Weekend Couples Intensives
What if you could do five months of therapy in a single weekend?
You've been meaning to do something about your relationship for a while now.
“I hadn’t felt hopeful about us in a long time. I do now.”
Maybe you've looked into couples therapy and thought - okay, but when? Tuesday nights are soccer. Wednesdays you're already stretched. And the idea of carving out one more thing, week after week, while life keeps coming at you... it's a lot.Or maybe you're past the "meaning to" stage. Maybe things are urgent and you need help now, not in three months when the waitlist clears.
Either way, you came here thinking weekly therapy was probably the answer. We'd like to show you something else.
A weekend can change everything.
A weekend couples intensive, also known as Marathon Therapy, is one to three days of concentrated, face-to-face couples therapy - all at once, without interruption, without the clock running out just when something real starts to surface. No weekly appointments to juggle. No momentum lost between sessions. Just a few days of real, focused work with someone who knows how to hold it.
Most couples walk away having covered more ground than they expected. Not because it's easy - it isn't. Because there's finally enough time to actually get somewhere.
“We didn’t fix everything, but we found our way back to each other.”
What happens in those Three Days?
Day 1-Assessment
Your Story
Every intensive begins with a thorough assessment - a process drawn directly from the Gottman Method that gives us a clear, research-based picture of where your relationship stands.
We begin with a joint session: a conversation about your relationship's history, what's brought you here, and what you're hoping to walk away with. From there, each partner meets with me individually - a private conversation where you can speak openly about your own experience of the relationship.
You'll also complete a set of relationship questionnaires that give us additional insight into your relationship's strengths and the areas that need the most attention.
By the end of the assessment, we'll have everything we need to set meaningful goals and move into the work with clarity and focus.
Note: For two-day intensives, the assessment is completed by telehealth in the two weeks prior to your arrival, so we can move directly into the deeper work when you get here.
Day 2-Friendship
Trust and Goodwill
Lasting change starts with connection. On Day Two we focus on the friendship at the heart of your relationship - how well you still know each other's inner world, how much you turn toward each other in the small moments, and what's gotten in the way of that over time.
This isn't soft work. Building goodwill and reconnecting as friends is what makes the harder conversations possible. It begins to loosen the grip of the patterns that have kept you stuck, and it reminds you - often for the first time in a long time - that you're on the same side.
You'll begin learning how to listen to understand, rather than to respond or defend. We'll also work directly on Negative Sentiment Override (NSO) - the accumulated fog of hurt that can make even neutral moments feel like evidence against each other. Rebuilding friendship is one of the most powerful antidotes to NSO, and couples often feel a shift in the room by the end of this day.
(For more on NSO, read: “When Love Isn’t Enough to Stop the Fighting.”)
Day 3-Dialogue
Conflict and Repair
On Day Three we go directly into the conversations that have been weighing your relationship down - not to fight, but to finally understand each other.
Using the Gottman Method's framework for respectful dialogue, you'll learn the tools to communicate about the problems that matter most.
We'll look closely at the Four Horsemen - the four communication patterns that predict relationship breakdown - and their antidotes, so you can recognize them in the moment and choose differently.
You'll dig deeper into what's really behind the conflict: the dreams, the meanings, the fears, the unmet needs. Here, you'll finally have the time to work through real issues, find understanding, and repair.
(For more on the Four Horsemen, read about the Sound Relationship House and Managing Conflict.)
Is This You?
A marathon might be exactly right if:
Weekly therapy feels impossible to sustain right now - the schedule, the kids, the guilt of one more night away
You need help sooner than a weekly schedule can deliver
You’ve tried weekly therapy before but couldn’t hold the momentum
You’re ready to go deeper than weekly sessions have allowed
You live far from a specialized couples therapist and want to make the most of one focused trip
You’re in crisis and need sustained, focused support now
You’re recovering from an affair or betrayal and need more time and depth than weekly sessions can provide
You’re a solid couple who wants to invest in going deeper
A Note on Fit
A weekend intensive is not appropriate for every situation. If there is active domestic violence, serious violence or fear of it, active and untreated substance addiction, an untreated major mental illness, or an ongoing undisclosed affair, this is not the appropriate starting point. If any of these apply, please reach out at connect@aspenconnections.com - we’ll do our best to point you toward the right support.
