Couples Therapy Intensive

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Give your relationship a fresh start

When couples reach a breaking point, weekly therapy may not provide enough support. The same arguments keep circling, trust feels fragile, emotions run high, and there may be little space in daily life to slow down, find clarity, and take action. Some couples come to us at a “make it or break it” moment and a couple intensive can provide a steady place to land.

Couples intensives are designed for these urgent situations. They are also suitable for couples that find it challenging to commit to weekly appointments. Over the course of two days, you and your partner will step away from work, family, and daily pressures to focus entirely on your relationship. Together, we will create a plan to help you move forward with new insights, deeper understanding, and practical tools. Intensives give couples the chance to get to the root cause of big problems and begin rebuilding trust in a supportive, structured space.

Why Choose an Intensive?

Couples intensives are ideal if:

  • Your relationship is on the verge of breaking down and you are seeking immersive relationship support

  • Careers, schedules, parenting, family commitments, or travel make it difficult to commit to weekly therapy

  • You want to jump-start couples therapy with deep and focused work

  • Trust has been broken and repair feels urgent

  • You are seeking an intentional fresh start for your relationship

An intensive condenses months of therapy into two days, offering clarity, momentum, and a chance to renew your relationship.

About Your Therapist

Cara McDowell, LMFT is our couples intensive therapist. Drawing on over 20 years of experience, and a foundation in attachment theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy, she helps couples slow down, understand the patterns they are caught in, and reconnect in a more open and secure way. Her style is warm, direct, and steady, creating an environment where couples feel supported and able to make meaningful shifts in communication, trust, and emotional closeness.

During your intensive, Cara will help you:

  • See and shift painful cycles of conflict, withdrawal, or shutdown

  • Share your emotions and needs in a way your partner can truly hear

  • Repair ruptures and begin rebuilding trust and safety

  • Renew emotional and physical intimacy and connection

  • Create a realistic plan for sustaining closeness after the intensive

Structure of the Intensive

Couples intensives are 10 hours in length take place over two days.

  • Wednesdays and Thursdays

  • Five hours each day

  • Includes a lunch break and small breaks throughout the day

Outside of Intensive Hours

Your intensive sessions end in the afternoon both days, leaving your evenings free. For couples attending from out of town, you can use your afternoons to explore Encinitas, our coastal town just north of San Diego, known for its surf culture, yoga community, and holistic health influence. Although you can depart on Friday evening, we encourage you to extend your stay through the weekend, if possible, to give yourself time to reconnect before jumping back into daily pressures. We invite you to explore connecting activities such as:

This allows you to continue deepening your bond outside of therapy while making your two days together memorable and restorative. If you want our help in selecting activities, please contact Sierra Brasher at our office at 760-640-0270 and info@integrativecouplestherapy.com. Sierra lives locally in Encinitas and can offer recommendations on where to stay and activities to attend.

Flying Into San Diego International Airport

The closest airport is San Diego International Airport (SAN), located about 30 minutes south of Encinitas, San Diego International Airport.

Where to Stay

Many couples choose to stay at local hotels or Airbnbs. A few favorites include:

  • Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas – a luxury oceanfront resort just minutes from our office

  • Surfhouse Boutique Hotel – modern beach lodging steps from the sand

  • Airbnb – a wide range of cozy, private options close to beaches, cafes, and our office. We recommend finding a location in Encinitas but there are many near by towns that you will enjoy

Frequently Asked Questions

How is an intensive different from weekly therapy?
Weekly therapy builds change slowly over time. Intensives are designed for couples who want to dive in and make progress quickly. We condense months of work into two days, allowing you to see and shift long-standing patterns and create momentum right away.

What if my partner is hesitant?
It is common for one partner to feel uncertain. All intensives begin with a complimentary 20 minute video consultation, with both partners present, where you can ask questions and ensure fit before deciding to move forward. Cara will meet you both with care and without judgment. Once couples experience how collaborative and supportive the process is, they often feel relieved and motivated to begin.

Will you tell us who is right or wrong?
No. Cara’s role is to support your relationship. She will help each of you share your experience, take ownership where needed, highlight areas where change and growth are needed, and guide you to build new ways of relating that work well for both of you.

Will you advise us to stay married or get a divorce?
No. As Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, our ethics prevent us from advising clients on whether they ought to stay married or get a divorce. The decision to remain in your marriage, or end it, lies with you and your spouse. At the start of the intensive, you will form clear goals for your relationship. Cara’s role is to help you meet your goals.

Will the intensive be with other couples?
No. This is a private intensive for you and your partner to attend on your own.

What happens after the intensive?
Cara provides tailored follow-up recommendations. Some couples continue with weekly sessions with Cara. Others return to their referring couples therapist Other couples attend an intensives once per quarter. If you live out of town, Cara can provide recommendations for therapists in your area, that also utilize the Emotionally Focused Therapy approach.

Are there situations in which an intensive is not appropriate?
Yes. Intensives are not suitable for couples experiencing ongoing infidelity, violence, abuse, untreated addiction, or untreated mental illness that requires stabilization first. In addition, intensives are not designed for situations in which one or both partners have firmly decided they want a divorce. If this describes your situation we encourage both partners to attend individual therapy instead.

What is the cost?
The cost is $2500 payable in full at the time of booking. Due to the fact that Cara has to reserve two full days for the intensive, we do not provide refunds. Yet you can reschedule to a different date in the future with a 14 day notice.

Next Steps

If you need immerse relationship support, or if busy schedules and travel make it challenging to attend weekly therapy, a couples intensive can help you reset, repair, find clarity, and move forward. Reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation and explore whether a couples intensive is the right next step for your relationship.