Marriage Retreat NJ
Couples Therapy Intensives
Break Old Patterns. Build Deeper Connection
When your relationship can’t wait, intensives help you move forward together.
You need help, but weekly Couples Therapy feels too slow.
Expert Couples Therapy NJ for Couples In Conflict
Life moves fast. Between work, family, and daily responsibilities, it’s easy for your relationship to take a backseat. But when disconnection, resentment, and unresolved conflicts begin to build, it can feel overwhelming, like no matter how much you try, you’re still stuck in the same painful patterns.
You don’t have time for months of weekly therapy, but you know your relationship is too important to ignore. You need focused, effective support to break through the barriers keeping you disconnected.
Marriage Retreats with Intensive Couples Therapy Can Help.
With intensives, you’ll finally have the dedicated time together, not just 50 minutes squeezed between obligations. Whether you start with a focused 3-hour session or commit to a full weekend retreat, you’ll have the space to slow down, see what’s hidden, and begin shifting the cycle that keeps you stuck.
Why Choose a Marriage Retreat?
Couples choose Marriage Retreats with Couples Therapy for many reasons, including:
You have demanding careers or busy schedules. You may be entrepreneurs, executives, medical professionals, or work in the entertainment industry, making it difficult to commit to weekly sessions. An intensive allows you to prioritize your relationship without disrupting your work schedule.
Your relationship is in distress, and you need help fast. If you feel like you’re on the brink of separation or divorce, an intensive can help you understand the root of your struggles and create a clear path forward.
You travel frequently. Whether for work or lifestyle, your schedule makes it hard to maintain a steady therapy routine. An intensive provides a deep, structured experience without the need for ongoing weekly sessions.
You’ve hit a rough patch and want to reconnect. You’re not necessarily in crisis, but something feels off. You miss the closeness you once had and want to rekindle your emotional and physical intimacy.
You’re recovering from a betrayal or breach of trust. Whether it’s infidelity, emotional disconnection, or a past wound resurfacing, you need concentrated time to process, heal, and rebuild trust.
You want a relationship reset. Maybe life has gotten in the way kids, careers, responsibilities, and you just need space to focus on your relationship again, without distractions.
How It Works
I offer one to three-day intensives (6 hours per day) designed to give you an immersive, in-depth experience tailored to your unique relationship dynamics.
This isn’t just about surface-level solutions—it’s about transforming the way you experience each other and creating lasting change.
What to Expect in a Marriage Retreat with Couples Therapy
Identify and break the negative cycle keeping you stuck in disconnection
Create space for deeper, more vulnerable conversations
Work through unresolved pain, misunderstandings, and emotional wounds
Develop new ways of communicating and connecting that feel safe and secure
Help you experience real-time shifts in your interactions so you leave with tools that work
A Look Inside Your Three-Day Intensive
Flexible Options: Start with one-day or Go Deep over a Weekend
Choose the format that fits your needs right now:
1-Day Intensive → Gain clarity. We’ll focus on assessment, understanding your relationship dynamics, and tracking your cycle so you leave with greater insight into what keeps you stuck.
2-Day Intensive → Lay the groundwork for change. With more time, you’ll begin moving beyond assessment into deeper conversations, starting to untangle patterns, and finding openings for connection.
3-Day Intensive → Create space for real progress.
This immersive format allows you to slow down, step out of reactive cycles, and gain a deeper understanding of the patterns that keep you stuck. With more time, couples often begin touching on the core emotions and longings beneath their conflicts, which lays the groundwork for meaningful repair and lasting change.
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9-10 - intake (assessment and start to track cycle)
10-11 individual session (individual and relationship hx)
11-12 individual session (individual and relationship hx)
12-1 BREAK
1-3 session (track the cycle)
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10-12 session (continue to track cycle/ follow the tango)
12-2 BREAK
2-4 session (session - build on session before)
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10-12 session (checking in about last night/processing from day before, building on what came up)
12-2 BREAK
2-4 session (help consolidate work, process anything that’s unresolved/unclear/ talk about next steps/follow up)
Is a Couples Therapy in a Retreat Intensive Right for You?
Doing Couples Therapy in an intensive format is ideal if you:
Want to prioritize your relationship but struggle to find the time for weekly therapy
Feel stuck in the same arguments and disconnect
Need focused support to heal from a major relationship stressor
Are willing to engage in deep, transformative work to break old patterns
If you’re ready to get unstuck and rediscover the connection you’ve been missing, I invite you to take this step.
Note: While intensives can be a powerful way to deepen your connection, they aren’t the best fit for every couple. Click here to review important considerations before booking. If a couple’s intensive isn’t appropriate for your current situation, we can explore weekly couples therapy to help you stabilize and move forward.
Contact me today to schedule a free consultation and learn if a couples intensive is right for you.
What Clients Say About Couples Therapy with Stevette, Couples Therapist NJ
Investment for Couples Therapy in a Marriage Retreat NJ
These retreats are all about giving your relationship the focused time it needs; no waiting weeks between sessions. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), I’ll help you uncover what’s keeping you stuck and guide you back to a deeper connection, in a way that fits your unique story.
