Why This Episode Matters
In Episode 101, I shared a very unglamorous snapshot of my business: I recorded from a hotel room, post–program launch, with two kids watching YouTube, after a pipe burst at home. Not ideal conditions. But it underscored one of my core values: consistency. I ship the podcast even when life is loud.
The topic? Networking—specifically, how to make it feel like what it actually is: human connection. If you offer high-fee EMDR intensives, referrals run on know–like–trust. You can’t automate that. You build it.
This post expands the episode with a concrete, repeatable approach you can use this month to fill intensives without feeling salesy.
Context: New State, New Market, Same Principles
I moved from the Philly suburbs to northern Vermont in July 2024. I paused client work for the move, got my three kids settled, and started again slowly in the fall. By November, I had an office and ran my first local intensive. Clinical hours have grown steadily since.
My 2025 goal: become the go-to EMDR intensive therapist in my region. Vermont is rural, relationship-driven, and largely insurance-based. Translation: a polished website helps, but personal introductions move the needle. If you’re out-of-network and selling a premium, time-efficient option (like 1–3 day intensives), you must stand out and you must be trusted.
Why Networking Works Especially Well for Intensives
High-fee, out-of-the-norm offers require more safety signals:
- Cost: Clients (and their therapists) need a clear, confident value story.
- Novelty: Intensives aren’t the default in most communities.
- Clinical fit: Referrers want proof you’re sophisticated, safe, and collaborative.
Email is helpful. Instagram is helpful. Podcasts and SEO are helpful. But a face-to-face (Zoom or coffee) compresses the trust timeline faster than anything else.
If you’re afraid that networking is “sleazy,” you’re likely the very therapist who isn’t. The fear itself is a sign of your ethics. Bring that ethic with you, and lead with service.
A Real Example: One Coffee → Multiple Referrals → A Supervision Group
Here’s exactly what I did in a brand-new market:
- Targeted list: I identified four private-pay–friendly therapists in my town (Psychology Today, personal intel, websites). In a largely insurance-based market, I prioritized those most likely to refer to out-of-network intensives.
- Short, personal outreach: I emailed each with a three-sentence note: who I am, something specific I appreciated about their work, and an offer to buy coffee or hop on Zoom to learn more about their practice and how I can support.
- Follow-up: Two didn’t reply; I followed up once. One replied immediately; one a week later.
- The meeting: I led with curiosity. Where are you from? How did you land in Vermont? What’s your caseload like? What clinical populations light you up? I listened.
- Value bridge: He was expanding into coaching and dreading “being online.” I shared what works for me: podcasting, simple email list growth, and a sustainable Instagram rhythm. I sent two concrete resources afterward.
- The pivot to EMDR: With five minutes left, he asked about my EMDR work and intensives. I connected the dots to his current client mix and explained how intensives can support (not replace) his ongoing therapy. We discussed coordination and clear handoffs.
- Outcome: He invited me to his peer supervision group, gave me four warm intros (“use my name”), and sent his spouse’s PT info—another local relationship I genuinely wanted.
That’s it. No pitch deck. No “closing.” I led with relationship, ended with clinical alignment, and followed up promptly.
What Made It Work (So You Can Copy It)
1) Start with them, not you. Therapists love talking about the work. Ask. Listen. Reflect back what you heard.
2) Name the overlap. Mirror their caseload, their clinical values, their boundaries. Then show where intensives create leverage—speed, depth, and containment.
3) Offer immediate value. A relevant article, a podcast episode, a worksheet, or a thoughtful connection. Give first.
4) Keep the container. Timebox to 45–60 minutes. It reduces pressure and increases respect.
5) Make the next step concrete. “I’ll email those links today. Would you be open to a mutual referral email I can send to your group?”
6) Follow up fast. Same day if possible. Short, useful, and easy to forward.
Your Script Toolkit (Customize and Send This Week)
Initial Email (3–4 sentences):
Subject: Quick hello + EMDR intensives resource
Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name], an EMDR therapist in [Town]. I loved [specific detail] about your work with [population/approach]. I offer EMDR intensives and often coordinate with ongoing therapists to target specific themes quickly. Would you be open to coffee or a 30‑min Zoom to swap notes and see how I can support your caseload?
