Have you ever wished that you could spend several hours with your partner to really dig into the problems and have enough time to come up with changes and solutions and NEVER (or at least RARELY) have to revisit those same old things in arguments and disagreements? Your first response might be “The NEVER part sounds good, but I think I’d rather get all my teeth pulled than spend a few hours digging into my relationship”. This is a common response because most people think the process and outcome is for talking about problems, arguing again just like at home, and feeling miserable for the next couple of days. Well, I certainly wouldn’t want to do that either! And every now and then (hopefully rarely), short couple’s sessions can feel like that simply because there is not enough time to uncover the problem and learn a better way of dealing with it in that timeframe. A creative therapist can make it happen but there is still a certain amount of time lost in each session catching up and getting into the right frame of mind to be productive. In a way, a boot camp type session may be less expensive because it means less visits overall. You may choose to have short sessions on a less frequent basis just to make sure you don’t fall into old habits. But the duration and frequency of those are your choice.

At PsychArizona, we have created a 4-hour “Boot Camp” for relationships. It isn’t for everyone or for every type of problem, but for some couples, it is the best way to go. It gives enough time to fully discuss issues, learn new ways of doing things, and have a strategy of what you are going to do as a couple in the weeks ahead. But it doesn’t end there. Being a couple isn’t all about solving problems. It is also about having fun, being more intimate, and trusting that other person as your best friend. In a couple’s boot camp, a goal is also for you to leave knowing how to have more fun and excitement with each other!