Marathon Couples Therapy using Gottman Counseling is an intensive and focused approach to relationship issues that can help couples move quickly through specific issues and learn important new skills in a short period of time.
Marathon sessions with John are usually booked 4 to 6 hours per day at a time, for two or more consecutive days. Breaks are built into the schedule. Prior to coming in, you both will separately complete the Gottman assessment packet.
Who would benefit from Marathon Couples Therapy
• Couples who want a condensed and highly focused intensive approach to specific issues.
• Couples who want to jump-start their weekly sessions by completing the assessment
(both joint and individual assessments) and goal setting in an intensive session.
• Couples coming from other locations, such as the greater Philadelphia or DC Metro Area,
extended regions or out-of-state.
How does Marathon Couples Therapy work?
The first step is to call John and discuss the option of Gottman Marathon Couples Therapy for your situation. Sessions can be booked most any day of the week depending upon availability. You will be asked to pay in full prior to attending scheduled sessions. There is a 3 week cancelation policy. Marathon sessions require John to block out significant periods of time, so it is imperative that you keep your appointment and are committed to this therapy process.
For those couples attending sessions from out of town, you would book several consecutive hours, and for two or three days in a row of couples therapy. You would stay either in a local hotel or commute back to your home depending on distance traveled. Depending on how therapy evolves you may choose to come back for follow up sessions every couple of weeks or months.
We start out by identifying the goals and intentions of the therapy process right from the start. I will conduct an oral history of your relationship and will also interview you each separately. I will review with you your relationship goals in terms of the Sound Relationship House and the research from the Gottman Institute. We will discuss the current state of your relationship, how it got there, as well as our plan for moving you toward your goals. Once we believe that we are all on the same page, the therapy will begin.
Who may not be a good candidate for Marathon Couples Therapy?
Couples dealing with domestic violence, serious drug or alcohol addiction, or serious mental health problems may not be candidates. In these cases, the couples work may need to be coordinated with individual therapy, or put on hold until the situation is stabilized.
If one of you is actively involved in an affair, if there is ongoing domestic violence or you have already decided to leave your relationship and are not committed to working on it; Marathon Couples Counseling would not be appropriate.
Rates for Marathon Couples Therapy
Please call John Dennis for current rates and further information at 717-602-5560.