Couples Therapy Intensive for Thompson, MB Couples: 2-4 Day Private Relationship Reset

Marathon Couples Therapy is an intensive and focused therapeutic modality for couples in high distress or simply in need of a marriage expert.

What you can expect from a Marathon session with one of our Gottman Therapists is to foster respect, affection, and closeness to build and share a deeper connection with each other’s inner world; to keep conflict discussions calm; to facilitate breakthroughs; to resolve conflict grid-lock; and to strengthen and maintain the gains in your relationship.

You will have time to talk in depth about the struggles and challenges of the relationship that simply cannot happen in the traditional style of couples therapy. There is time to process past injuries that have never healed, and time to understand how these injuries have impacted the relationship. There is time to learn and practice new communication skills to help you have more productive conversations. There’s time to rebuild together.

We start out by identifying the goals and intentions of the therapy process right from the start.

We help couples come to a compromise on their “gridlocked” issues: many times couples do not always have the same aspirations, hopes or goals, yet they need to come to some sort of resolution.

We do our best to honor both individuals’ hopes and dreams. Our goal is to facilitate clients in accessing new strengths, learning new skills, and gaining new insights, which moves them in the direction that they want their relationship to go.

Prior to coming in for your first Marathon session, you will complete an assessment packet which includes an intake form, a few quizzes that you can do online through our website and the Gottman Love Lab Questionnaire.

In this assessment packet you will be asked several questions about the current state of your relationship, as well as what it is you hope to achieve during therapy. These goals will become our objective, and we will review your assessment packet prior to meeting with you.

For those choosing a 2 Day Marathon, you will also be required to complete your Intake Sessions prior to the start of your first Marathon session. Completing the Intake Process in advance of your Marathon allows you to make the most of the full day intensives. You will then start on your treatment plan at the beginning of Day 1.

On your first meeting together with your therapist, you will share an oral history of your relationship and discuss the current challenges, struggles and conflicts that your relationship is facing.

You will each have the opportunity for an individual session as well to share your personal perspective on your relationship and these challenges.

These individual interviews are an important part of the Intake/Assessment Process and provide your therapist with the information they need to create your Couples Treatment Plan.

The therapist will then meet with you both again as a couple to review the results of your Gottman Assessment and discuss the proposed Treatment Plan for moving you toward your goals. Once we believe that we are all on the same page, the therapy begins in earnest.

How Does this Work?

You will book two to four consecutive days of therapy.

If there is an infidelity in the marriage, please let us know in advance as we will require a minimum of 3 days for your booking.

If you are booking a 2 Day Marathon, you will also book your Intake Sessions at this same time.

If you are from outside of the Lower Mainland (BC), you will need to make arrangements for accommodations near our clinic in Langley, or within a reasonable commute to our clinic daily.

Most Marathon’s are scheduled from 10am to 5pm daily with an hour break for lunch. If you prefer an earlier or later start time, please be sure to let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please note that our therapy hours for most of our Therapists are between 10am and 8pm daily.

You will pay a 50% deposit at the time of booking and the remainder is payable 3 weeks prior to the first day of your Marathon.  Due to our scheduling commitments, there is a 3 week cancellation policy. Your therapist has to make themselves available and arrange their schedules for these sessions, so it is imperative that you keep your appointment and commit to this process.  If you cancel 3 weeks prior to the start of your Marathon, you can choose to reschedule for a later date or receive a full refund on your deposit. Please note that refunds will not be issued for any cancellations received within 3 weeks of the start of your Marathon.

We are available for Marathon sessions almost any day of the week, depending of course, on scheduling availability.

When you have completed your Marathon, you may choose to continue your Gottman Method Couples Therapy with a second Marathon of shorter duration – either a 1 Day Marathon or a 2 Day Marathon. Or you may choose to continue with our 90 minute Gottman Method Couples Therapy Follow-up Sessions (Virtually or In Office) weekly, biweekly or monthly, to further your work on your relationship. This will be discussed on the last day of your Marathon so that you have a plan for any follow-up that might be necessary.

Other Considerations for Marathon Couples Therapy:

The format of Marathon Couples Therapy is a good fit for couples who want intensive therapy but don’t live in the vicinity of a Certified Gottman Therapist and prefer in-person clinical support or for couples whose schedules do not allow for them to attend weekly therapy sessions.

It is also a great fit for couples who are urgently needing support for infidelity, loss or crisis.

Please note however, that the format of Marathon Couples Therapy may move you more quickly and intensely into the areas of difficulty to be addressed in your relationship. Therefore, you and/or your partner may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, loneliness, and helplessness over the course of your Marathon sessions. Your therapy may also involve recalling unpleasant aspects of your history together and/or individually. As such, the therapist will provide an environment of safety for both partners. You will be treated with dignity and respect, without judgment, throughout the process.