Don't wait until tomorrow - have a stronger, happier relationship today!
Given the nature of my services, and my personal belief that no couple should be on a 3-month waiting list to get the support they deserve, we can typically get started quickly. Review different services below, follow the links for more information, then schedule a no-cost consultation.
Have you ever felt like you were just getting warmed up when the therapist said "times up." Many couples who have come for Private Couples Retreats and workshops have expressed similar frustration. Working on a relationship deserves the luxury of time, space, focus, and depth. It should not be rushed or confined to 50-minutes once every couple weeks. In order to get to the heart of the matter, to really dive deep into your truths and begin to heal together, enough time and space must be made available. All of the services below are designed to do just that.
No-Cost Consultation
I always offer a free, online, 30-min consultation to couples considering one or more of the options for relationship work (below). During this consultation I will gain the cliff notes version of your relationship needs and goals; we ask and answer any questions; and discuss recommendations and logistics to reaching (and hopefully exceeding) your relationship goals.
We will work together to design the best chance for relationship success by following some version of the five step process below.
Step 1:
Couple's Workshops and Events
Gain valuable research-based information and tools that you can begin using right now to enhance your relationship. Similar to 6 months of therapy where 94% of participants report a positive experience, attending a workshop will bring you closer together, help you to understand and connect with each other on a different level, and empower you to grow your relationship to meet your goals.
Attending a workshop before completing the relationship work below is not required, but doing so can greatly enhance your relationship work experience by getting the educational needs out of the way, thus opening up more time and energy to devote to improving your relationship, not just 'teaching' you important materials.
Step 2:
Assessment
Some couples struggle with what service would fit their needs best. If this is you, we can start with the Assessment Process separately, then use that information to determine what service is best. With the exception of a workshop, all of the above services begin with an in-depth scientific assessment process. The information and clarity gained through this process has been shown to get to the heart of the matter more efficiently, see gains more reliably, and reduce the overall length in therapy (aka time and money) when compared to treatment without this assessment process. The Assessment Process is typically included in Private Retreat or Mini-Marathon pricing, but can be done separately ahead of time to afford more time to work on the relationship during the Retreat.
Step 3: Relationship Work
Depending on the relationship needs and goals discussed during your consultation, one or more of the following will be recommended.
Created for couples who are motivated to improve their relationship, but don't want to spend 6+ months going to weekly appointments. These Private Couple's Retreats are customized to your needs and designed to condense 6-15+ months of counseling into just a few days while using cutting edge science, research, and approaches. Don't waste time every week driving to and from some stuffy office waiting weeks or months for results: get the awareness and know-how to feel closer to your partner now.
Mini-Marathons
SCS was once asked to take everything that encompasses a Private Retreat, but make it less intense. From that request, the Mini-Marathon was born. Similar in process, time, and cost, the only difference with the Mini-Marathon is that it is spread over more days, thus reducing the daily intensity. A 3-Day (5 hr/day) Retreat becomes a 5-Day (3 hr/day) Mini-Marathon.
Standard (Weekly) Sessions
If the more focused and customized retreat/marathon service doesn't fit your needs, we can schedule more traditional weekly sessions. We begin with the assessment process (below) then schedule 90-min sessions weekly and phase out to every other week, then eventually monthly sessions for the duration of our time together.
Premarital and Newlywed Couples
Start here if you are in the early phase of your relationship, or thinking about taking it to the next level, and want to make sure you start off right.
Considering separation or divorce? For the best outcomes, Retreats and Mini-Marathons are designed for the couple that is motivated to put in the work to get their relationship where they want to be. What if one partner is undecided or unmotivated? While discernment counseling is not relationship counseling, it is designed to help each partner determine if working on the marriage is an option. Discernment sessions are short term (1-5 sessions). Not ready to commit to working on yourself and your relationship? Can you commit to finding out if you want to or not? Discernment counseling can be scheduled in a Private Retreat, Mini-Marathon, or weekly sessions.
Step 4: After Care Plan
Once your Relationship Work (retreat, weekly sessions, etc) is complete, we will schedule a personalized After Care Plan. This plan includes strategically scheduled sessions - typically 90-minutes once per month. The goal of which is to provide accountability and empowerment as you make habits out of your new skills and insights. After scheduling a small handful of monthly sessions (i.e., 4-8), we will phase out to three months for one or two sessions. This phase is where we make the most long-lasting changes in your relationship.
Step 5: Relationship Maintenance
Like Dentist appointments or oil changes, we will schedule 6-month sessions for two full years. These 60-min sessions provide the ongoing support and accountability to maintain your relationship progress throughout time. You are always allowed to reach out in-between sessions if needed, but meeting at a minimum 6-month interval has been shown to instill life-long changes.
While there are no guarantees, couples that follow the above Five Step Process tend to report greater satisfaction, more confidence, more hope, and an overall more positive perspective in their relationship.
Are you ready?
