Intensives

The “I do!” Package: 1-Day Premarital Intensive - Give yourselves the BEST start possible! In this 6-hour premarital session packed with EFFECTIVE relationship skills

Did you know couples who engage in premarital counseling are 30 percent less likely to divorce within the first five years, according to the Journal of Family Psychology?

Marriage expert John Gottman also emphasizes that therapy is particularly effective when approached from a positive state of mind. From this foundation, couples can strengthen fondness and admiration - key elements of a fulfilling and enduring relationship.

Beginning your marriage on the right foot with your partner can spare you years of conflict and potential therapy down the road. A powerful way to achieve this is through a one-day premarital counseling intensive.

This private intensive offers you and your fiancé dedicated, uninterrupted time to focus solely on each other, guided by an experienced couples therapist over the course of a day. No distractions—no work, no family, and no to-do lists.

With the support of a seasoned expert, you’ll have the opportunity to consciously envision your shared future. To skillfully balance the wisdom of your love with research and practicality, allowing you to build a solid marital foundation from day one. The process is designed to create a safe space where you can be vulnerable, challenge assumptions, and grow together as a couple.

Your therapist will provide valuable feedback, expertise, and personalized guidance, drawing on their experience working with couples. In just 1 day, you’ll gain the equivalent of a over a full month’s worth of weekly therapy!

couple looking in to each other eyes in a field.

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The couple will receive the following:

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  • 6 hours of skill-building to learn how to prevent future relationship issues based on Gottman’s Sound Relationship House.

  • Receive a tailored roadmap for your relationship using a Gottman assessment, enhancing your understanding of each other’s needs and dreams.

  • Learn how to discuss problems and issues and get closer at the same time, including topics such as finances, extended family, household chores and outside stressors.

  • Understand the importance of taking breaks when emotionally overwhelmed and how to make repairs in your relationship.

  • Learn how to keep having fun and stay emotionally engaged with rituals of connection.

  • Discover how to communicate about intimacy and romance and meet each other’s needs in this area.

  • Learn the art of compromise and how to honor your partner’s dreams.

  • Learn how to stay connected and engaged in your relationship through the invaluable Gottman’s State of the Union meeting.

  • Walk away with proven, research-backed skills on how to keep your relationship strong and connected well past the “honeymoon stage.”

  • Digital tools to keep as reminders of concepts learned and exercises you can use to continue to foster your relationship moving forward!

Come to an intensive led by a therapist in the leading evidence-based model in couples’ therapy: Gottman Method Couples Therapy! This model has the highest success rate of any couples therapy approach hands-down, the Gottman Method stands out with over 35 years of research on more than 3000 couples.

This program is 3 hours with an hour lunch break followed by 3 more hours of Gottman tools

You can also choose to do this program once a week for 6 weeks if you prefer!

Not sure if the pre-marital intensive is right for you and your fiancé?

We also offer weekly premarital counseling  sessions.

The Half Day Intake Intensive

Jumpstart your therapy!

One of the core assumptions of Couple’s Intensive Therapy comes from research showing that when couples experience the same number of hours of therapy, but grouped most of them at the beginning of therapy, and then faded out at the end, there was a much larger positive effect from the experience, and significantly less relapse eight months later than standard weekly therapy. 

Ideal for couples who want a quick start to the weekly therapy process as it combines all aspects of our assessment process, including: 

  • Oral History of the Relationship

  • Couple’s assessment

  • Individual interviews for each partner

  • Treatment plan prepared by a Certified Gottman Couples Therapist

  • Feedback session with psychoeducation on Gottman’s Sound Relationship House

  • Conflict conversation observation and feedback with introduction to Conflict Management Skills

Please let me know if you have any questions.  I am available for a free 20 minute consultation if you would prefer to talk or have additional questions. 

couple in black and white leaning into each other touch foreheads.

What type of couples are intensives designed for?

  • Couples who are invested in doing work to improve their relationship and want to make changes quickly

  • Couples who struggle with setting aside time for weekly appointments

  • Couples who have experienced a crisis and need to rapidly shift gears in their relationship

  • Couples where one partner travels for work

Do you work with all types of couples?

We work with all types of couples. This includes couples married long term or newlyweds, LGBTQ+ or straight.  

What can I expect with the intake intensive?

Before the first session:

Once an intensive session is booked, the process starts immediately with a confidential online questionnaire completed by each partner.  The assessment is a tool created by The Gottman Institute.  It illuminates the dynamics of the relationship, highlighting the strengths and areas of concern, as well as what the hopes are for counseling.

During the intake intensive:

The day of the intake intensive, you both will meet with your therapist to talk about the history of your relationship, detailing the twists and turns that helped you arrive at the current state of concern.  Your therapist will then see you each individually.  Afterwards. your therapist will share all that she has learned in your couples meeting, on-line assessments and individual sessions to talk with you about your relationship strengths and areas of concern. She will discuss the goals for therapy and explain the process of Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Gottman’s Sound Relationship House. She will also observe you both having a conflict conversation that will give her insight into areas of stuckness when it comes to communication and managing conflict. The day ends with an introduction to Conflict Management skills, including Gottman’s 4 Horsemen and Flooding.

After the intensive:

After the conclusion of the intensive therapy session, you will be encouraged to schedule ongoing weekly or bi-weekly therapy sessions. Typically course of treatment for our couples is 12 sessions to assure the benefits are maintained,although this may vary depending on what issues you bring to therapy.

Online Thearpy Sessions Available

14701 Detroit Ave.

Lakewood OH 44107

Suite 775

Phone number: 216-512-3052

From the East

  • I-90 W/OH-2 W in Bratenahl from Doan Ave, Hayden Ave and Taft Ave

  • Continue to Cleveland

  • Follow US-20 W/US-6 W to Detroit Ave in Lakewood

From the West

  • OH-176 N from Brookpark Rd

  • Continue on OH-176 N. Take I-90 W to W 140th St. Take exit 165B from I-90 W

  • Take Bunts Rd to Detroit Ave in Lakewood