Michelle Joy MFT

Marriage therapist, enneagram, couples counseling, couples therapist training, Bay Area Enneagram Study Groups

1-1 Couples Intensive

>>Want immediate, powerful support for your relationship?<<

Free Consultation

**VIRTUAL INTENSIVES AVAILABLE TO COUPLES NOW!**

Couples Therapy Intensives are a personalized program– one on one, with just you and your partner for 6 or 12 hours all at once — that is designed to bring you bring you immediate, powerful relationship help, and paced according to your particular needs.

This experience is designed to help you shift from disconnection into empathy and connection, and to equip you with the tools to communicate effectively, listen deeply, and express yourself to your partner.

THE BENEFITS:

Couples Therapy Intensives can be a tremendous source of support, strength and growth for you, in an accelerated period of time.  The intensives are customized to your particular needs, but below is an example of what you might expect to come away with:

  • We will together understand your relationship struggles and your negative cycles in depth, while learning powerful strategies that are designed to unite you, instead of divide.
  • You will better understand you and your partners significant histories, including the ways in which these impact your relationship today.
  • You will learn about each of your Enneagram Personality Types, how those patterns influence your relationship, and how to shift those patterns to be the best person you can each be.
  • You will glean insights and clarity into the deeper reasons for some of your most frustrating, recurrent relationship patterns, as well as how to navigate them in new ways going forward.
  • We will together get to the root of your distressful relationship patterns, while teaching you a new way.
  • You will practice & implement the powerful communication tools you learn, designed to get to the root of your particular challenges in your relationship.
  • We will discuss how to TRULY help your partner feel loved, valued and appreciated.
  • Using the “teamwork” approach, you will each leave equipped with a working knowledge of what YOU can do to help create the relationship that you truly desire.

THE FORMAT:

The Couples Therapy Intensives are intended for you to focus on your relationship in a concentrated and enhanced manner, away from daily life stressors, responsibilities, and schedules. This intensive format aims at achieving the progress and benefits of weeks of traditional therapy in just one day. Intensive are ideal to create the momentum and healing needed to address long standing relationship wounds and negative patterns.

Couples Therapy Intensives are booked with only one couple at a time, so each couple gets the individualized attention and format that their relationship needs. This is truly an opportunity to repair, reconnect, and boost your relationship exponentially.

Our time together is a combination of deep discussion, education as well as hands-on practicing of some powerful communication tools that are designed to be relationship game changers.

A typical Intensive day will include 6 hours of therapy with a lunch break in-between, if applicable. Timings are flexible and an individually customized schedule will be set together with you.

If after our Intensive you would like assistance with resuming the momentum that is gained, I would be happy to refer you to a hand-picked, experienced therapist on our staff to continue working with you.

COUPLES THERAPY INTENSIVES CAN HELP YOU:

  • Be in a relationship that is collaborative vs guarded
  • Understand your partner, without giving up your stance
  • Experience more love and satisfaction
  • Speak from your heart
  • Increase intimacy
  • Discuss sensitive topics in a respectful, productive way
  • Manage the powerful urges to interrupt your partner or shut down
  • Express appreciations that are meaningful and heartfelt

THE APPROACH

I will help you manage conflicts and stop those negative cycles – a major cause of distress. You will learn skills specific to your relationship dynamics, so that you can begin to heal and prevent painful interactions from reoccurring.

The principles used to help you are based in the latest advancements in differentiation and neuroscience– providing practical tools to truly get at the root of your stuck places.  You will LEARN these tools and then you will PRACTICE implementing them together — all just between your and your partner — so that you can experience in real time the difference that these tools can actually make.

While there are some common ineffective communication patterns that occur, no two couples are alike. I am very active in the Couples Therapy Intensives, offering insights and describing what I see happening in your particular situation. And, of course, coaching you how to avoid the reflex of disengaging, feeling powerless, blaming each other, or shutting down from frustration or anger.

PROGRAM OPTIONS:

Option #1: A 6-hour couples intensive together, all done in 1 day.  

Option #2: A 12-hour couples intensive, spread over 2 days.

Included in your Intensives are a 30 minute call to discuss the help you are seeking & logistics.  These intensive sessions are conducted virtually over telehealth – so you can receive help from the privacy of your own home.  Handouts will be mailed to you via regular mail before our appointment.

A deposit is required to reserve your space, with the remaining balance due 1 week before our appointment.

