Couples Therapy Intensives

A couples therapy intensive consists of 12 hours of focused work over two consecutive days. This format is suited to couples in crisis, experiencing high conflict, or requiring concentrated attention to relational patterns following betrayal or significant injury.

Intensives address what weekly sessions sometimes cannot: the need for sustained focus without interruption, the urgency of acute relational difficulty, or the momentum required to work through entrenched attachment injuries.

This is not accelerated therapy. It is intensive engagement with relational patterns that require concentrated time and attention.

Format and Structure

12 hours over two consecutive days — 6 hours per day, held in person in Bristol or at select UK locations.

The intensive includes joint couples sessions, individual sessions with each partner, and structured work addressing attachment patterns, conflict cycles, and relational injuries. Breaks and lunch are incorporated each day.

Pre-intensive questionnaires are completed by each partner one week prior. These inform the therapeutic focus and allow for preparation.

What the Work Addresses

Intensives are suited to couples experiencing:

• High-conflict patterns and escalating arguments

• Recovery from infidelity or betrayal (when the affair has ended)

• Severe emotional distance or attachment-based disconnection

• Attachment injuries and relational ruptures that remain unprocessed

• Recurring cycles that haven’t shifted through previous therapy or effort

• Intense relational emotions (anger, jealousy, shutdown) that overwhelm weekly work

The format provides containment for couples whose difficulties require more than weekly 80-minute sessions can accommodate, whether due to severity, urgency, or the need for uninterrupted therapeutic focus.

When Intensives are Not Appropriate

Intensives are not suitable when:

• Infidelity is ongoing

• Active domestic abuse or intimate partner violence is present

• Untreated mental health concerns or active addiction are present

• Separation is already legally or emotionally finalised

• Either partner is unwilling to engage with the process

The consultation process establishes whether intensive work is appropriate or whether another form of support would be safer and more effective.

Therapeutic Approach

The work integrates Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), psychodynamic therapy, and attachment-based approaches. The focus is on attachment patterns, how protective responses create disconnection, and how relational injuries persist when unaddressed.

Sessions address emotional cycles, attachment needs, and how past relational experience shapes present reactivity. The intensive format allows for deeper engagement with material that may surface quickly under stress but requires time to process.

Process

Initial Consultation

Before arranging a couples therapy intensive, each partner completes a separate 20-minute consultation to explore whether intensive work is appropriate at this stage and whether there is a mutual fit. The consultation is not a therapeutic session, but an opportunity to discuss how the work would be structured.

Pre-Intensive Preparation

One week before the intensive, each partner completes a questionnaire covering relationship history, current concerns, and attachment patterns. This allows preparation and focus.

During the Intensive

Work includes couples assessment, individual sessions with each partner, attachment repair work, exploration of conflict cycles and emotional triggers, and structured relational dialogue. The format adapts to emerging material while maintaining a clinical structure throughout.

After the Intensive

Most couples schedule follow-up sessions (80-minute online sessions) to maintain momentum and continue integration. Some return for an additional intensive day to deepen the work.

Practical Information

Days available: Thursday through Sunday (two consecutive days)

Location: Bristol practice room or select UK locations

Fee: £1,800 for 2-day intensive (12 hours total)

Travel/accommodation: Client responsibility (some couples book local accommodation even when nearby to create space for integration between days)

Childcare obligations: Must be arranged for both full days and ideally the evening between sessions

Evidence Base

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) demonstrates significant effectiveness in research, with approximately 70-73% of couples moving from distress to recovery and 90% showing meaningful improvement. Effects are maintained long-term.

Intensive therapy formats show meaningful improvements in relationship functioning across multiple studies. The concentrated format is particularly effective for high-conflict couples and for repairing attachment injuries.

Who I Work With

I work with couples regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Cultural, religious, and personal contexts are considered in relation to relational expectations and patterns.

Adults 18+ only. Both partners must attend both days of the intensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the days be scheduled separately? No. The consecutive format is essential to the work. Momentum and continuity matter.

Can we do this online? No. Intensives require in-person engagement. For online work, ongoing couples therapy (80-minute weekly sessions) is available.

What if we’re unsure whether to stay together? An intensive can help clarify whether repair is possible and what each partner needs. However, if separation is already underway, intensive work is generally not appropriate.

Do we receive follow-up support? Yes. Most couples schedule 80-minute online follow-up sessions. Some return for an additional intensive day.

Is accommodation included? No. Some couples book local accommodation to support integration, but this is optional.

What if an intensive isn’t right for us? Ongoing couples therapy (80-minute sessions via Zoom) provides sustained weekly support. Learn more about online couples therapy →

Booking a Couples Therapy Intensive

Before arranging a couples therapy intensive, I hold 20-minute consultations by Zoom or phone with each partner to determine whether intensive work is appropriate for your situation. The consultation is not a therapeutic session, but an opportunity to clarify what you are seeking and to discuss how the work would be structured.

Contact me →

References

Ahlquist, L.R. and Hargrave, T.D. (2021). Effectiveness of Restoration Therapy in an Intensive Model. The Family Journal, 30(3), p.106648072110524. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807211052481.

Beasley, C.C. and Ager, R. (2019). Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy: A Systematic Review of Its Effectiveness over the past 19 Years. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 16(2), pp.144–159. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/23761407.2018.1563013.

Johnson, S. M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L., & Schindler, D. (1999). Emotionally focused couples therapy: Status and challenges. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6(1), 67–79. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.6.1.67