What Are Couples' Intensives?
A couples intensive is a concentrated form of psychotherapy designed to address entrenched relationship patterns in a focused, intentional way.
Instead of spreading the work over months of weekly sessions, we work deeply over two consecutive days, allowing space for:
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Slowing down conflict cycles
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Understanding what’s really driving disconnection
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Learning practical, research‑based skills
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Creating a clear path forward
This is not a quick fix — it is structured, contained, and clinically grounded work.
This Couples Intensive is a two-day, focused therapeutic experience grounded in The Gottman Method, specifically The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work, and guided by licensed Gottman client materials.
This is not a retreat or a workshop.
It is deep, structured clinical work designed to interrupt stuck patterns, rebuild emotional safety, and support meaningful change.
The intensive blends:
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Evidence-based Gottman frameworks
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Narrative and emotionally attuned therapy
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Practical skill-building and live coaching
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Spacious time for reflection, repair, and integration
This model involves a pre-intensive assessment phase, a two-day intensive therapy experience, and post-intensive integration support. The intensive format is not a substitute for ongoing therapy, nor is it appropriate for all couples.
Who The Couples' Intensive Is Suitable For:
This intensive is for couples who want to:
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Understand why they keep getting stuck in the same patterns
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Reduce reactivity and escalation
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Improve emotional safety and communication
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Rebuild trust, fondness, and connection
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Learn how to repair after conflict
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Clarify shared values, direction, and meaning
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Decide next steps with greater clarity and intention
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Feel stuck in repeating conflict or emotional distance
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Are motivated to actively work on their relationship
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Want momentum and clarity rather than prolonged uncertainty
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Are navigating trust ruptures, life transitions, or disconnection
Couples do not need to be “doing well” — they need to be willing to engage honestly.
All couples complete a screening and assessment process to ensure this format is appropriate and safe.
Who The Couples' Intensive Is Not Suitable For:
Couples intensives are not appropriate when:
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There is ongoing physical violence, coercive control, or fear within the relationship
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One or both partners are actively involved in an affair that has not been disclosed
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One partner is unwilling to participate, attend fully or participating under pressure, ultimatum, or without genuine willingness
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There is active risk that requires crisis-level intervention
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One or both partners are in an active mental health crisis that requires stabilization first
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Active substance use significantly interferes with emotional regulation or safety
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One partner feels the primary goal is to determine blame or convince the other partner to change
In these situations, alternative supports such as individual therapy, safety planning, or longer-term couples therapy may be more appropriate. Screening is used to ensure this work is done responsibly and with care.
All couples complete a screening and assessment process to ensure this format is appropriate and safe. If contraindications are identified during screening, alternative referrals or supports will be discussed.
Common Goals Of A Couples' Intensive
Couples often come to an intensive wanting to:
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De-escalate conflict and feel safer communicating
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Understand the deeper patterns driving disconnection
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Learn practical, research-based tools for repair and regulation
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Rebuild trust, emotional closeness, and mutual respect
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Clarify next steps for the relationship with honesty and care
Determinations regarding appropriateness are based on clinical judgment and ethical obligations under the OCSWSSW Standards of Practice.
What To Expect:
Structure of the Intensive
Phase One: Assessment & Preparation (Required)
Phase One occurs prior to the two-day intensive and includes:
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Completion of individual intake and screening questionnaires
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The Gottman Relationship Checkup
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Please see below**
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One individual session with each partner
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One couples goal-setting and feedback session
The purpose of this phase is to:
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Assess appropriateness and safety
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Identify strengths, stressors, and relationship patterns
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Clarify shared goals for the intensive
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Ensure informed consent for proceeding
Phase Two: Two-Day Couples Intensive
The two-day intensive focuses on therapeutic intervention rather than assessment and may include:
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Mapping conflict cycles and interaction patterns
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Emotion regulation and communication skills
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Repair after conflict
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Trust, friendship, and meaning-based work
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Integration of insights into daily life
Phase Three: Post-Intensive Integration
Following the intensive, couples receive:
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One follow-up integration session (typically 2–4 weeks post-intensive)
**The Gottman Relationship Checkup
As part of Phase One, couples complete The Gottman Relationship Checkup, a comprehensive, research-based assessment commonly used in couples therapy.
What to expect:
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Each partner completes the questionnaires individually and online
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The assessment explores areas such as friendship, communication, conflict, trust, intimacy, values, and stress
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It typically takes 60–90 minutes per person to complete in total
The assessment does not need to be completed in one sitting. You may pause, save your progress, and return to it as needed.
The results generate a detailed clinical report that helps identify relationship strengths, areas of concern, and patterns of interaction. This information is used by the therapist to inform assessment, goal-setting, and the structure of the couples intensive.
A summary of key themes and findings from the assessment will be shared and discussed during the couples feedback and goal-setting session. The full Gottman report is a clinical tool and is not typically provided as a take-home document, though insights and recommendations are integrated into therapy and post-intensive summaries.
What's Included:
Your 2‑Day Couples Intensive includes:
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Individual pre‑screening questionnaires
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Clinical review and preparation
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Gottman Relationship Checkup (assessment + interpretation)
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Gottman 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work Workbook
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Individual 50 minute intake sessions (as clinically indicated)
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80 minute couples intake and goal‑setting session
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Two full days of focused couples therapy grounded in the 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work (12 hours of therapy)
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One follow‑up integration session (within 2–4 weeks)
Assessment, preparation, and follow‑up are integral to the process and are not optional add‑ons. All appointments are booked at the time of the Intensive booking.
