Private Marriage Intensives: how ours work →
In short: A marriage intensive is concentrated, structured work on your marriage over a few full days, instead of one hour a week for months. It can be private (one couple at a time) or a group weekend with several couples. Ours are private, three to five days long, eight to twelve hours a day, and built around what brought you to this point.
Watch: Infidelity in the Church (the 3-day intensive segment) (Hasani Pettiford with Roland Bradley)
Key takeaways
- An intensive gives you full days, not one hour a week, to get into what is really going on.
- Private intensives work with one couple at a time; group intensives bring several couples together for a weekend.
- It is not a vacation or a retreat by the pool. It is focused work, with breaks built in.
- Everything should be built around your situation, because every couple is dealing with something different.
- You should leave with something you can use at home: tools, a plan and accountability.
- Who leads it matters. After an affair, look for someone who specializes in infidelity.
How is an intensive different from weekly counseling?
In weekly sessions a couple meets for an hour or two, often for months. As our practitioner Roland Bradley describes it in the video, many couples tell us they sat on a couch, talked about their problems, and went home with nothing to hold them accountable.
An intensive brings that work together into a few full days. That time lets you unpack what brought you to this point, get into the details of what is keeping you apart, and leave with tools you can use at home.
For a side-by-side look at intensives, group weekends, weekly therapy and peer-led retreats, read Marriage intensive vs. other options.
What are the types of marriage intensives?
- Private intensive: one couple, one or two practitioners, usually two to five days. All the time goes to your marriage.
- Group intensive or weekend: several couples together, with teaching and couple time. Our group format is the Last Chance Weekend, a 3-day experience in Atlanta.
- Virtual intensive: the same concentrated work by video, for couples who can’t travel.
What happens during a private intensive with us?
Our Private Marriage Intensive is one couple at a time, three, four or five days long, eight to twelve hours a day with breaks built in. It is led primarily by Hasani and Danielle Pettiford.
- Days 1–3, Affair Recovery: six stages, from the discovery of the affair and stabilizing the crisis, through full disclosure, affair-proofing and rebuilding trust, to the path to true forgiveness.
- Day 4, Individual Recovery: led by Danielle, using the Enneagram. The betrayed partner and the partner who had the affair each work on their own path.
- Day 5, Marital Recovery: the five core areas where marriages break down: communication and conflict, finances, sex and intimacy, family dynamics, and roles and expectations.
Before the intensive there is a virtual preparation session. Afterward, couples can continue in our aftercare, the Moving Forward Program. The length is set during the application and assessment, and intensives take place in Atlanta, South Florida, Medellín, at your location, or virtually.
How do you get the most out of an intensive?
Come as you are. Hasani tells the story of a couple who were polite and polished in every session, then argued in their room at every break. As he put it, you travel all that way and invest all that time; bring us into the mess so we can help you out of it.
The couples who struggle most are often the ones who give just enough of the truth to get through. Full honesty while you have help in the room is what makes the time count.
Is a marriage intensive therapy?
It depends on who leads it. Some intensives are run by licensed therapists. Ours is relationship coaching, not licensed therapy. To understand the difference, read Do we need a therapist or a coach after an affair?
Go deeper
Hasani’s Moving Forward After Infidelity: From Discovery to Recovery (2025) walks through the same stages we use in the intensive. See it in our store →
Frequently asked questions
What is a marriage intensive?
A marriage intensive is concentrated, structured work on a marriage over a few full days instead of weekly sessions over months. It can be private, with one couple, or a group weekend with several couples.
How long is a marriage intensive?
Most run two to five days. Couples Academy’s private intensives are three, four or five days, eight to twelve hours a day, with an extended seven-day option for more complex situations.
Is a marriage intensive the same as a couples retreat?
No. A retreat is often restful and general. An intensive is focused work on what brought you there, with breaks built in, and should leave you with tools and a plan.
Can we do a marriage intensive online?
Yes. Many providers, including Couples Academy, offer virtual intensives for couples who can’t travel.
How do we know if an intensive is right for us?
Talk it through first. Couples Academy’s intensives are by application, and the length is set during the assessment. Start with a free discovery call.
Related questions
- Marriage intensive vs. other options
- How much does a private marriage intensive cost?
- Do we need a therapist or a coach after an affair?
- Private Marriage Intensives
Get started
Book a free, confidential 30-minute discovery call with Hasani and Danielle. We’ll listen, and tell you honestly what we think the next step is.
Book a free discovery call Call or WhatsApp +1 470-771-6254
Not ready to talk yet? Take the free Affair Recovery Assessment.
Important note: Couples Academy provides relationship coaching, marriage support, and educational resources, not licensed therapy. If you are in immediate danger, experiencing abuse, domestic violence, or a mental health emergency, please contact emergency services or a qualified crisis resource in your area.