What is Intensive Couples Therapy?

Intensive Couples Therapy is a model of couples therapy that provides the gift of time to couples who are struggling to get their relationship on track.

Intensive couples therapy utilizes a day long assessment session alongside feedback and enactments to help couples change their relationship in real time.

Many therapy modalities suggest the use of intensive couples therapy, however there is often no framework offered for how to offer those sessions. The Intensive Couples Therapy Institute has created a framework to utilize with your clients.

How does it work?

Clinicians who use intensive couples therapy spend at least two days helping couples improve their relationship or work towards making a big decision. The main components of intensive couples therapy are:

  • Comprehensive Assessment that includes written responses and oral interviews

  • Feedback sessions that provide the couple a framework for the issues in their relationship and next steps for how to improve them.

  • Enactments during which the couples work on their relationship issues in real time with guidance and real time intervention from the therapist.

  • A focus on helping couples recognize and relieve their distress in moments of conflict so their conversations don’t become derailed.

  • A therapist that is honest, direct, and brave so that couples do not dance around their issues.

Become an ICTI therapist

With our methods for conducting intensive couples therapy, we’ve helped hundreds of couples. You can learn to do the same by training to become an Intensive Couples Therapy Therapist. Email us to set up a training for yourself or you team.

Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT

Elizabeth is a renowned couples therapist, author, and trainer. She is the founder of A Better Life Therapy in Philadelphia, PA and has written highly acclaimed relationship books I Want This To Work and Til Stress Do Us Part. Elizabeth also created The Couples Therapy Flipchart and has conducted trainings for PESI. Elizabeth founded the Intensive Couples Therapy Institute after practicing ICT for many years with her own clients and noticing that there were no guidelines or formulas for how to practice intensive couples therapy in the couples therapy community. You can read more about Elizabeth here.

Ariel Stern, LPC, CGT

Ariel is a highly popular couples therapist in Philadelphia, PA who utilizes intensive couples therapy to support couples. Ariel is a Certified Gottman Therapist and supervisor whom trains therapists to develop their couples therapy skills. She has trained therapists for the last several years in conducting intensive couples therapy.. She also provides consulting services in varying industries to support them in mental health messaging. She is most known for her work on HBO’s show Mare of Easttown.