Here’s what Marathon Therapy clients say they walk away with:
Rebuilt connection. Renewed intimacy. Heightened commitment.
Deeper trust.
A clearer understanding of each other’s inner world. Tools to communicate about problems as they arise.
The ability to recognize destructive patterns and choose differently.
Hope.
Ready to take the next step? We’d love to hear from you.
Choose your Weekend
Pencil in your weekend - go ahead and select your dates and Jaclyn will reach out to schedule your initial call. Once we’ve had a chance to connect and make sure this is the right fit, we’ll confirm everything and get you set up.
Schedule your Call
Not sure of your dates yet? No problem - start by scheduling your call with Jaclyn. As our Manager of Client Services, she’ll answer your questions, help you figure out timing, and take it from there.
Not ready for either just yet? No pressure. Contact Us to let us know how we can help. Or browse our Intensive Q & A below, or our Frequently Asked Questions and our blog, sit with it, and come back when you’re ready. We’ll be here.
Q & A About Weekend Intensives
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Not every couples therapist offers marathon therapy, and not every therapist who offers it has the training and experience to do it well. A weekend intensive requires a particular skill set - the ability to hold sustained, deep work over multiple hours and days, to manage intensity without letting it derail the process, and to keep both partners feeling safe even when things get hard.
One thing worth considering: the framework a therapist brings to an intensive matters. Many couples arrive desperate for structure - a clear, research-based roadmap that tells them where they are, where they’re going, and why. The Gottman Method provides exactly that. Its step-by-step framework anchors the intensive format well, giving couples a sense of direction and purpose even in the most difficult moments. Rather than feeling lost in open-ended conversation, you always know what you’re working on and why it matters.
Janette Robinson is a Certified Gottman Therapist - one of a relatively small number of therapists worldwide to have achieved this level of training and certification in the Gottman Method. She has years of experience working with couples in extended sessions, and a deep familiarity with the particular rhythm and demands of intensive work. Her approach is warm, direct, and grounded in research - and she brings the same care and attention to a three-day marathon that she brings to every session.
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From the moment you reach out, you’re in good hands.
You’ll first hear from Jaclyn, our Manager of Client Services. Jaclyn’s role is simple: she’s all about you. She’ll reach out to answer your questions, get a sense of where you are, and make sure you feel taken care of from the very first conversation - no time limit, no rush.
From there, you’ll have a brief 15-minute complimentary call with Janette to begin understanding where you are as a couple and to make sure a weekend intensive is the right fit.
Once we’ve confirmed that this is the right path forward, you’ll each complete a set of relationship questionnaires - a research-based tool drawn from the Gottman Method that gives us a clear picture of your relationship’s strengths and the areas that need the most attention.
By the time you arrive, we’ll already have a solid foundation to build on - and we can move into the work without losing a moment.
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The intensive ends at the close of your last day - but your support from Janette doesn’t.
Every marathon includes at least one follow-up telehealth session - a chance to check in, consolidate what you’ve learned, and address anything that has come up since. Beyond that, what ongoing support looks like is entirely up to you and what your life allows. Some couples do occasional check-ins, some return for another intensive further down the road, and some transition into regularly-scheduled therapy.
And you won’t leave empty-handed. Every couple walks away with a set of practical tools to use at home - real strategies for the moments when things get hard between sessions.
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Yes. In addition to the three-day marathon, we offer one and two day intensives for couples whose needs or schedules call for a shorter format.
Two-day intensive: The full assessment is completed by telehealth in the two weeks prior to your arrival - the oral history, individual sessions, and relationship questionnaires - so that when you get here, we can move directly into the work. Day one focuses on trust and goodwill, and day two on conflict and repair.
