Couples Intensives · San Diego, CA
Two days. The breakthrough most couples take months to reach.
Some relationships don't have the luxury of gradual weekly progress. Whether you're navigating the aftermath of betrayal, a crisis that's brought you to a crossroads, or you simply want rapid, concentrated transformation without fitting therapy into an already stretched week, a couples intensive is designed for you.
Why an intensive
Weekly therapy is powerful. But sometimes you need more, faster.
Traditional weekly couples therapy asks you to revisit your most painful dynamics for 75 minutes, then go home, live together, and come back seven days later. For couples in acute pain, that pace can feel impossible.
A two-day intensive removes the gaps. It creates an immersive container where real breakthroughs happen, because there's nowhere to retreat to between sessions. The concentrated format lets us go deeper, move faster, and hold space for the kind of healing that weekly sessions rarely reach in months.
"Many couples experience in a single intensive what would take 6 to 12 months of weekly sessions to reach."
No waiting between sessions
Insights from the morning are built on in the afternoon, and Day 1 breakthroughs carry straight into Day 2. Nothing is lost to the week in between.
Depth weekly sessions can't reach
Extended time creates safety. As the hours progress, defenses come down, patterns become visible, and the real work becomes possible in a way a 75-minute window rarely allows.
Works around demanding schedules
For couples who can't commit to weekly sessions due to travel, demanding careers, or co-parenting logistics, a weekend intensive delivers concentrated progress without ongoing scheduling.
Dedicated, undivided attention
For two full days, Dr. Ransom's complete focus is on you as a couple. No other clients, no split attention. The intensive is yours entirely.
Who this is for
An intensive is right for you if time matters
Intensives aren't for everyone. They ask for commitment, willingness, and readiness to do concentrated work. These are the couples we designed the format for.
Navigating infidelity or betrayal
When betrayal has upended everything, the weekly pace can feel unbearable. An intensive creates space to process the acute pain, begin rebuilding safety, and make meaningful decisions in a contained, supported environment.
In acute crisis
When you're at a breaking point and can't imagine waiting weeks for progress, an intensive meets you in that urgency, helping you stabilize, understand what's happened, and find a way forward.
Wanting rapid, concentrated progress
You're not necessarily in crisis, but you're ready to do the deep work efficiently. You travel, your schedules don't allow weekly sessions, or you simply want months of progress in two days.
Already in therapy and stuck
If you've been in couples therapy and keep circling the same issues, an intensive can create the shift weekly sessions haven't reached. The extended format often unlocks what shorter sessions can't.
What to expect
Your two-day weekend intensive
Each intensive is customized to your situation and goals. This is the general framework, adapted for every couple we work with.
Foundation & understanding
Building safety, mapping the relationship
Repair & rebuilding
New patterns, new foundation
Investment
An investment in what matters most
A couples intensive is a significant financial investment. It's also one of the most concentrated, efficient paths to the transformation you're seeking, condensing months of weekly therapy into two intentional days.
Every intensive includes pre-intensive consultation, the full two-day experience, all assessment materials, your personalized post-intensive plan, and a 30-day follow-up session.
Book your free consultation- Pre-intensive consultation and intake
- Full Gottman couples assessment
- Two full days of concentrated therapy
- Personalized post-intensive written plan
- 30-day follow-up session included
- All assessment and workbook materials
- Superbills provided for out-of-network reimbursement
Payment plans available. HSA and FSA cards accepted. We recommend starting with a free consultation so we can confirm the intensive is the right fit.
Common questions
What couples ask before they apply
How do we apply for an intensive?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation where we talk with both partners about your situation and goals. We want to make sure the intensive format is genuinely the best option for where you are. If it's a good fit, we'll schedule your pre-intensive intake and confirm your dates.
Where does the intensive take place?
Intensives are held in person in San Diego, in a private, calm, confidential setting designed for this kind of concentrated work. We don't currently offer virtual intensives, as the in-person environment is central to the depth and effectiveness of the format.
What if one of us is more hesitant than the other?
This is very common. One partner often initiates while the other comes in less certain. We work with that directly. The pre-intensive consultation is a good place to address hesitation, and many skeptical partners find the structure and depth quickly build their engagement. We never pressure either partner and always move at a pace both people can genuinely participate in.
Is an intensive better than regular couples therapy?
It depends on your situation. For couples in acute crisis or navigating betrayal, an intensive is often significantly more effective than starting with weekly sessions because it meets the urgency of the moment. For couples who aren't in crisis and have time for weekly work, regular couples therapy may be the better starting point. We'll give you an honest recommendation during your consultation.
What happens after the intensive?
Every intensive includes a 30-day follow-up session to review your progress and address what's come up since. Many couples also continue with periodic sessions to maintain momentum. We provide a personalized written plan at the end of your intensive with clear recommendations for what comes next.
Begin your journey
Two days can change the direction of everything.
Your relationship deserves more than gradual progress. If you're ready for concentrated, expert-guided transformation, we're ready to hold that space for you. Start with a free consultation to see if an intensive is right for where you are.
Limited availability · In person · San Diego, CA
