS
- Doctoral-level clinicians with expertise in anxiety and behavioral change
- Individualized, 1:1 treatment rather than group-based programming
- Structured, goal-oriented approach focused on real-world progress
- Experience helping young adults move from avoidance to action
Multi-Problem Intensive Services
Integrated, Specialty Care When Symptoms Overlap
Sometimes it’s not just one thing. Anxiety may be present — but so is emotional overwhelm. There may be OCD — but also an eating disorder. Progress starts in one area, but something else keeps getting in the way.
When concerns overlap, it can feel like you’re constantly putting out one fire while another starts.
This does not mean things are hopeless.
It means treatment needs to be coordinated differently. Our Multi-Problem Intensive Program is designed for individuals whose symptoms interact and need to be treated at the same time — by specialists who know how to work together. Instead of focusing on one issue at a time, we build a unified plan using expertise from our:
- Anxiety and OCD specialty team
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program
- Eating Disorders program
- Psychiatry and Dietary programs (when indicated)
This allows us to move forward across multiple areas — intentionally, intensively, and in sync.
When This Program Makes Sense
This program may be right if:
- Progress has stalled because different symptoms seem to pull in different directions
- One concern improves briefly, but another keeps interfering
- You’ve been told treatment “should” work — but it hasn’t fully come together
- You feel like no single program quite fits
Many adults, children and their families reach this point feeling frustrated — not because they haven’t tried, but because the approach hasn’t been integrated. That’s what we do differently
Why Treating Problems in Parallel Matters
Mental health concerns commonly co-occur. In fact, most people with one anxiety or mood concern also meet criteria for another. When symptoms overlap, they often reinforce each other:
- Avoidance can fuel emotional instability
- Emotional dysregulation can block progress in exposure-based work
- Stress can intensify compulsive or restrictive behaviors
- Improvement in one area may stall if another is untreated
Trying to address these issues one at a time can feel like moving in circles.
In this program, we treat the interacting pieces together — so progress in one area supports progress in another
That’s often when things finally start to shift.
If you think this approach would be best for you or your loved one, contact us and we can talk more about designing an intensive treatment program that best meets your needs.
Coordinated Care with EBTCS Specialty Psychiatry
Intensive treatment is most effective when all components of care are aligned. At EBTCS, intensive programs are closely coordinated with our specialty child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry services, ensuring that medication decisions support — rather than complicate — therapeutic progress.
Our psychiatry team includes board-certified psychiatrists with expertise in anxiety, OCD, mood disorders, eating disorders, and emotion dysregulation. When medication is part of care, psychiatrists work directly with the intensive treatment team to provide integrated, informed recommendations.
How psychiatry fits into intensive treatment
Psychiatric involvement is not automatic. It is added thoughtfully when clinical presentation, symptom severity, or response to treatment suggests it would be helpful.
When psychiatry is included:
- Medication evaluations are informed by real-time therapeutic data
- Psychiatrists collaborate closely with therapists and program leaders
- Adjustments are made deliberately, with clear goals and monitoring
- Families receive transparent explanations of options, benefits, and risks
This collaborative approach helps avoid fragmented care, conflicting recommendations, or unnecessary medication changes.
When psychiatry support is especially helpful
Psychiatric consultation may be recommended when:
- Symptoms are severe or rapidly escalating
- Anxiety, OCD, or mood symptoms limit engagement in therapy
- There is co-occurring depression, suicidality, or emotional dysregulation
- Clients are stepping down from higher levels of care
- Medication may help reduce symptom intensity and support skill-building
A unified treatment plan
Because psychiatry is part of the EBTCS system of care, families don’t need to coordinate between separate providers or navigate conflicting guidance. Decisions are made collaboratively, grounded in evidence, and revisited as progress unfolds.
The goal is always the same: to support stability, enhance the effectiveness of therapy, and promote lasting improvement — without unnecessary or prolonged medication use
Questions about
Our Intensive Services
How do I know if intensive treatment is necessary?
Many families wonder whether they are “overreacting.” A helpful rule of thumb is this:
If symptoms are interfering with daily functioning — school, work, relationships, or basic routines — and are not improving with standard therapy, it may be time to consider a higher level of care. Intensive services can also help in situations where rapid improvement in symptoms is needed – for example, to get back to school, work, or life roles, such as parenting duties.
Intensive treatment is not a failure of outpatient care. It’s a way to provide the right amount of support at the right time.
If you’re unsure, simply call us to schedule a consultation and we can help guide you to the right level of care.
Is intensive treatment a last resort?
No. Intensive treatment is often most effective when used earlier, before symptoms become more entrenched. Many families choose intensive care specifically to avoid hospitalization or residential treatment and to keep treatment connected to real life.
What if we’re not sure which program is right?
You don’t need to decide that on your own. Our intake process is designed to evaluate symptoms, functioning, and goals to recommend the most appropriate level of care. Sometimes families discover that intensive treatment is exactly what’s needed; other times, a different option makes more sense.
Will my child or I be in treatment forever?
No. All of our intensive programs are time-limited and goal-directed. The purpose is to stabilize symptoms, build skills, and then step down thoughtfully to a lower level of care.
Does virtual intensive treatment really work?
Yes. Research shows that evidence-based treatments like CBT, ERP, and DBT can be highly effective when delivered virtually — especially when programs are structured, individualized, and led by experienced clinicians.
Will medication be required if we enroll in an intensive program?
No. Medication is never required. When recommended, it is based on careful evaluation and discussed collaboratively. Many clients complete intensive treatment without medication, while others benefit from short- or medium-term medication support as part of a coordinated plan.
What happens after the program ends?
Planning for what comes next begins early. Many clients transition to standard outpatient care — either within EBTCS or with an external provider — with clear recommendations and continuity of care.
Do we need a referral?
No referral is required. You can reach out directly to begin the screening process.
What if we wait and see?
Waiting is understandable — and sometimes appropriate. But when symptoms are escalating or daily functioning is shrinking, waiting often makes treatment harder later. A conversation with our team can help you decide whether now is the right time.
You don’t need to know what level of care is right.
You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral.
You just need to reach out.
Get in Touch With Us
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Address
1200 5th Avenue, Suite 800 Seattle, WA 98101