COUPLES INTENSIVES

Sometimes we need to step out of the ordinary to experience the extraordinary possibilities that are before us.They become revealed when we drop our routine and rote ways of being together. We open our eyes to new landscapes, leave the business of our lives and descend into the depth of our being.

Santa Fe has long been known for its healing energy. The light has drawn artists for centuries and seekers have flocked to experience the City Different. Held by the extraordinary landscape nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, we utilize our natural environment to hold and care for you and your relationship. While you are vacationing in Santa Fe it is a perfect opportunity to enhance your connection to one another. 

Six Directions Couple Intensives are designed for couples that want to have an accelerated experience or have limited time to maximize the effectiveness of couples therapy. Perhaps your marriage is on the brink, trying to recover from an infidelity, you are in recovery, or in need of enrichment or renewal at any stage of life. Whether you are married or partnered, this personalized 3-5 day couples intensive offers a unique opportunity to utilize both the setting and intensity to explore, understand, and resolve your issues.

SIX DIRECTIONS COUPLES INTENSIVES

Indigenous cultures have used the concept of honoring the directions to call the healing presence of each one. I have developed a model that weaves together aspects of these earth-based practices with an integrated couples therapy model drawn directly from experiences and knowledge as a seasoned family therapist. What separates these couples intensives is this weaving combined with the extraordinary landscape that holds us and the knowledge that we have time to go deeply without having to stop prematurely because the “hour is up."

All intensives whether 3,4, or 5 days have several aspects in common:

• Each individual in the couple and the two of you together utilize the 6 directions to orient our work together.
• We focus on strengths and resources that each of you brings to the relationship and the existing strengths in the relationship that are forgotten in the mire of the problems. Our intention is to get to the depth of the issues and resolve them as much as possible.
• Average 4 hours of therapy daily (sometimes more) plus ways to enhance the work in your free time.
• Experience time in nature together.
• Optional despacho to anchor our work together in ceremony Led by Will MacHendrie MD.
  
• Held in Sena Plaza office complex, a historic hacienda facing the Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi in the heart of the Plaza of Santa Fe.
• Follow-up complimentary session either through Skype if you are out of town, or in person for those who have access to Santa Fe.

 

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM AN INTENSIVE

RENEWAL AND ENHANCEMENT

Physical and emotional intimacy can wax and wane over the long arc of a committed relationship. Usually unresolved issues or hurt feelings are buried or discarded and the relational field between you can become filled with avoidance or anxiety, thus creating a pattern of distance, sadness, anger and loss. As a couple you are going through the motions but not feeling nourished or enlivened by your relationship. The renewal and enjoyment that is possible can be awakened and cemented by this intensive process.

COUPLES ON THE BRINK

Couples often come to see a therapist when they are on the brink of divorce but still have hope of resurrecting their relationship. It is in that spirit that we meet the challenges of your relationship issues. Anger, disillusionment and disconnection are prevalent. Hope and trust are in short supply. You have chosen couples therapy over a call to a divorce attorney. This is an indication that hope is still alive even in the face of physical, emotional or financial infidelity.

LIFE TRANSITIONS

Different life stages pose different challenges realigning couples either towards or away from one another. These are pivotal in a couple’s moving forward to the next chapter feeling closer and more alive emotionally and sexually. Such transitions include: Becoming a bonded couple, birth of a first child, loss of a parent or child, children leaving home, retirement and issues at the end of life. If you are experiencing a life transition, an intensive can be beneficial in addressing the issues associated with it.

 

RECOVERY 

Based on the concept of life beyond addiction, we focus on how to have a different relationship in sobriety by breaking old habitual patterns from when addiction was active in your relationship.

 

THE ADHD COUPLE

The challenges and joys of being partnered with someone who has ADHD are numerous. I have facilitated workshops and groups for adults with ADHD and have developed a specialty in working with couples where this issue is causing relationship stress. An intensive can highlight how this issue can be addressed more skillfully and creatively, avoiding the repetitive patterns that have gotten you stuck in negative cycles. The strengths and positives are highlighted and incorporated in a new way of being together.

Weekly appointments for area residents

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LOGISTICS and FEES:

The Hotel Santa Fe has a special rate for couples participating in an intensive. In addition, a variety of lodging is available to enhance your experience. Please check with me as to which hotels are offering a package to optimize your experience in Santa Fe. There are a variety of options to suit budget and personal preference. Because each intensive is tailored to the individual needs and financial abilities of my clients, I ask you to call to discuss fees and availability. When you call, we can talk about your individual and joint expectations, address your immediate concerns, and explain the benefits of working with me intensively. I'll outline my fee structure and payment, and look at possible Intensive dates that would be convenient for you.