** Please note food, transportation and accommodations (if applicable) are not included.
Investment
$5000 CAD Weekday / $6500 CAD Weekend
$1000 (deposit at time of booking)
Couples' intensives are offered on a private‑pay basis. Receipts are issued by a Registered Social Worker (RSW). Insurance coverage varies by provider.
Deposit, Appropriateness & Cancellation Policy
Couples intensives require significant clinical assessment and preparation prior to the therapy days.
A $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required at booking. The remaining balance is due before Phase One begins.
If, during Phase One, the intensive is assessed as clinically inappropriate, the intensive will not proceed, % will be reimbursed and referrals will be provided if appropriate.
Fees retained reflect completed assessment, professional judgment, and preparation and are not refundable.
Decisions regarding appropriateness are based on clinical judgment and ethical obligations under the OCSWSSW Standards of Practice.
Client-Initiated Cancellation & Rescheduling
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The deposit covers assessment review, preparation, and scheduling and is non-refundable.
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Cancellations with 7+ days’ notice of the start of Phase One may apply the deposit to a future intensive book at the time of cancellation (one reschedule only).
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Cancellations within 7 days of the intensive are subject to full fee.
Therapist-Initiated Cancellation & Rescheduling
If the therapist must cancel due to illness, emergency, or other unforeseen circumstances, clients may choose:
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A full refund of fees paid for services not yet rendered, or
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To reschedule the intensive at a mutually agreed-upon time
Appropriateness Clause
If, during screening or intake, the intensive is determined to be clinically inappropriate, the assessment portion of the fee is retained and referrals will be provided.
This clause protects you ethically and financially.
Frequently Asked Questions...
What is a Couples Intensive?
A Couples Intensive is a focused, short-term therapy format designed to help couples address entrenched patterns, improve communication, and create meaningful change in a condensed period of time. Rather than spreading work over months, intensives allow couples to slow down, step out of daily stressors, and work deeply and intentionally on their relationship.
How is a Couples Intensive different from weekly couples therapy?
Weekly therapy often focuses on immediate concerns and progresses gradually. A couples intensive allows for:
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Sustained focus without interruptions
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Deeper pattern recognition
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Faster skill integration
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More momentum and clarity
Many couples use an intensive to supplement ongoing therapy or as a catalyst for change.
What is the Gottman Relationship Checkup and what should we expect?
The Gottman Relationship Checkup is a research-based assessment completed individually by each partner online.
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It typically takes 60–90 minutes per person to complete
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You can pause, save, and return to the assessment at any time
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It explores friendship, communication, conflict, trust, intimacy, values, and stress
The results generate a detailed clinical report used by the therapist to guide assessment, goal-setting, and the structure of the intensive.
A summary of key themes from the assessment is shared during the feedback and goal-setting session. The full report is a clinical tool and is not typically provided as a take-home document.
Why You Don’t “Cover Everything” In the Gottman 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work Workbook
“Why don’t we go through the entire Gottman workbook?”
Because depth creates change — not volume.
This intensive is intentionally curated, not comprehensive.
We focus on the most relevant principles and exercises based on your relationship dynamics, assessment results, and clinical judgment.
Covering everything would overwhelm and dilute impact.
Instead, we slow down and work deeply with what matters most for you.
How the Gottman Workbook Is Used
Couples receive and use:
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The official Gottman 7 Principles client workbook (licensed)
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Selected exercises guided by the therapist during the intensive
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Time to reflect, discuss, and integrate rather than rush through content
The workbook is:
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A tool, not the therapy itself
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Used collaboratively and selectively
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Yours to keep and continue using after the intensive
Do we each meet individually with the therapist?
Yes. As part of the required assessment phase, each partner participates in an individual 50 minute session. These sessions support safety, clarity, and appropriate treatment planning.
Couples therapy operates under a no-secrets policy, meaning information that materially impacts the relationship or the therapy process will be addressed transparently within the couples work.
What happens during the two-day intensive?
The two days focus on therapeutic intervention rather than assessment. Depending on your goals, sessions may include:
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Identifying and interrupting negative interaction cycles
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Emotion regulation and communication skills
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Repair after conflict
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Trust and intimacy work
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Clarifying shared meaning, values, and next steps
Breaks are built in to support regulation, reflection, and integration.
What Can We Expect To Leave With?
Couples typically leave the intensive with:
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A clear understanding of their relationship patterns
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Practical tools for managing conflict and repairing after disconnection
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Increased emotional safety and communication skills
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Clarity about next steps for the relationship
In addition, couples receive:
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Gottman 7 Principles to Making Marriage Work Workbook
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Additional handouts or PDFs considered to be relevant
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A post-intensive integration session to support application and maintenance of gains
Resources may include handouts or PDFs based on Gottman Method principles. Couples may also be encouraged to purchase Gottman books or materials independently if they wish to deepen their learning.
Will this save our relationship?
Couples' intensives are not about guaranteeing a particular outcome. The goal is to support clarity, repair, and informed decision-making. Some couples strengthen and recommit; others gain clarity about how to move forward with honesty and care.
Is a Couples Intensive right for everyone?
No. Couples intensives are not appropriate in situations involving ongoing violence, coercive control, active substance use that interferes with safety, acute mental health crises, or when one partner is unwilling to participate meaningfully.
Appropriateness is determined during the assessment phase based on clinical judgment and ethical standards.
Do we need ongoing therapy after the Intensive?
Some couples choose to continue with follow-up or ongoing therapy, while others use the intensive as a standalone intervention. Recommendations will be discussed during the integration phase based on your goals and needs.
