Focused In-person therapy for couples in columbia, MD
Couples Intensives in Columbia, MD
Two focused days to slow down, reconnect, and begin moving toward each other again.
Why wait to feel closer?
You’ve probably been thinking about couples therapy for a while now. Maybe you’ve even tried weekly sessions, but progress feels slow, and it hasn’t added up to the change you were hoping for.
Waiting rarely creates closeness on its own.
It may not feel quite bad enough to do something drastic like a retreat, but waiting won’t make things better. An intensive gives you the space to start shifting things now.
You don’t have to wait for a crisis
Many couples choose an intensive before things are unbearable, not because they’ve given up, but because they want more. More safety. More connection. More time together that actually counts.
You’re in the right place.
Two days of focused therapy can give you the momentum weekly sessions often can’t.
What is a couples intensive?
A couples intensive is a concentrated form of therapy designed to give you and your partner the time and space you need to focus fully on your relationship. Instead of meeting week after week in shorter sessions, you set aside two full days to slow down, step out of the daily cycle, and really dig into what’s happening between you.
In our work together, I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), one of the most effective, research-backed approaches for couples. EFT helps you see and interrupt the negative patterns that keep pulling you apart, uncover the raw spots beneath the arguments, and practice new ways of reaching for each other when emotions feel overwhelming.
An intensive doesn’t replace the steady growth of weekly therapy, but it can help you get unstuck, build momentum, and leave with a clearer path forward. It’s a way to begin feeling safer and more connected with each other, without waiting months to experience progress.
A couples intensive can help you:
Understand what’s fueling your recurring arguments
Begin repairing old wounds with compassion and clarity
Practice communicating in ways that create safety and connection
Rediscover closeness, even in moments of tension
How the Intensive Is Structured
Before we meet in person, each partner will complete a 60–75 minute individual Zoom session.
These sessions allow us to explore attachment history, identify sensitive areas, and clarify goals so that our two in-person days can focus on meaningful movement rather than background gathering.
Individual sessions are typically scheduled 1–3 weeks before the intensive.
A Sample Two-Day Structure
Every couple’s intensive is tailored to your relationship. Most follow a structure similar to this.
We meet for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon each day, with a break in between. This pacing allows us to slow down, stay regulated, and go deep without becoming overwhelmed.
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Morning (2 hours): Understanding What’s Happening Between You
We’ll begin by mapping the negative cycle that keeps pulling you into the same arguments or disconnections. Together, we’ll clarify what happens step by step — who moves first, who withdraws, what emotions are underneath the reactions.
The goal is not to assign blame, but to see the pattern clearly so it becomes something you face together rather than something that controls you.
Afternoon (2 hours): Accessing What’s Underneath
In the afternoon, we begin slowing down live moments between you. We’ll gently explore the emotions and needs beneath defensiveness, shutdown, or anger, and begin experimenting with new ways of responding in real time.
This is where many couples begin to experience a different kind of conversation — one that feels more honest and less reactive.
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Day two builds on the clarity gained in the first day. Rather than following a rigid structure, we’ll focus on what feels most alive and most needed in your relationship.
Morning (2 hours): Working With What Emerges
We’ll continue exploring the cycle as it shows up in the room. This may involve revisiting vulnerable moments, clarifying misunderstandings, or helping one partner stay engaged when things feel intense.
The focus is on creating greater emotional safety and helping you respond to each other in ways that feel more secure and steady.
Afternoon (2 hours + wrap-up): Strengthening the Shift
In the final session, we consolidate what has shifted. We’ll identify what felt different, what felt meaningful, and what still feels tender.
We’ll end with a clear plan for next steps — whether that means ongoing therapy, follow-up sessions, or structured ways to continue building on the momentum from the intensive.
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Fill Out the Inquiry Form
gStart by filling out a short form to let me know a little about you and your partner. This helps me get a sense of your goals and make sure a couples intensive is the right fit. It is quick, simple, and the first step toward creating change together.
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Meet for a Free 30 Minute Virtual Consult
Next, we will meet for a free 30 minute virtual consultation. This is a chance for both of you to share what you are hoping for, ask questions, and see how the intensive could serve your relationship. Couples often say that just talking openly about their hopes for the process brings new clarity and relief.
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Book the Intensive and Show Up
If we all agree that a couples intensive is the best next step, we will schedule your two days and take care of the details. On the days of your intensive, all you need to do is show up as you are with your honesty, your hopes, and your willingness to engage. I will guide you through the process, helping you slow down, organize what is happening between you, and create new opportunities to connect.
What you’ll take away from a couples intensive
✓ Break free from negative cycles
✓ Communicate in ways that feel safe and connecting
✓ Rebuild trust and closeness
✓ Leave with a clear plan to keep growing together
You don’t have to wait months to feel a shift.
Is a Couples Intensive Right for Us?
A Good Fit If You:
Feel more like roommates than partners and want to feel close again
Keep finding yourselves in the same arguments that never get resolved
Have busy schedules that make weekly therapy hard to keep consistent
Want a reset or a jump-start to therapy when progress has felt slow
Are both motivated to work on your relationship and open to trying something new
Not a Good Fit If You:
Are in the middle of an active affair
Are struggling with untreated addiction
Do not feel physically or emotionally safe being in the same room together
Have “mixed agendas” (one partner wants to work on the relationship and the other does not)
Are separated — this can be considered on a case-by-case basis, but it usually isn’t the best setting for an intensive
Not sure where you fall? That’s completely normal. We’ll talk it through during your free consultation and decide together if a couples intensive is the right next step for you.
faqs
Other intensive questions? I’ve got answers.
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Weekly therapy is where the deepest, most lasting changes usually take hold. An intensive doesn’t replace that — but it can give you concentrated time to get unstuck or reset when weekly sessions feel too short or too spread out.
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Not every situation is right for this format. Intensives are not recommended if there is an active affair, untreated addiction, concerns about emotional or physical safety, or “mixed agendas” (one partner wants to work on the relationship and the other does not). Couples who are separated are considered on a case-by-case basis, but usually this isn’t the best format.
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Not at all. Some couples come in crisis, but many choose an intensive because they want to reconnect, strengthen their bond, or carve out focused time for their relationship.
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That’s one of the most common concerns I hear. The good news is that EFT is designed for exactly this. You don’t have to arrive knowing how to talk about your feelings. My role is to help you both feel safe enough to share at your own pace and to organize what’s happening emotionally so it feels less overwhelming.
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There are no quick fixes in couples therapy. Every couple’s journey is unique. EFT has three stages: slowing down the negative cycle, deeper bonding work, and then maintenance. In a two-day intensive, most couples stay in Stage 1, where you’ll work on creating more safety and clarity. Many couples leave with a renewed sense of hope and a roadmap for what’s next.
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Some couples continue with regular weekly therapy (with me or another therapist). Others schedule occasional check-ins as needed. We’ll talk together about what makes the most sense for your relationship moving forward.
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No. This is private therapy — just you, your partner, and me. It’s not a group or a retreat.
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The intensive includes two individual 60–75 minute virtual preparation sessions (one for each partner) and two in-person intensive days. Each in-person day consists of a two-hour morning session and a two-hour afternoon session with a break in between.
The preparation sessions allow us to explore attachment history and clarify goals so that our in-person time can focus fully on meaningful movement.
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A 2-Day EFT Couples Intensive is $2800. A 50% deposit is required to reserve your spot, with the balance due before the first day.
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No. Because couples therapy is not typically reimbursed by insurance — and intensives are a specialized service — these sessions are self-pay. Some couples use HSA or FSA accounts to cover the cost, and I can provide documentation if needed.