When to consider Intensive / Marathon Couples Therapy
WHY SHOULD SOME COUPLES CONSIDER INTENSIVES/ MARATHONS?
One of my favorite things about this is that we can do some really great work and dive deeper into some of the problems that couples come in for usually 1:20 minutes, time flies quick. By the time you get to what’s really going on, it’s time to wrap up! I love the longer sessions, because you can really slow it down, the couple can feel heard, understood, and we can really pull back a lot of the layers of what’s going on with couples. Yes, the intensives might feel long, but there are breaks in between. These sessions are a great way to get work done.
Some couples come and see us several days straight, especially if they are coming out of town. Online, can be done from anywhere.
THE MAIN ISSUES OR CONCERNS THAT COUPLES TEND TO GET THE MOST BENEFIT FROM GOING TO AN INTENSIVE?
Some of the big categories that I see couples seeking longer sessions, it’s the pre-marital side, the proactiveness. where they just want to get really good foundations to start off their relationships. We may do the assessment the first time, then a couple of skills and lay a great foundation.
Another topic is discernment counseling, some couples are coming in and are in the break of divorce. Maybe there has been some infidelity happening, betrayal, trauma, or just a lot of hurt that has been building up over the years. People come to see me just because they need clarity and confidence, not only working on their relationship. This longer session can be helpful to give couples that clarity and that confidence and to flush out. To find out what it really would mean to get a divorce/separate? What would it look like if they did decide to stay in the marriage/relationship and decide to work it out?
There are other topics like talking finances, and parenting styles, there are several topics that lot of topics that couples would like to see in the longer sessions. All couples that would like a lot of time can benefit from this.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS TO NOT DO THESE INTENSIVES? WHEN WOULD TRADITIONAL COUPLES THERAPY BE A BETTER FIT?
A lot of people don’t like the longer sessions, they prefer the traditional 1hr 20 min so that they can practice some of the tools between each session. Let’s say if they are coming in for financial issues, we can always talk about it, then they can go practice the skills and come back. We can then see what’s working, and what’s not.
Another issue is, that an entire intensive is long, and some people can get tired. So they might want the traditional 80 min.
Also, financially it’s not affordable for some people. An intensive marathon is a little more pricey. Depending on the therapist, if they are only virtual, some people might prefer in-person or vice versa. It all depends on the client’s needs.
