Anything. 

ART can be used to address a variety of concerns, including trauma and painful memories, anxiety, fears and phobias, grief and loss, relationship wounds, negative beliefs, learning disorders, and other experiences that continue to cause emotional distress.

You don’t need to have PTSD or a single major traumatic event to benefit from ART.

Your intensive begins with an intake and planning session. Your therapist will spend time getting to know you, gathering relevant history, understanding what has been bothering you, and identifying what you would most like to change during the intensive. Together, you’ll establish goals and determine where to begin.

After a short break, you’ll complete your first ART session.

You’ll then have a couple of hours to rest and regroup in a private office reserved for you. You can eat lunch, relax, journal, watch something, work quietly, or simply give yourself time to decompress before returning for another ART session later that afternoon.

On the following day or days, you’ll typically complete 2-3 ART sessions per day, with substantial breaks between sessions. The exact schedule is intentionally flexible and will depend on your needs, your response to the work, and what your therapist determines is clinically appropriate. The goal isn't to fit as many sessions as possible into the day, it’s to give you enough time to do meaningful work while also giving you time to reset between sessions.

Then you go home and get back to your life.

About two weeks after your final ART session, you’ll return for a follow-up appointment. This gives you time to experience how things feel outside of the intensive. During the follow-up, you and your therapist will talk about what has changed, what you’ve noticed, how you’re doing, and whether there is anything else that may need attention.

ART Intensive sessions are longer than a traditional therapy appointment and are scheduled in blocks throughout the day. The exact length and number of sessions will be determined when we plan your intensive based on your goals and clinical needs. Sessions often last between 1.5-2.5 hours each. If more time is needed, that is allowed.

Yes. You do not have to leave your current therapist to participate in an ART Intensive. An intensive can be used as a focused addition to your ongoing therapy.

With your permission, your ART therapist can also coordinate with your regular therapist when appropriate so your intensive supports the work you’re already doing.

ART Intensives are often self-pay because of the length and concentrated structure of the sessions. However, some portions of treatment may be eligible for insurance billing depending on the services provided, medical necessity, your insurance plan, and your individual benefits.

We’ll discuss costs and potential insurance coverage with you before you commit to an intensive, so you know what to expect.

Because Milestones is a licensed Behavioral Health Center (BHC), we may be able to bill Medicaid for longer and more frequent sessions. Medicaid ART Intensives may need to be spread over slightly more time to meet coverage and billing requirements. 

You don’t have to figure that out on your own. Before scheduling an intensive, we’ll talk about what you’re experiencing, what you hope to work on, your treatment history, current supports, and your goals.

If an ART Intensive doesn’t appear to be the best fit, we’ll tell you. We may recommend traditional ART sessions, additional preparation, continued work with your current therapist, or another treatment approach instead.

Clients with certain neurological conditions, such as epilepsy or seizure disorders, may need medical clearance before participating in ART. Any health or safety concerns can be discussed during your consultation call so we can determine the appropriate next steps.