Does weekly therapy feel like it isn't enough?
- Fifty minutes never seems long enough for both of you to say what matters, so you leave mid-thought.
- Your schedules make a weekly standing appointment feel like one more chore.
- Things are painful now and you cannot wait months for change.
- You like the idea of concentrated, focused work.
In an intensive, we use extended sessions to slow down your conflict cycle, understand what each of you is protecting, and practice new ways of reaching for each other, with room to finish what we start.
What an intensive can offer
- Relief from conflict and emotional distance in days instead of months
- Less disruption: no weekly time off work or repeated childcare
- A shift from anger to connection that can last
- A clear plan for what comes next, including follow-up sessions if you want them
What's included
Intake together
We clarify what you want and what we'll focus on.
Individual sessions
One-on-one time with each of you to understand your history.
Extended couples sessions
Long blocks of Emotionally Focused Therapy, with breaks built in.
What a day looks like
Intensive days run about 6 to 8 hours, with a lunch break and rest breaks built in. Your evenings are your own: time to recoup, go on a date, or explore Bend.
Make it a getaway in Bend
Bend is a place people travel to in order to slow down. Between sessions you can ski at Mt. Bachelor, ride mountain bike trails, float the Deschutes River, or simply rest. I schedule intensives flexibly, so you can plan around your trip. Couples are welcome from anywhere in the U.S.; Oregon law requires you to be in Oregon during our sessions. Leave room in your schedule for rest and enjoyable, gentle activity.
Is an intensive right for us?
Intensives work best when both partners want to work on the relationship together. They are not a fit if there is an ongoing affair, if there is current intimate partner violence, or if you cannot be in a room together without conflict escalating. Not sure? Call me and we will talk it through, and I will help you find other options if this isn't the right time.
Intensive FAQs
How long are the days?
Intensive days run about 6 to 8 hours, with a lunch break and rest breaks built in. Your evenings are free to rest, go on a date, or explore Bend.
What is a couples therapy intensive?
It is a block of extended sessions, a day or two instead of weekly 50-minute visits, so you can work through a pattern from start to finish without stopping every hour and waiting a week.
Who is an intensive good for?
Couples who feel stuck, who cannot fit weekly appointments into busy lives, who are in pain and need help soon, who are preparing for a big life change, or who want to add depth to ongoing therapy.
Can we travel to Bend from out of state?
Yes. Oregon law requires you to be physically in Oregon during our sessions, so coming to Bend works well. Many couples enjoy turning it into a short getaway for their relationship.
Are intensives offered online?
Yes, if you live in Oregon, though many couples find the change of scenery in Bend part of the benefit.
When are intensives offered?
I schedule intensives flexibly around your availability and travel plans. Call or email to find dates that work.
How much do intensives cost, and does insurance help?
Pricing depends on the length of the intensive and is different from weekly sessions. Call or email for current rates and how insurance may apply.
How do we get started?
Call or email for a free consultation. If an intensive seems right, we pick dates and I send a short set of questionnaires for each of you to complete beforehand.
As with any therapy, results are not guaranteed. Intensives can be emotionally tiring, so plan for rest.