Warmly, [Signature]
Day-After Coffee Follow-Up:
Subject: Great to meet—resources + next steps
Thanks again for today. Here are the two resources we discussed: [link 1], [link 2]. As promised, a 2‑sentence blurb you can forward to your group if helpful is below. I’d also love to meet [Name A, Name B]—if a quick intro feels appropriate, I’ll take it from there.
Forwardable blurb: “If you have a client who’d benefit from a focused 1–3 day EMDR intensive, Carolyn collaborates with primary therapists for short-term, targeted work on specific themes (attachment injuries, recent events, performance blocks). She provides detailed pre/post notes and coordinates handoffs.”
Avoid These Common Networking Traps
- Over-explaining your offer. Don’t “convince.” Invite.
- Talking before listening. You’re a therapist—use your skills.
- No follow-up. If you disappear, so does the momentum.
- Not naming the money. Be able to say your fee calmly and clearly. High-fee transparency increases trust.
- Confusing networking with content creation. Content builds broad awareness; networking converts trust locally.
Systems That Make Networking Sustainable
Consistency beats intensity. Keep it light and repeatable:
- Monthly target list: 5–10 local clinicians (therapists, psychiatrists, PT/chiro, OB/GYN, coaches).
- 2 coffees / 2 Zooms per month: Book them on your admin day.
- Simple CRM: Spreadsheet with columns for Name, Niche, Date Met, Notes, Next Step.
- Airtight follow-up: A single “resources + forwardable blurb” email template you can send same-day.
- Quarterly touchpoints: Share a brief clinical pearls email (“3 ways I prepare complex trauma clients for intensives”).
Special Considerations in Rural & Insurance-Heavy Markets
- Lead with collaboration. Emphasize that intensives support the primary therapy relationship.
- Signal containment. Outline your pre‑screening, safety planning, and post‑intensive check-ins.
- Respect local culture. Names matter. Warm introductions open doors faster than ads ever will.
- Be the educator. Many colleagues haven’t experienced intensives. Share outcomes and case vignettes (de‑identified, of course).
Premium fees aren’t about exclusion; they’re about clinical excellence and practitioner sustainability. In my own family, charging appropriately lets us pay our nanny—a special ed teacher—$40/hour. That stability is what allows me to deliver my best work.
If You’re Stuck in “Networking Avoidance,” Try This 7‑Day Sprint
Day 1: Draft and save your 3–4 sentence outreach email.
Day 2: Build a list of 10 local clinicians who serve your ideal client.
Day 3: Send 4 emails.
Day 4: Block two 60‑minute coffee/Zoom slots in the next two weeks.
Day 5: Draft your day‑after follow-up template + forwardable blurb.
Day 6: Create a simple one‑pager on your intensives (who it’s for, schedule, fee, collaboration plan).
Day 7: Follow up with anyone who hasn’t replied.
Rinse monthly.
What to Say When Fees Come Up
You don’t need to apologize for your price—or over‑justify it.
“My 3‑day EMDR intensive is $[your fee]. I coordinate closely with the primary therapist, provide a structured pre‑/post‑plan, and remain available for brief follow-ups. If the client isn’t a fit, I’ll say so and share alternatives.”
Plain. Clean. Respectful
Measure What Matters
Don’t chase vanity metrics. Track:
- Introductions made → meetings booked
- Meetings → warm intros / group invites
- Warm intros → assessments scheduled
- Assessments → intensives booked
When you see which sources convert, double down there.
The Bigger Picture: Ethics, Capacity, and Community
I believe therapists do their best work when they have the bandwidth to think, rest, and prepare. Intensives let me offer rapid, meaningful change while protecting clinical integrity. They also free time and energy for community involvement and mutual aid—the systemic work many of us care deeply about.
Networking through genuine relationship is not only effective marketing—it’s how we build resilient local ecosystems of care.
Want to start building your own EMDR intensive offer?
Download the free EMDR Intensive Client Workbook — the same one Carolyn and her coaching clients use to guide real, structured, high-impact treatment.
👉 Access the free workbook here
And if you want support building your offer in a single day?
📆 Book a free 30-minute consult and let’s talk about what your next chapter could look like.
