Relationship Intensives vs. Traditional Counseling: Why 50 Minutes Isn't Always Enough

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

While insurance is vital for medical access, it comes with a major downside for couples in crisis: it dictates the "dose" of your healing. Most insurance providers only cover 50-minute sessions once a week.

When you are in the middle of a relationship crisis—dealing with deep wounds, constant conflict, or the terrifying feeling that your partnership is at a breaking point—waiting seven days for another 50-minute "check-in" feels like trying to put out a forest fire with a garden hose.

Why Time is of the Essence

Research shows that the average couple waits almost three years from the moment they need help to the moment they actually reach out (Doherty et al., 2021). By the time most couples walk into an office, they are hurting and exhausted. They don't just need a conversation; they need a breakthrough.

Relationship Intensives are designed to provide that jump-start. By moving away from the "once-a-week" model, Intensives allow for 90 minutes to multiple days of concentrated work. It is a research-backed way to achieve months of progress in a matter of days.

3 Reasons to Choose a Relationship Intensive

1. Jumpstart Your Healing

In traditional counseling, the "getting to know you" phase can take weeks. You spend the first three sessions just completing assessments and creating a treatment plan before you ever touch the root cause of your pain.

In an Intensive, we condense that entire process into a single day. We move past the surface-level "weekly updates" and dive straight into skill-building, communication exercises, and deep healing. What typically takes a year of weekly appointments can be transformed into a single weekend of breakthrough moments.

2. Save Time and Money

At first glance, an Intensive seems like a significant upfront investment. However, when you look at the long-term return on investment, the math changes.

Traditional therapy involves "warm-up" and "cool-down" time every single week. You spend the first 10 minutes catching up and the last 10 minutes wrapping up, leaving only 30 minutes for real work. Intensives eliminate this overhead. By addressing issues in a concentrated period with a personalized, comprehensive plan, you achieve faster gains and require fewer total hours in therapy—saving you both money and months of emotional distress.

3. Create Change That Actually Lasts

The biggest risk in therapy isn't failing to make progress—it’s failing to maintain it.

A landmark study (Boegner & Zielenbach-Coenen, 1984) compared three groups: weekly therapy, intensive "marathon" therapy, and no treatment. The results were clear: The Intensive group significantly outperformed the weekly group. Not only did they make more progress, but they also maintained their goals far better when tested eight months later.

In my experience, weekly sessions often lead to "relapse" because the momentum is broken every six days. Intensives provide the immersive environment needed to rewire your communication styles and create a "new normal" that sticks long after the session ends.

Are Relationship Intensives Right for You?

If you are ready to stop "circling the drain" and start the real work of transformation, I am here to help. Let’s get you off the treadmill of weekly therapy and on the path toward a happy relationship and a healthy sex life.

I’m happy to answer your questions and help you decide if an Intensive is the right fit for your relationship. 

Sources:

• Bradbury, T. (1987). Assessing the effects of behavioral marital therapy. Clinical Psychology Review.

• Doherty, W. J., et al. (2021). How long do people wait before seeking Couples Therapy? Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.