Why 50 Minutes Sometimes Isn't Enough: How Therapy Intensives Support Teens and Young Adults
- Kristin Kurian
- Jan 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 20
Opening up in therapy isn't always easy, especially for teens and young adults.
Many young people walk into a therapy room feeling unsure, guarded, or worried about being misunderstood.
Others may want support but need time before they feel safe enough to really talk. And that's completely normal.
Teen mental health support is not one-size-fits-all. For some, the traditional 50-minute therapy session can feel rushed or limiting. Therapy intensives for teens offer something different: extra time, space, and flexibility to help young people settle in, warm up, and feel genuinely supported.
When there's more room to breathe, healing conversations can unfold more naturally.
Why 50 Minutes Sometimes Isn't Enough for Teens
For many teens and young adults, the first part of the session is spent just getting comfortable. It may take time to check in, talk about the week, or even decide what feels safe to share.
Often, just as deeper emotions start to surface, the session is already coming to an end.
Standard sessions may feel too short when:
Trust is still being built, and teens need more time to open up
Big emotions or complex experiences emerge near the end of a session
There isn't enough time to both process emotions and learn coping strategies
Without enough time, teens may leave therapy feeling partially heard or emotionally stirred up, with little space to ground themselves before returning to daily life. This is where longer therapy sessions can make a meaningful difference.
What Therapy Intensives For Teens Offer Instead
Intensive therapy for youth is designed to reduce time pressure and create a deeper sense of emotional safety. Therapy intensives typically range from ninety minutes to three hours, allowing teens and young adults to fully engage in the therapeutic process.
With therapy intensives for teens, there is time to:
Settle into the session and build trust at a natural pace
Share thoughts and feelings without watching the clock
Explore emotions, patterns, and experiences more deeply.
Longer therapy sessions also create space for skill-building. Teens can learn coping tools such as emotional regulation, communication skills, or stress management, and practice them during the session.
This combination helps teens leave therapy feeling both supported and prepared to apply what they've learned in real-life situations.
Why Teens and Young Adults Benefit Most from Longer Therapy Sessions
Teens and young adults are navigating identity development, academic pressure, relationships, family dynamics, and major life transitions. Teen mental health support that includes extended sessions can meet these challenges with greater depth and flexibility.
Therapy intensives can support teens by:
Building a stronger rapport and trust between the therapist and the teen
Processing complex emotions like anxiety, depression, grief, or anger
Practicing new coping skills with real-time guidance and feedback
Addressing trauma in a paced, supportive environment
Helping teens feel truly heard without being cut off due to time limits
Intensive therapy for youth can be especially helpful during transitions such as:
Changing schools
Navigating friendships or romantic relationships
Coping with family stress
Managing increased responsibilities
During these moments, longer therapy sessions offer stability, containment, and focused support.
Is Intensive Therapy for Youth the Right Fit?
Therapy intensives aren't about doing more therapy; they're about creating the right environment for meaningful connection, growth, and healing.
For teens who need more time to warm up, have a lot to say once they open up, or benefit from deeper exploration, this approach can be transformative.
If you're a teen, young adult, or parent exploring therapy options, consider whether therapy intensives for teens or longer therapy sessions might be the right fit. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how intensive therapy for youth can support emotional well-being and long-term growth.
Sometimes, healing doesn't need more words; it just needs more time.
Kristin Kurian is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and the founder of A New Perspective Psychotherapy. She works with teens, young adults, and parents across Ontario, offering both in-person therapy in Toronto and virtual sessions. Kristin takes a trauma-informed, relational approach, integrating Internal Family Systems (IFS), parts work, and somatic awareness to help clients slow down, make sense of what they're experiencing, and feel more connected to themselves. She offers both weekly psychotherapy and extended therapy formats, including therapy intensives, based on client needs, goals, and readiness.
