Relationship Intensives vs. Relationship Counseling: What’s the Difference?

The standard relationship counseling session is precisely 50 minutes.  Why?  The unfortunate but very true reason is: insurance.

Insurance can be a wonderful thing because it allows us to get the medical services we need but (as you may know) has some downsides, such as dictating the duration of services.  On top of that, insurance generally only covers sessions up to once a week.

When we’re in the midst of a relationship crisis – when we have wounds that we need to heal, when we’re dealing with constant conflict and hurt in our relationships, and when we’re at the breaking point and wondering if our relationship is soon ending – once a week for 50 minutes might not be enough.

Research tells us that the average relationship waits almost three years from the point where they need the counseling to the point where they actually reach out for services (Doherty et al., 2021).  When we’re in crisis and hurting, time is of the essence – more time gives us the ability to get to the root cause of the issues, work on skills building, and move more quickly toward healing.

Relationship Intensives are a jump-start toward your healing and getting the relationship on a healthy track.  Supported by research, Relationship Intensives are a concentrated form of therapy for your relationship to achieve what would typically take months or years in a matter of days or weeks.  Whereas a traditional relationship session lasts 50 minutes and can only be held once a week, Intensives last two hours or more and can be scheduled in a matter of days.

Here are 3 Reasons to Choose Relationship Intensives Instead of Traditional Therapy:

1. Jumpstart Your Healing

Relationship Intensives allow for significant progress in a short amount of time.

In traditional counseling, there’s a process – it can take up to two to three sessions to complete the assessment and create a treatment plan before we can get to the root of what’s going on.  However, all of this can be accomplished in as little as one Relationship Intensive – then, we can move directly into skill-building, communication exercises, and healing.  What would typically take months or years can be accomplished in days or weeks by choosing Relationship Intensives.  Intensives also allow for deeper exploration of the issues at hand, breakthrough moments, and true transformation.

2. Save Time and Money

While Relationship Intensives may seem like a significant investment up front, it can save you time and money in the long run.

Since we will be addressing issues over a concentrated period of time combined with a personalized, comprehensive plan, relationships can learn to resolve issues more quickly and effectively than in traditional weekly therapy.  Faster gains mean less hours in therapy overall, and lower cost, with lasting results.

3. Create Lasting Change

A research study in 1984 showed the effectiveness of Intensives by comparing 3 couples therapy groups: 1) A group that received 14 sessions of couples therapy on a weekly basis; 2) A second group which received 14 hours of couples therapy in a shorter amount of time (i.e., Intensives or Marathon Therapy); and 3) A group which received no treatment at all (Boegner & Zielenbach-Coenen, 1984).

The results – Group #2 outperformed the other two groups since they had made greater progress on their treatment goals and maintained their goals far better than the others when tested 8 months after the treatment.

In my experience, too many relationships attend counseling and make wonderful changes, only to return to their former behaviors and communication styles within a year or two after the completion of therapy.  As the study above points out, Relationship Intensives are a transformative tool that can avoid the relapse and instead help you gain the results you want and create lasting change.  

Are Relationship Intensives Right for You?

Click here to schedule a free 15-minute consultation -- I’m happy to answer all of your questions and help you decide if Intensives are right for you.  Let’s get you on the path toward happy relationships and healthy sex.

Sources:

Bradbury, T. (1987). Assessing the effects of behavioral marital therapy: Assumptions and Measurement Strategies. Clinical Psychology Review, 7(5), 525–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-7358(87)90042-0

Doherty, W. J., Harris, S. M., Hall, E. L., & Hubbard, A. K. (2021). How long do people wait before seeking Couples Therapy? A research note. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 47(4), 882–890. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12479