Weekend Intensives
(Fri–Sun)
1 Day (6 hrs): $2,000
2 Days (12 hrs): $4,000
3 Days (18 hrs): $6,000
Notes
Intensives are designed to give couples extended, uninterrupted time to work through challenges and strengthen their connection.
Most couples experience the greatest impact in a 3-day intensive. For meaningful progress, I recommend committing to at least 2 days.
For Out-of-Town and Out-of-State Couples
Make Your Intensive a Meaningful Getaway in Beautiful Montclair, NJ
Many couples travel from across New Jersey—and beyond—for the depth and focus offered in our 3-day Couples Intensives. If you're coming from out of town or out of state, Montclair offers the perfect backdrop for this important investment in your relationship.
Nestled at the base of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a vibrant suburban town just 13 miles from New York City. Known for its tree-lined streets, historic homes, eclectic restaurants, and thriving arts scene, Montclair offers both tranquility and inspiration. It's the ideal place to step out of your daily routine, reconnect as a couple, and explore the next chapter of your relationship with clarity and care.
Whether you're strolling through the Van Vleck House & Gardens, enjoying a cozy meal at one of our many cafes, or taking a quick train ride into Manhattan after your session, you'll find space to reflect, recharge, and reconnect.
Planning your trip for a Couples Intensive? Click here to access our local recommendations for accommodations, dining, and leisure activities to enjoy during your downtime between sessions.
Coming from NYC, Philly, or Boston? Montclair is easily accessible by train or car, and offers just the right mix of quiet charm and cultural energy.
Experience the charm of Montclair, NJ, through this peaceful walking tour. Discover the town's inviting streets and local highlights that make it the perfect setting for your Couples Intensive journey.
Video courtesy of Perth Amboy Bay Side.
Stevette Heyliger, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Montclair, NJ, specializing in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and individuals. Deeply committed to helping people heal disconnection and build emotionally safe, loving relationships, Stevette supports clients in breaking painful cycles, repairing trust, and fostering secure emotional bonds.
In addition to weekly couples therapy sessions in NJ, Stevette offers 3 day private Couples Intensives—a focused, in-depth experience for partners who want to dive deeper, faster. These intensives are ideal for couples in crisis, those with limited time for weekly sessions, or anyone seeking a meaningful relationship reset.
Whether you're seeking couples therapy in Montclair or virtual therapy anywhere in New Jersey, Stevette provides a compassionate, nonjudgmental space where both partners can feel seen and supported. She is also a founding member of the Caribbean EFT Community, working to expand access to EFT throughout the Caribbean.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A Couples Therapy Intensive is a focused, immersive experience designed to help you and your partner break through relationship challenges in a short period of time. Unlike traditional weekly therapy, an intensive provides dedicated time and space (typically two full days) to deeply explore your patterns, improve communication, and rebuild emotional connection.
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Weekly therapy is great for gradual progress, but it can take months to see significant change—especially if you're in crisis or feeling disconnected. A Couples Intensive accelerates the process, allowing you to dive deep, work through core issues, and experience immediate shifts without the stop-and-start of weekly sessions.
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A Couples Intensive is ideal for couples who:
Have busy schedules and can’t commit to weekly therapy
Feel stuck in repeating conflicts and need immediate support
Are navigating trust issues or betrayal recovery
Want to rekindle emotional and physical intimacy
Are in distress and need urgent intervention
Simply want a relationship reset and a stronger connection
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The cost of a couples intensive depends on the number of days you choose. Intensives typically run 6 hours per day.
1-Day Intensive (6 hours total): $2,000
2-Day Intensive (12 hours total): $4,000
3-Day Intensive (18 hours total): $6,000
Your investment includes:
A thorough intake and relationship history review
A highly personalized, focused therapy experience
Breaks throughout the day to support emotional processing
Customized resources and recommendations for ongoing support
While a one-day intensive can provide a strong start, most couples benefit most from 2–3 days, as this extended time creates space to slow down, de-escalate, and begin building lasting change. If you’re unsure which format is best for you, we can talk it through during your consultation call.
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Your intensive will be customized to your relationship’s needs, but in general, you can expect:
Identifying and breaking negative interaction cycles
Processing past wounds, misunderstandings, and resentments
Learning new ways to communicate with safety and vulnerability
Developing practical tools for connection that you can use daily
Experiencing real-time shifts in how you relate to each other
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Absolutely. You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from an intensive. Many couples use intensives as a way to refresh their relationship, deepen intimacy, and create a stronger emotional foundation before problems escalate.
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Many couples experience significant breakthroughs in just one intensive, but ongoing support can help solidify changes. After your intensive, we can discuss whether you’d benefit from follow-up sessions, monthly check-ins, or additional resources to keep your progress on track.
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If you’re feeling stuck, disconnected, or in need of a relationship reset, an intensive can help you gain clarity and create meaningful change—fast. If you’re unsure, I offer a free consultation to help you decide if an intensive is the right fit for your relationship.
Would you like me to tailor any of these further for your specific clientele or approach?