One-day intensive: Like the two-day format, the assessment is completed beforehand by telehealth. The day itself is more concentrated, and we focus on the area of greatest need for your specific relationship - whether that’s rebuilding connection, working through a specific conflict, or somewhere in between.
Not sure which format is right for you? Jaclyn and Janette will help you figure that out in your initial conversations.
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Weekend intensives at our practice are priced at our standard hourly rate. Here’s one way to think about it: a three-day intensive represents roughly 20 hours of work together - the equivalent of five months of weekly therapy - at the same total investment. The difference is simply how that time is structured.
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We believe that couples who need this level of support should be able to access it, even when the full investment isn’t immediately available. When a marathon is the right fit but the timing is challenging financially, we’re open to discussing a payment plan.
We ask that requests be made in good faith - our ability to offer this option depends on clients honoring their commitments, which allows us to extend the same flexibility to others.
To request a payment plan, simply mention it when you speak with Jaclyn or Janette and we’ll work with you to find something that fits.
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A marathon might be right for you if:
• Weekly therapy feels impossible to sustain right now - the schedule, the kids, the guilt of one more night away
• You need help sooner than a weekly schedule can deliver
• You’ve tried weekly therapy before but couldn’t hold the momentum
• You’re ready to go deeper than weekly sessions have allowed
• You live far from a specialized couples therapist and want to make the most of one focused trip
• You’re in crisis and need sustained, focused support now
• You’re recovering from an affair or betrayal and need more time and depth than weekly sessions can provide
• You’re a solid couple who wants to invest in going deeper
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We’re glad you’re here.
Pencil in your weekend - go ahead and select your dates and Jaclyn will reach out to schedule your initial call. Once we’ve had a chance to connect and make sure this is the right fit, we’ll confirm everything and get you set up.
Not sure of your dates yet? No problem - start by scheduling your call with Jaclyn. She’ll answer your questions, help you figure out timing, and take it from there.
Not ready for either just yet? No pressure. Browse our Frequently Asked Questions or our blog, sit with it, and come back when you’re ready. We’ll be here.
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A weekend intensive is not appropriate for every situation. They are contraindicated when:
• There is active alcohol or drug addiction in either partner
• There is serious violence in the relationship, or fear of it
• Either partner has an untreated major mental illness
• There is an ongoing or undisclosed affair
If any of these situations apply to you, marathon therapy is not the right starting point - but there are people who can help. Reach out to us at connect@aspenconnections.com and we’ll do our best to point you toward the right support.
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Yes - even if you live close by, we recommend staying at a hotel or Airbnb for the duration of your intensive.
Here’s why: the work you’ll be doing is deep and emotionally demanding. Coming home to your everyday environment - the dishes, the kids, the to-do list - makes it harder to stay in the protected space the intensive creates. A hotel gives you both a neutral, quiet place to decompress at the end of each day, rest well, and show up fresh the next morning.
Think of it as part of the investment. You’re stepping out of your life for a few days to do something important. Let your environment reflect that.
Both our San Francisco and Placerville offices have comfortable hotels and Airbnb’s nearby. Jaclyn can offer suggestions when you speak with her.
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We take breaks throughout the day - time to step away, breathe, and let things settle before we continue. This isn’t just practical; it’s part of the process. Some of the most important moments of an intensive happen in the quiet space between sessions.
Both our San Francisco and Placerville offices are conveniently located near restaurants, cafes, and places to walk. We encourage you to use your breaks to get outside, get some air, and nourish yourselves. A good meal and a short walk can do a lot for a couple in the middle of deep work.
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You have two great options.
If you’re ready to have a conversation, you can schedule an appointment with Jaclyn or contact us using the buttons above. There’s no commitment involved - just a chance to ask questions, get a feel for whether this is the right fit, and take the next step at your own pace.
If you’d like to read more first, visit our blog post: “What If You Could Do Five Months of Therapy in a Single Weekend?” It offers more depth about what a marathon intensive is, what to expect emotionally, who it’s for, and what couples walk away with.
Either way, we’re glad you’re here.