- No time for weekly therapy?
- Marriage/Relationship in crisis mode?
- Resolve conflict, work through affairs, increase sexual intimacy, improve communication
“The couples intensive was exactly what my wife and I needed. We’ve been to other therapists in the past and never got the traction needed to move forward. Sarah got right to the problem and told each of us what was going on and what was needed to get that traction. The intensive is worth every penny. We feel so much better about our relationship.” – David H. (Encinitas)
“Sarah Ruggera is an amazing therapist. If your relationship needs help, then please don’t wait. Sarah is compassionate, effective and is a joy to know and work with. Sarah will help you get to the core of the issue, listen easily to both points of view and help you get to the relationship you want and deserve. Call her today. – Casey Truffo, LMFT Director Orange County Relationship Center”
What is a Couples Intensive?
Intensives are 3 hour sessions designed for couples wanting a counseling experience that is deeper and more comprehensive than that which may be experienced in weekly counseling sessions. They are for those where weekly counseling would present a challenge due to scheduling, childcare, etc., and those wanting to start the process immediately with results being seen sooner rather than later. Breaks and refreshments are provided every hour for your convenience.
An intensive is an in-depth intervention to create dramatic and long-lasting shifts in your relationship where you acquire valuable tools needed to move you forward creating the life you want with your partner and resolve conflict more effectively.
Not every Marriage Counselor is the same. Sarah is different because she offers extended sessions that include her 3-hour Couples Intensive. Designed to create dramatic and long lasting shifts in your relationship where you acquire valuable tools needed to move forward. In this one session counseling venue couples will learn to make implicit assumptions and agreements explicit so that each partner knows exactly what is expected from one another. Couples intensives are designed for those who can’t attend weekly sessions, have childcare challenges, and busy schedules receiving results sooner rather than later.
I was lost and angry after learning of my husband’s multiple infidelities over our 35 years of marriage. My whole world was turned upside down and didn’t know if our relationship could survive. After doing a lot of research, I found Sarah and had my husband schedule an appointment for a three hour intensive session. Sarah gave us honest and heartfelt feedback. She also gave us examples and drew from her personal experiences which really helped us relate to the information she was sharing. The session brought us to a deeper understanding of motives for the past affairs and she gave us tools to hopefully prevent this from happening in the future. We are both extremely hopeful that not only will our decades long marriage survive, but may become better than ever. Thanks, Sarah, from the bottom of our hearts. – Karen W. La Jolla, CA
We can focus on special issues and problem areas such as:
- Communication and Conflict Repair
- Intimacy and Connection
- Emotional Closeness and Passion
- Affair Recovery
- Infidelity Disclosure
- Sexual Desire Issues
- Pornography and Internet Abuse
- Sexual Addiction or Compulsion
- Open Marriage or Polyamory Issues
- Separation and Divorce Coaching
- New Monogamy Visions
- Parenting/Co-parenting
Everyone has their own concept of what “monogamy” means—and most people assume their partners and spouses are on the same page. Couples may assume that they are monogamous, but never discuss exactly what the monogamy agreement means to them. What happens when this implicit agreement is broken? After infidelity, relationships can become strained as both partners lose trust and faith in each other. The New Monogamy offers a way out of these difficulties for couples struggling to stay together, especially after infidelity. In Couples Intensive, couples make these implicit assumptions and agreements explicit so that each partner knows exactly what is expected of them in the future and what they can expect from their partner.
Counseling helps regain the trust, romance, and intimacy after infidelity by redefining the monogamy contract. The new monogamy contract is an explicit relationship agreement created after the affair that allows each partner to openly, honestly, and safely share their desires, expectations, and limitations. This agreement by no means creates an open marriage, but rather, an open conversation wherein each partner can have a say in setting the ground rules for their relationship. Separation or divorce doesn’t always have to be the outcome of an affair. Developing a new relationship, however, is necessary to move forward.
Call me at 858.735.1139 to see if a Couples Intensive makes sense for you.