“I was ready to give up, but you gave me hope.” —Couple’s Intensive client
Two-Day Couple’s Intensive
Does your relationship with your significant other need a major reset? Schedule a two-or three-day couples intensive. You’ll be amazed at the progress that can be made when you commit to a focused, retreat format, rather than spacing out your relational work over the course of several months.
The beauty of this 12+* hour intensive is the depth and momentum that can be achieved. You’ll see major progress in your relationship—and you’ll walk away with relational shifts that will help for years to come.
I use a science-based, structured process called Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), considered the gold standard for couples therapy. You will find the art of this therapy meets you where you are. Researchers have found that, with EFT therapy, 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery—and approximately 90% show significant improvements.
*Three-day intensive is 18 + hours including the initial assessment.
The map to meaningful connection
About the Couple’s Intensive
Why choose the two-day intensive format?
Like many other couples, you and your partner may have schedules that make it difficult to attend weekly sessions. You may want to work with me as your therapist but live a distance away that would prohibit weekly sessions. Or, perhaps the pain you hold would be best addressed with relational intensive care. Additionally, like many couples, you may be eager to focus more intensely on your relationship to more quickly get a handle on negative patterns keeping you stuck in disconnection.
Couples find that Intensive sessions can be a way to immerse in the therapy process and make bigger strides in a shorter period of time. Sometimes a relationship pain begs for more focus.
Ideally, you would travel for the intensive sessions to provide buffer from homelife distractions. You will need your time and energy to engage and process together.
Why Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)?
EFT is a research-proven method for helping couples move from distress to trust and closeness. Based on a comprehensive, empirically validated theory of adult love and attachment, couples are guided step-by-step thru identifying the following:
✓ Their negative stuck cycle that keeps them in distress;
✓ Each of their feelings within the cycle that seem to get lost in translation;
✓ The relational meaning of the cycle;
✓ Deeper emotions that are difficult to share when feeling disconnected;
✓ New ways to respond to old patterns that foster emotional safety and connection;
✓ A heartfelt way to repair old hurts.
You will learn to work from the same relationship map, leading to closeness and a more secure bond, rather than repeatedly getting stuck in the same old painful patterns. Couples in relationship pain will be guided to identify and address the injury in order to rebuild trust.
Why now? Why us?
Your relationship is important to you. The research tells us that all couples experience distress when they get disconnected from one another. This is normal! The research also tells us that what distinguishes happily partnered couples from distressed couples is their capacity to repair effectively. This process teaches you that skill so that the bumps leave you feeling stronger and closer than ever.
How do we get started?
Reach out to schedule a free 30 minute consultation for any questions you may have.
After you schedule, I provide a 75-minute joint session via a HIPPAA secure video call or in my Newcastle office to clarify goals, discuss the history of your relationship, and explore patterns, strengths, resources. This is not a therapy session, but, rather, an opportunity for us to connect and briefly explore your goals, questions, and readiness for this process. The cost of this initial evaluation session is included in the total fee of the intensive. If the intensive is assessed to not be a fit at this time, you may have the option to either postpone the intensive until recommended pre-work is completed or be charged only* the $375 for this initial assessment. *While the initial 50% deposit is non-refundable, refunds for the remainder are only given up to 30 days prior to scheduled Intensive date.
What does the intensive look like?
Assuming we agree that this process is a good fit for your needs at this time, our plan would look something like this:
The first morning of Day One devotes three hours to getting to know you, your own history and your patterns together. This is essential for the work we will do together, as I support you to work towards a more secure, loving bond.
Then, the deep dive begins! We will work through a series of relational conversations that build on one another. Using a progressive format, I will guide you through the process of gaining a different understanding of the places where you get stuck, and help you to learn to step out of these patterns in a way that brings you closer together. I may also use brief videos that help to normalize and validate the struggles that all couples encounter, and which enhances the safety for exploring your stuck places.
The beauty of an EFT Two- or Three- Day Intensive is the depth and momentum facilitated by the time spent. Even so, it is important to allow space for processing. It is for this reason that longer lunches and frequent breaks are built into the day.
EFT Couples Intensives are for couples wanting to do significant work on their relationships. My goal is to support you and do my very best to understand you and repeating patterns, as well as to help you clarify what it is that you want for yourself and your relationship. Couples Intensives often leads to improved relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress. Even so, as with any therapy modality, results cannot be unequivocally guaranteed nor are they implied.
A Three-day Intensives allows us to use the afternoon/ evening of Day One for assessment and initial therapy steps. As a result, there is more time to go further and deeper into the work on Day Two and Day Three.
Where is the intensive held?
Sessions are held in my office at Lifespan Family Healthcare 80 River Rd., Newcastle, ME 04553 and take place on a Thursday and Friday, unless otherwise discussed.
What is the cost for the intensive?
The fee for the EFT Two-day Intensive is $4,100; the Three- day Intensive is $5,500. See additional handout on updated policies for payment and cancellation. The Two-day Intensive involves about 13 hours of therapy together while the Three-day intensives contains 17 hours of therapy. This is in addition to our 75 minute Initial Assessment meeting before the scheduled Intensive.
Food and lodging:
The villages of Newcastle and Damariscotta offer options for lodging including Bed and Breakfasts, AirBnB, and hotels (Wiscasset). The closest lodging in The Newcastle Inn, less than 500 feet down the road.
After the intensive:
While we summarize and discuss my recommendations for next steps at the end of the EFT Intensive, I will also email these recommendations and additional resources, such as handouts of relationship exercises, within three weeks of our visit.
It may be that you will want to continue your couple therapy beyond the workshop. I will do my best to help you to connect with a therapist that will support the work we’ve done, and will be available to that therapist to consult about their work with you which can be a huge support to your therapy.
I look forward to connecting with you.
~Rebecca
