Three Days. Lasting Change.
Some couples don't have months to wait for things to shift. Some have already tried weekly therapy and found the pace too slow, the gaps between sessions too long, the work too easy to set aside when regular life rushes back in.
That's what intensives are for.
A couples intensive with me is three consecutive days at my office near Newburyport, Massachusetts. No week-long gaps between sessions. No time to slip back into old patterns before the next appointment. Just focused, uninterrupted work that goes as deep as you're willing to go.
Most couples leave feeling like they got six months of therapy done in a long weekend. That's not an exaggeration. It's what happens when you remove the interruptions.
What three days actually looks like
Each day runs approximately seven hours, broken into two three-hour sessions with a working break in between. That break isn't downtime — it's part of the process. You'll have time to integrate what happened in the morning before we go back in together in the afternoon.
I recommend staying somewhere nearby rather than driving home each night. Being away from your regular environment matters. It removes the distractions, the to-do lists, the kids, the dog, the dishes. It gives the two of you space to actually be together in a different way, which is part of the work.
Intensives are completely private. It's just the two of you and me. No group format, no worksheets to take home. Everything is tailored specifically to your relationship and what you came in needing.
Is an intensive right for us?
Intensives work well for couples in a number of situations:
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You've been in weekly therapy for a while and feel stuck. The sessions feel repetitive and nothing is really shifting.
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You're facing a specific crisis: an affair, a major life transition, a decision you need to make together and can't seem to get to.
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You don't live near a PACT therapist and want to do concentrated work while you're here.
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You're not in crisis at all; you just want to do something significant for your relationship and a weekend of deep work appeals to you more than months of hourly sessions.
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You've tried to fix things on your own and keep ending up in the same place.
Whatever brings you here, the intensive is designed to meet you there.
The fine print...
Intensives are held at my office in West Newbury, Massachusetts, five minutes off Route 95 and ten minutes from Newburyport. I'd recommend staying at one of the many hotels or inns in the Newburyport area for the duration.
Intensives are priced by the day and payment is due at the time of scheduling. I require thirty days notice to cancel without charge. I know that feels strict, but these aren't like regular sessions — I block out multiple days, rearrange my entire schedule, cancel other clients, and do significant preparation work before you arrive. Last minute cancellations leave me with losses I genuinely can't recover. I appreciate your understanding.
Ready to do the work?
In-person intensives near Newburyport, MA. In-person intensives in Seattle or New York City with additional advance planning.
"Your greatest opportunity for personal growth is in showing up fully and honestly in your relationship."
-Carolyn Sharp, Fire It Up