About Couples Intensives


Demanding careers and family responsibilities can make weekly therapy difficult to sustain. Busy couples facing serious relationship challenges often benefit from focused, expert support that respects their time and delivers real results.

Our intensive format brings two master-level therapists—Mary McLaughlin and Amy Weidinger—together exclusively for your relationship over one pivotal weekend. We are marriage repair experts and specialize in helping couples work through resentment, communication issues, broken trust, and disconnection.

This is not simply two days of talking - it's an active, hands-on process led by expert clinicians. You'll participate in structured exercises, repair conversations, and connection-building activities designed to create real breakthroughs in the moment. Our extensive pre-assessment phase allows us to do much of the groundwork beforehand so we can tailor the weekend to your relationship and hit the ground running.

Virginia Couples Intensive therapy office, with warm colors, a fireplace, a window, and comfortable couch.
“I have deep appreciation for the time and attention you both have given to this process. You created a safe space for us.”
— couples intensive participant
“The whole weekend was well structured and productive. The repair process, tools and videos were all helpful.”
— couples intensive participant
“This weekend was purposeful, well structured, and executed in a way that felt very much personalized to our relationship and needs.”
— couples intensive participant

Sample Schedule

DAY ONE - Discovery and Assessment 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

  • Welcome, tour, and orientation to the intensive process

  • Define goals, expectations, and hopes for the relationship

  • Individual sessions with each partner to develop personal goals for change

  • Review assessments and clearly identify target areas for change

  • One hour lunch break (Couple leaves for lunch while Amy and Mary review progress and finalize the afternoon agenda based on couple’s needs)

  • Identify each partner’s attachment style and how that shows up in the relationship

  • Clearly understand perpetual problems and resentments

  • Guided observation and coaching during a couple interaction

  • Map out relationship patterns and behaviors that are getting in the way of connection

  • Reflect on and summarize day one, and depart.

** After couple departs, Mary and Amy will meet to review, collaborate, and design a customized treatment plan in preparation for day two.

DAY TWO - Repair and Integration 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

  • Begin the day with a guided exercise designed to promote connection

  • Individual check-in session

  • Share our observations from day one and introduce the treatment plan

  • Receive honest, supportive feedback about patterns that are keeping you stuck

  • Practice tools and strategies chosen specifically for your relationship.

  • Identify past wounds that continue to surface and conduct repair dialogues

  • Practice emotional regulation skills and couple attunement

  • One hour lunch break (Couple leaves for lunch while Amy and Mary review progress and finalize the afternoon agenda based on couple’s needs)

  • Explore what a stronger, healthier relationship looks like moving forward

  • Discuss rituals of connection and creating shared meaning in the relationship

  • Practice new ways of interacting with each other

  • Identify a vision for the future and complete a guided exercise to support it

  • Develop an exit plan to maintain progress made during the intensive