Couples Intensives (aka: Deep Dives)
Never a Dull Moment Together
Couple Intensives (which I like to call “Deep Dives”) can help you:
Repair what is not working in your relationship.
Reconnect emotionally, relationally, and physically with each other.
Learn how your individual attachment styles causes disconnection and lack of closeness/intimacy.
Learn about your partner’s attachment style and change how you relate to one other.
Communicate more effectively, including learning how to read your partner’s nonverbal behavior and how to work collaboratively.
Explore and change how you navigate and manage aging parents, children, work, money, etc..
Form agreements based on mutuality, collaboration, fairness, justice, and sensitivity.
Resolve ongoing conflicts and learn how to fight well.
Move towards secure-functioning with your partner.
Reduce anger, disagreements, resentment, and withdrawal.
Begin to heal broken trust and rebuild safety.
Put the romance and passion back into your relationship.
FAQ’S:
Couples Intensives are perfect for couples that:
Want to get a jumpstart on couple's therapy by "pre-loading" the initial assessment and information gathering sessions so that "the work" can begin.
Don’t have the time/availability to commit to weekly therapy sessions.
Want to get a lot of work accomplished in a relatively short period of time.
Are highly motivated to work on their relationship and eager to get started.
Are already working with a couples therapist but want specific tools for navigating sex and intimacy.
Don't have access to a specialist in their local area.
Couples intensives can be extremely helpful under certain circumstances, but intensives should not be a replacement for ongoing therapy. The shorter and more intense the length of treatment, the more it should be regarded as consultation/coaching and not therapy. If you are not in a state that I am licensed in, it is my preference that you have a couples therapist in your home town for continued support. Alternatively, I can provide follow-up sessions in-person or online.
What happens at an intensive? What will we talk about?
I do not use a set template for intensives. The intensive content will be designed based on your unique needs as a couple and focus on whatever is most important to you. I will help you learn how to communicate and connect with your partner in a new and powerful way.
Are we a good candidate for a couples intensive?
You are a great candidate for an intensive if:
You are interested in learning more about yourself and your relationship.
You are motivated to gain new skills and learn new tools that you can begin using immediately.
You love each other and are invested in figuring out how to have the best relationship and life together.
An intensive is probably NOT the right choice at this time if:
Either or both partners are struggling with the following concerns:
Major issues with drugs/alcohol.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (untreated).
History of intimate partner violence.
Major psychiatric illness (e.g., schizophrenia).
Active suicidality or any other danger to self/danger to others.
If there is an undisclosed, current affair.
If you and your partner do not have the same goals for therapy (e.g., one partner wants to work on the relationship and the other partner does not).
You are in the midst of crisis and being in the same room for an extended period of time is too triggering (e.g., unable to be civil with one another).
What is the schedule for the intensive?
Intensives are commonly scheduled for 1-5 consecutive days for about 3-4 hours per day. Length of sessions are shortened/lengthened depending on the couples specific needs.
The intensive is designed to allow plenty of time between sessions for rest and reconnection. Most couples do not benefit from marathon sessions. There will be enough unstructured time to let the counseling session sink in and give you a chance to spend the rest of the day experiencing each other in a new way.
Prior to the Intensive:
The couple will participate in a ~20 minute consultation with me to discuss goals for the intensive and for me to answer any questions about the process. I will also assess appropriateness for the intensive and make referrals to other therapeutic services if an intensive is not appropriate at this time.
Each partner will fill out the Gottman Relationship Checkup, an online assessment tool composed of 480 questions. The results of this assessment will provide me with insight into your thoughts on friendship, intimacy, conflict, finances, children, trust, commitment, drug and alcohol screenings, and individual issues that can put a relationship at risk.
Will all of our problems be solved at the intensive?
No, but wouldn't that be lovely! You should walk away from the intensive with tools for better understanding your relationship and each other.
Where does the intensive take place?
We will meet online or a location of your choosing (**)
**Some couples prefer to combine the intensive experience with a favorite vacation or retreat spot. Dr. P. can travel and meet the couple at the location of their choosing (**Additonal fees apply).
Where should I stay during the intensive?
It is highly recommended that couples stay in a nearby hotel OR Airbnb over the course of the intensive, rather than returning home between sessions. Creating space between the familiarity and stress of your everyday home life will help facilitate deeper focus/attention, uninterrupted connection, processing, and needed rest/relaxation.
That being said, many couples choose to stay at home. If you decide to stay at home, I recommend that you spend your afternoon and evenings as if you were staying in a hotel in another city. This means that instead of returning home immediately after session, you should instead explore the city, go for a walk, choose a new restaurant to try, schedule a couple's massage, and/or see a movie. It is not to your benefit during the intensive to use your time to do chores, check your work email, pay bills, tend to the kids, and/or do separate activities. This intensive experience is about spending time focused on YOU as a couple.
How much does an intensive cost?
Please contact me for rates. Additional fees apply for weekends, in-person, and location-specific intensives.
Intensives are paid for in advance and are refunded at 80% with 30 days notice; 50% refundable with 2 weeks notice, and not refunded if cancelled within two weeks of intensive date.
Do you accept insurance?
Unfortunately, insurance does not cover couples intensives.
What are some tips to make the intensive most impactful? or How can we get the most out of the intensive?
Allow yourself to disengage as much as possible from every day realities (e.g., work, chores, and childcare) during the intensive – make this time about you and your partner.
Have a couples therapist already scheduled for AFTER the intensive experience.
Prior to the intensive, think carefully about what is and is not working in your relationship and have some goals in mind for the intensive.
Come with an open mind and an open heart, ready to engage fully in the experience.
Maintaining a healthy relationship is one of the hardest things that we will ever do. We often wish that it would be easy and uncomplicated, but it rarely is. Even for the most skilled of us. Throughout the intensive, remember to show both you and your partner kindness and grace - this is new and can be difficult. You have both have chosen to participate in an intensive because you want something better for your relationship- you are trying and that is an amazing first step.
Weekly couples/relationship counseling is also available. Click here for more information.
Contact:
Kelifern Pomeranz, Psy.D., CST
Fill out the form on "Appointments" page
Locations:
Therapy: California, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Coaching: Worldwide
All sessions (with the exception of boutique therapy) are conducted via HIPAA-compliant video platform.
© Kelifern Pomeranz, Psy.D. All rights reserved.