Intensive Relationship Therapy

What is it?

Intensive couples therapy is a popular and successful way for couples experiencing couple distress to stabilise their relationship and begin to re-design, re-imagine and re-build a better more satisfying and happier life together in a shorter period of time than traditional weekly or fortnightly 50 min sessions.

How does it work?

I conduct an Assessment Phase with all couples and during the Feedback Session the couple and I discuss if the couple continue with online or face to face with with a local therapist in there area. In some cases the couple and I may agree that seeing a individual therapist skilled in couple counselling my be needed first or to compliment couple therapy.

Intensive consists of four phases:

Assessment Phase

A thorough assessment is conducted to ensure that I have a deep understanding of your unique circumstances and individual needs.  It includes:

1. Both partners complete the Gottman Connect questionnaire.  The Questionnaire is multiple choice and takes approximately 30 minute to complete. The data will be thoroughly analysed and you will receive a report that highlights both the strengths and the challenges in your relationship.

2. Both partners will join me for a 1 hour joint relationship history taking interview to help me understand how your relationship has developed over time and to fully understand your current difficulties.

3. Each partner will attend a 1 hour individual consultation with me so I can learn about you, your background and your particular needs.

4. Both partners will attend a 1 hour feedback and goal setting session with me where we will work together collaboratively to establish the best options for therapy. This may include online or face to face therapy with me, face to face therapy with another therapist in your area or a recommendation for individual therapy if this is needed before couple therapy can start.

Treatment Phase

If we decide to proceed to the treatment phase I will recommend 90 min to 2 hour sessions weekly intensive therapy sessions. The focus of these sessions will be to help you learn how to move out of painful, gridlocked escalated conflict, repair old unprocessed hurts and misunderstandings. Throughout this phase will feel a move towards a relationship that is understanding, connected and attuned.

Towards the end of this phase will most likely have developed a range of new relationship skills and ideas for how to keep working on your relationship.  We will together discuss your progress and any ongoing needs for additional follow-up appointments as you move into the integration phase.

Integration Phase

You will spend time working together at home to ensure you can consistently put your new skills, strategies and behaviours into action.  Most couples will continue to engage in fortnightly 1 hour to 90 minute follow-up appointments for a several weeks to ensure they are able to consistently utilise the skills, strategies, and ideas that have been learned.

Relapse Prevention Phase

By this phase most couples feel confident using to strategies learned in session at home. Research from the Gottman Institute shows that monthly check up appointments for a few months are important in preventing relapse.  Appointments are faded out to 3 monthly and sometimes 6 monthly until you feel confident you have all the skills to continue to deepen and strengthen your relationship.