Intensive couples therapy

Sometimes, weekly therapy just isn’t enough—especially when your relationship feels like it’s hanging by a thread. That’s where Intensive Couples Therapy comes in. Instead of spreading sessions out over weeks or months, we meet for a concentrated block of time—typically over two or three full days—to dive deeply into the patterns, pain points, and possibilities for change in your relationship.

Intensives are designed for couples who need support now—whether you’re reeling from a crisis like infidelity, feeling stuck in painful communication cycles, or simply don’t want to wait weeks to get real traction. This format allows us to slow down, understand what’s really going on, and give you the space and time to not only talk through the hard stuff, but actually begin the work of healing.

Unlike the traditional 50-minute session where we often run out of time just as things get going, intensives allow us to go deeper, faster—and to stay with the work until it starts to feel meaningful and productive. Many couples describe it as a relationship reset: a way to reconnect, get clarity, and build new tools that you can actually use.

If you’re overwhelmed, hurting, or unsure whether your relationship can survive—intensives offer hope and a path forward. You don’t have to wait to begin healing.

Intensive Couples Therapy Therapists

At A Better Life, we feel passionately about the power of intensive couples therapy. Our Intensive Couples Therapy team is highly trained to offer intensives by Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT who wrote the training manual for intensives, titled The Clinicians Guide to Intensive Couples Therapy. Beyond Intensive Couples Therapy specific training, each Intensive Couples Therapy therapist is fully licensed, holds up to Level 2 in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and has specialized training in their own specific niche - these specific trainings might include substance use, perinatal and postpartum, grief, and trauma.

Who it’s for

Couples Weekend Intensives are for any couple that wants to work on their relationship without having to “start and stop”.

Couples who join us for an intensive tend to fall into one or more of these categories:

• Have complicated schedules that make it difficult to schedule weekly therapy.

• Are in the midst of a crisis - for example, they are experiencing high conflict or recently suffered a significant loss or trauma.

• Have a big decision that needs to be made and don’t have months to figure it out.

• Have neglected their relationship for many years and realize they need to jump start it in a big way.

• Are considering a divorce and would like to give enough time to really think it through.

How it Works

Couples Weekend Intensives are a focused, condensed form of couples counseling that occur over a period of 2-3 consecutive days, usually a weekend, using the Gottman Method. Couples Weekend Intensives allow couples to dive deeply into their issues without the frustration of the “start and stop” feeling of weekly sessions.

Prior to meeting, you will receive a comprehensive assessment to complete.

Generally, during the first day of your assessment you will get through approximately 4-5 sessions of couples therapy with a thorough assessment. The second day will include interventions, skill building, and deep conversation. Each day is 5-6 hours long, with time for breaks.