Free Consultation

COUPLES THERAPY INTENSIVES PROVIDE OPTIMAL RESULTS IF YOU:

  • Are willing to do some work
  • Feel motivated to understand what you do under stress that isn’t effective.
  • Are ready to explore the kind of relationship you desire to be in, and your part in creating it.
  • Have an open mind in experimenting with new concepts and ideas.
  • Are interested in learning exactly what you can do to help your partner feel the most loved, valued and appreciated.

ABOUT YOUR LEADER, MICHELLE JOY, MFT:

Michelle Joy, MFT has been specializing in couples and participating in in-depth training with some of the world’s most prominent relationship experts since 2002.  She teaches communication workshops to couples as well as provides trainings for couples’ therapists locally, nationally & even internationally.  For more information on Michelle Joy, MFT, click here.

TESTIMONIALS:

So that you can get an idea as to what it’s like to work with Michelle in a Couples Therapy Intensive, here  are some testimonials from couples who have learned from Michelle in her Communication Workshops:

“I learned a lot about myself and my wife of over 25 years, and our dynamics.  The one-on-one portions with Michelle were truly magical and showed me how we could communicate meaningfully on a daily basis.” ~C.M.

“We have made significant progress  that had not been achieved using any other resource. We are still applying the tools we learned even after the workshop is over, and continue to have successes.  Your class had a strong, positive effect on our marriage, thank you!” ~ Barbara Craver

“Today was exactly what we expected and very much met our needs!  Michelle was so reassuring and made us feel so comfortable.  It has only been one week since we attended the workshop, and my husband and I are already seeing the benefits from the workshop and the tools we learned.  The workshop was very beneficial and I definitely recommend it to all couples!” ~Lori Stouffer

“This was a great workshop and worth every penny.  We are coming away with useful and practical tools to implement in daily life, in a non-threatening format. I feel more heard and understood than I ever have before by my husband. Thank you! “ ~ Claire Federico

“Today’s curriculum was fantastic.  Michelle Joy is a wonderful instructor and I really enjoyed how she presented and discussed the topics. I highly recommend this workshop to many other couples that I know. Top notch and 2 thumbs up!” ~ Art Federico

“The Couples Institute Communication Workshop was absolutely wonderful and I am so happy that my husband and I were able to attend.  This will undoubtedly change your marriage in the most positive way! You will gain knowledge on how to grow and rebuild connection with your partner and break old patterns of ineffective communication.  I absolutely loved it!  Michelle is kind and clear in her teaching.” ~Julie Taylor

“I was fairly apprehensive before we went to the workshop, because I don’t like to share feelings in public, so it was a relief to find out that I wouldn’t have to. The day was at times intense and at other times fun.  My partner and I explored some issues that have been dogging us for years and learned new ways of dealing with them. Michelle provided some very helpful insights into what gets in the way of us communicating with each other, as well as some tips for how to solve problems rationally, rather than allowing our reactivity to get in the way.  Highly recommend it to couples at any stage of a relationship!”  ~ Martha S.

“My husband and I found the Couples Communication Workshop to be terrific. Michelle is a great teacher and made us both feel very comfortable – it was wonderful to know that none of the couples would be asked to process or practice the exercises in front of the group. We not only felt good about the issue we processed and negotiated at the workshop, but also had an extremely wonderful outcome when we applied what we learned at home. Take the workshop! Even with a reluctant partner, we both got very much out of the day.”
~Stacey S.

“As a result of attending the Couples Communication Workshop, we learned a lot about conflict resolution, and truly understanding each other.  We left the workshop with a positive view and outlook on our relationship.  Absolutely take the workshop!  It is worth your time.”
~Mike K.

“Michelle’s communication workshop provides a fundamental understanding about how we as humans respond emotionally to various situations. Coming to the class with an open mind allows you to learn about your significant other and about yourself in a one-on-one setting. Everyone can benefit from this class – whether you’ve been dating a few months or been married for many years. The class has helped me to understand my spouse’s perspective on life and our relationship is improving continuously because of it. We have an excellent set of tools to fall back on when things get a little rough. Thank you Michelle!                               ~Christina N.

SUMMARY:

Blame, criticism and withdrawal are normal reactions to feeling stress and overwhelm- they just don’t work well in relationships. When you don’t focus on making each other wrong, you can create a relationship of love, respect and collaboration. You owe it to your relationship, and to your own happiness in life to learn some satisfying alternatives.

You will notice that not only are you unhappy with your relationship during the negative cycles, but also that you are not at your best when you let your emotions run the show. It’s not just about your relationship; it’s about having self respect and feeling good about how you interact with your partner under stress. You owe it to your relationship, and to your own happiness in life to learn some satisfying alternatives.

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