Is a Couples or Marriage Intensive Right for Me?

Do you keep having the same fights repeatedly, struggle to communicate, or fail to find time for intimacy? Or maybe you’ve tried couples counseling before without seeing the results you hoped for? 

If so, a marriage intensive may be right for you. 

Couples intensives are a more focused version of couples counseling. A 2-day marriage intensive gives the counselor and you the opportunity to dig into issues without having to pause progress for weekly breaks. 

In many cases, the stop-and-start pacing of traditional couples counseling sessions makes it difficult to move quickly and get to the root issues in a relationship. You’re just getting to the breakthrough, only to hear the counselor say, “we’re out of time.” So, you leave feeling frustrated. Then, the next week piles on more issues you need to unpack at the next session, blocking any progress you could have made.

A couples counseling intensive gives the counselor and clients longer, uninterrupted time to develop new skills and then solve what’s going on in the relationship.

Most relationships can be saved with the right couples counselor and longer sessions.

Like regular couples counseling, couples intensives weekends or marriage counseling intensives are for anyone looking to strengthen and better their relationship. The difference with couples counseling intensives is that sessions have fewer starts and stops than traditional couples counseling sessions. 

Many incorrectly assume that intensive marriage counseling is meant for severe relationship issues. However, this is not the case. Couples intensives are simply more focused couples counseling sessions. There are many reasons why couples might opt for an intensive couples retreat over traditional therapy. 

For example, you:

• Are at your wit’s end
• Desire a private personalized experience
• Want change now
• Need fast results
• Want progress and skills to stick
• Have a busy schedule 
• Don’t have months of time to devote to therapy

Many couples retreats and intensives are often set up to support you personally. The intensive will focus on your unique issues.

A quality couples intensive, run by a professional relationship counselor, can help you rediscover your intimacy, find more compassion for your partner, and increase the happiness you have together. 

It can be the catalyst for a deeper level of healing than you ever thought possible!

Though they only run for two days, a professionally run couples intensive covers a lot of ground. You will run through handouts, exercises, and focused sessions designed specifically to help equip you to solve the relationship issues you’re facing.

Look at how you can move forward together if one of you is more committed to the relationship

“This was an investment of time and money that had full value”
“We learned more with you in 2 days than we did in one year of therapy”
“The experiential part of the intensive was most helpful”
“We finally learned a way to talk to each other that resolved an issue we have had for years”
“We were 5 minutes from signing the divorce papers, and this intensive gave us hope for our future”
“This was cheaper than divorce, and most importantly, kept my family together”

First started by Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson more than 30 years ago, the Developmental Model helps you learn to see relationship challenges and struggles as a natural part of your psychological growth. Instead of teaching you to view conflict as a sickness that needs to be cured, this method encourages couples to grow, change, and move forward by focusing on their inherent strengths. 

Couples go through normal developmental stages and patterns just like individuals. One person or their partner frequently gets stuck in a particular developmental stage, causing them to become focused on each other’s flaws. Couples counselors trained in The Developmental Model know how to get you unstuck from a developmental stage and refocus on your shared strengths as a couple. The work you do with a trained therapist in this method will help you develop the skills to move you toward self-improvement and greater relationship satisfaction.

First started by Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson more than 30 years ago, The Developmental Model helps you learn to see relationship challenges and struggles as a natural part of your psychological growth. Instead of teaching you to view conflict as a sickness that needs to be cured, this method encourages couples to grow, change, and move forward by focusing on their inherent strengths. 

Couples go through normal developmental stages and patterns just like individuals. One person or their partner frequently gets stuck in a particular developmental stage, causing them to become focused on each other’s flaws. Couples counselors trained in The Developmental Model know how to get you unstuck from a developmental stage and refocus on your shared strengths as a couple. The work you do with a trained therapist in this method will help you develop the skills to move you toward self-improvement and greater relationship satisfaction.

Symbiosis

Exclusive Bonding: The blissful merging of the two individuals into a “we” is known as symbiosis.

Differentiation

Managing Anxiety Over Differences: Eventually as each individual re-emerges, differences between you begin to appear.

Exploration

Moving from “WE” back to “I”: When you are able to resist the pressure to return to a symbiotic state, you begin to reestablish your own identity and self-esteem that are independent of how your relationship is faring.

ReConnection

Back & Forth Patterns Of Intimacy: In this stage you have strengthened your identity and learned to maintain your own point of view without hostility. You think more productively about your differences and disagreements instead of having automatic negative reactions.

Synergy

Independence & Interdependence: The flow between the individual and the “we” is becoming easier… almost automatic. The relationship is now more vital than either partner separately.

Inadequate communication
Intimacy or sexual issues
Anger management or verbal abuse
Betrayal
Feeling defeated or unhappy
Physical or emotional affair
Fear or mistrust
Hopelessness or desperation
Trauma
Role of power/Controlling behavior
Falling out of love
Problems from childhood
Empty nest syndrome
Parenting conflicts
Jealousy
Drug or alcohol addiction
Finance/Savings
Decision making
Compatibility conflicts
Psychological growth/Personality characteristics
Motivation/Priorities/Responsibility
Commitment
Gender orientation
Extended family conflicts
Medical complications/Disease/Injury