Intensive Couples Therapy
in person in Tacoma | online in Portland, OR
Save your relationship over the weekend.
Because weekly therapy is too slow for a relationship on its last legs.
You’re here because your spouse just asked you for a divorce—or you’re reeling from the revelation of infidelity.
When your relationship is in crisis, what you do next—and when—really matters. You might need emergency intervention right now, or your weekly couple therapy just isn’t getting to the heart of the matter. You’re tired of “fight of the week” therapy. You need to go deeper to understand how the two of you got yourselves into the mess you’re in now.
You need to start feeling better immediately. It’s time to stop the hemorrhaging and start the healing.
Underneath all of the hurt, there’s a deep love and connection that keeps you together. You’re here because you’re ready to rediscover and fight to renew that feeling. With intensive therapy, you can stabilize your current relationship crisis, dig deeper to the underlying issues which caused the crisis, and start to feel better. You can walk out ready to do weekly therapy, knowing that it’s working, rather than using it as a band-aid for the hurt you can’t get to.
How It Works
Portland Couples Intensives are a form of therapy designed to supercharge your progress in just one weekend.
Typically spanning over one or two days, we’ll engage in immersive and concentrated sessions that allow us to go deep and create meaningful change quickly. Some couples won’t succeed without immediate help, now—starting with weekly therapy could mean the end of their relationship as they continue to hurt and hurt each other, without a sign of hope.
Choosing to engage in Portland couples intensive therapy is an act of prioritizing your relationship in a time of crisis.
During the couples intensive, we'll focus on your and your partner’s current experiences and challenges, using a blend of therapeutic approaches including PACT and ISTDP. Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) is a method that uses a psychobiologically informed, mindful approach to resolving conflict to help relationships grow. Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is a dynamic and focused approach that emphasizes the exploration and resolution of unconscious emotional conflicts.
There will be opportunity for a one-on-one session with each of you, but most of the process will be with you, your partner, and myself. This is a space where we need to be 100% real with each other, so we won’t be shying away from feelings or reactions. I’ll encourage you both to bring whatever messes or struggles you have and be there to meet you with compassion, honesty, and focus.
The Schedule
Here’s a brief overview of what a 1 or 2 day couple intensive looks like:
Day 1 (6.5 hours) | $3,250
9:00am - 10:30am
Goal setting and structure for the weekend.
10:30am - 12:00pm
Couple session to stabilize the current conflict and begin to unpack the root cause of relationship conflict.
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Lunch break to recharge and reflect.
1:30pm - 4:30pm
Joint couple session to continue working on relationship dynamics and develop shared accountability for the cause of relationship challenges.
4:30pm - 5:00pm
Feedback discussion and plan for the next day. For couples only doing a 1 day intensive, I will give you a written summary of what we’ve covered and your homework.
Day 2 (6 hours) | $3,000
9:00am - 10:30AM
An individual session for one partner to understand their internal conflict leading to relationship conflict.
10:30am - 12:00pm
Second individual session focused on self-awareness of unconscious internal conflicts feeding relationship conflict.
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Lunch break to rest and regroup.
1:30pm - 4:00pm
Final couple session to integrate each individual’s understanding of how their disowned internal conflicts drive relationship issues, and to work on the relationship with a deeper understanding.
4:00pm - 4:30pm
We discuss feedback about the day and the impact of the weekend as a whole, recap what you learned and discuss next steps. You will leave with a written summary of what we’ve covered and what you will practice at home.
I can handle your fights and I’ll teach you how to handle them, too.
While the process is often intense and challenging, the results are profound. Many couples experience emotional breakthroughs and a renewed sense of connection by the end of their online Portland marriage intensive. Whether you're seeking to save your marriage, repair after infidelity, or simply gain a better understanding of yourselves and each other, couple intensives offer a powerful opportunity for accelerated growth and healing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Portland Couples Therapy Intensives
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Couples intensives benefit couples who want rapid change and are willing to put in the effort. This isn’t a place where you or your partner “get fixed,” or for those who are making any sort of concrete plans to end their relationship (i.e. dividing assets, divorce attorney, etc.). Intensives are about putting your relationship first, requiring accountability from both partners, a belief in your ability to change together, and a willingness to dive in with both feet. Schedule an intake appointment with me here to get started and make sure a Portland couples intensive is right for you.
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Yes, relationships with a history of DV or IPV may be fit for a Portland intensive and are welcome in this process. If there are current or recent episodes, it may require additional screening and cost for screening upfront. I’m always willing to connect and answer further questions, so feel free to schedule an intake appointment here.
Many couple therapists will turn couples with a previous or recent history of DV away, based on an outdated understanding of physical violence in relationships and folk wisdom passed down in graduate programs for counselors, or due to their own personal preference. However, new research about the presence of physical violence in relationships differentiates Situational Couple Violence (SCV) from Intimate Terrorism (IT). SCV is driven by big emotions due to unmet attachment needs and is a co-created escalating interaction. IT is a relationship dynamic where one partner attempts to dominate, control and scare their partner into submission, and is present outside of episodes of conflict. -
Intensives can be as short as 3-4 hours and as long as 1 or 2 days. I also offer mini-intensives that are 4 hours long. Schedule an intake appointment with me here so that we can discuss what would be the best fit for your relationship.
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No. Couples intensives are held in person in my office over the weekend and online for residents of Washington, Oregon and Utah. You must be located in one of these states at the time of service.
My office is located at:
4041 Ruston Way, Suite 202
Tacoma, WA 98407
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I am not an In Network provider with any insurance.
You will need to check with your insurance regarding Out of Network benefits. You are responsible for the fee whether your insurance reimburses you or not. I will give you a superbill upon request, diagnosing Z63.0-relationship issues and billing service code 90847, family therapy with the patient present. Check with your insurance company regarding reimbursement for those specific diagnosis and service codes. I do not diagnose individuals when doing couples therapy.
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Intake Appointment for 1 & 2 Day Intensives (100 minutes): $800
1 Day Intensive (6.5 hours): $3,250
2 Day Intensive (12.5 hours): $6,250
Mini Intensive (4 hours): $2,000
Once you book an intensive with me, half of the total will be due as a booking fee upfront and the remainder 14 days in advance. There are no cancellations. Reschedules may be possible in the case of an emergency, for up to 4 weeks after the original date.
Choosing to invest in an intensive isn't just about the money — it's about showing up for your relationship in a big way. Trust me, the payoff is worth much more than dollars and cents. You'll come out of it with a deeper connection, clearer communication, and a renewed sense of partnership that can carry you through whatever life throws your way.
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Yes. Before getting started, we'll have a 100 minute intake appointment to ensure we're the right fit and to prepare you for the intensive by discussing any specific concerns you have, as well as developing goals for the intensive. Cases with more severe distress, including DV/IPV, may require an additional assessment. Before the intensive, I am happy to consult with current medical or mental health providers, including current couple therapists, individual therapists, psychiatrists, etc. Schedule an intake appointment here.
If you do not want to schedule an intake appointment before your intensive and prefer to just dive in, I am happy to work with you without an intake appointment. It is not required.
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If you would like to continue working with me on a weekly or biweekly basis, I am happy to do so if I have availability on my calendar. If I do not have space to see you, I will offer referrals for a therapist in your area and can give them a recap of what you’ve worked on once you establish a relationship with a weekly therapist.
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Yes! I am happy to coordinate with your weekly therapist before and after your intensive about what you’re currently working on and a follow-up on what you both accomplished during your Portland couples intensive.
