The Couples Intensive Program (4-day) utilizes a structure that is the most powerful format we’ve found in marriage counseling for helping couples move past the barriers that keep them from experiencing the marriage of their dreams. While it’s common for many couples to be reluctant to discuss their relationship in front of others, our experience is they rave about the group format on Post-Intensive surveys and leave with a renewed hope in their marriage.

• Approximately 30 hours of marriage counseling with our team of marriage counselors
• A safe and supportive environment with a maximum of 5 couples and two marriage counselors
• 4 days and 5 nights in luxury accommodations with all meals served on location
• A participant manual and other follow up services with a The Institute marriage counselor The

Marriage Intensive (2-day) uses the same powerful principles as the Couples Intensive yet is perfectly designed to provide additional privacy during marriage counseling, individual care and more scheduling flexibility.

• Approximately 14 hours of exclusive marriage counseling with a team of The Institute marriage counselors
• 2 days and 2 nights in luxury accommodations with all meals included and served on location
• A participant manual and other follow up services with a The Institute counselor

• Marriage counseling in the Marriage (2-day) Intensive^SM is held at our offices in Branson, MO at the National Institute of Marriage and couples stay at an area Hampton Inn. Scheduled primarily Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday on an as needed basis 7-8 times per month. 
• Marriage Counseling in the Couples (4-day) Intensive^SM is held at the Bradford House Bed & Breakfast in Branson, MO and at the WinShape Marriage Retreat Center in Rome, GA (north of Atlanta).  Scheduled Monday-Thursday 4-5 times a month.  Click here for a full schedule of the Couples Intensive marriage counseling programs.

We realize it is intimidating for most people to open up in a group; it is a very normal concern. Most come dreading the group marriage counseling format, but by the end would not have it any other way. The Institute's marriage counselors make it a very safe place to express concerns/struggles, help couples learn through observation and feedback, and the group provides relationships for continued support. Each couple does work specifically with the marriage counselors on their issues (this is NOT a cookie-cutter format of a retreat or seminar, but actually very customized and practical).

Many individuals who have concerns about affairs, pornography, or childhood abuse have found it very therapeutic to let the “secret” out in the safe setting of these groups because it becomes less of a burden for them to bear alone and they often find empathy and support from others with similar struggles. Again, the atmosphere of the location is very private and the marriage counselors are specially trained to create a safe environment.

Just like a physical doctor can’t call up his patients and say, "I think you may have a cold. Please come in for an appointment," the ethics in our marriage counseling practice don’t allow us to pursue clients. Instead, we have to wait until people initiate contact with us. (The results are usually better that way as well). One of our trained Intensive registrars would be delighted to return calls to discuss questions, concerns, or hesitancy.

2 Stipulations:

1. If there is currently a substance addiction, the individual would need to go through a rehab program prior to going through our marriage counseling program, in order for the experience to have a fair chance to be effective.

2. If there is currently an affair, the program will not be as effective with a 3rd party factor. The program effectiveness depends on two individuals who are focusing on the marriage. The affair must be cut off and both partners must be re-focused/committed to the present relationship prior to registering for the The Institute marriage counseling program. Even if you are unsure about the future, there needs to be at least a temporary commitment to focusing on this opportunity openly.

• Intensive Marriage Counseling Format: Committing to an extended amount of concentrated time like the Intensive allows people to get to the root of the problem and stick with it in order to work through it. If you’ve been in traditional marriage counseling before, you may have experienced how you spend the first half catching up from the week before or the drive there, the second half getting into the real issues, and then the time is often up. The Intensive format is designed so that people have the chance to go deeper without many of the other distractions of daily life and stay there long enough to consider solutions. (Not to discount traditional marriage counseling because it is appropriate for many situations).

• Efficiency: One of the first steps in the process is a pretty extensive assessment with some questionnaires so that the therapists gather background information and can get an idea of the best way to proceed before you even arrive for your session.

• Marriage Counselors: They are specialists in this area. One analogy we like to use is that of the Mayo Clinic: people go to their regular physician but may be sent to a specialist to work with specific areas. The The Institute marriage therapists have been trained in this format to maximize its effectiveness. Also, the The Institute marriage counseling programs provide the perspectives and insight of two professionals rather than one.

The Institute recommends that all clients contact their insurance company/human resource dept. prior to coming to an Intensive and clarify what benefits may apply. When requested by the client, The Institute will provide a detailed receipt with a diagnosis and CPT code for your insurance purposes. This receipt will show the marriage counselor and clinic info, EIN, License # and the amount the client has paid to The Institute. However, The Institute currently does not submit to insurance companies on behalf of our clients.

We have researched the other major programs that are similar to ours and being offered to couples throughout the nation.  Honestly, from our research of the many programs that are being offered, there are some programs that are only similar in that they are trying to help marriages.  The main distinctions can be categorized as 1) what type of couples is the program designed to help, 2) who are the leaders, and 3) the format.

Who the Intensives are designed to help: Most programs are what we consider “enrichment” programs, meaning that, in general, they can facilitate growth or rekindle romance in a relationship that is generally healthy or has a solid foundation.  Our program targets couples who are often in a marriage crisis (separated, divorcing, hopeless, etc), couples who are very “stuck” and discouraged, and couples who say they have “tried everything else” and have not seen results or a breakthrough.  People often attend our program as a “last ditch effort” in their marriage, not as a booster for enrichment.  In researching some of the other programs, we feel that frustration and, in some cases, additional harm can be experienced by the couples that attended and needed more than what that program was designed to offer.  The sessions often opened wounds and stirred things up, but the program was not equipped and leaders were not available to help navigate those charged areas safely or find resolution.

Leaders: The leaders in many other programs are not necessarily trained professional counselors/therapists or psychologists (this training requires either a Masters Degree or PhD, licensure requirements by the state, thousands of hours of experience and supervision, etc).  One big distinction in our organization is that all of our counseling staff are trained professionals.  While pastors, lay-helpers, and marriage mentors can be wonderful facilitators with compassion, life experience, and testimonies, that is very different than a trained professional that is equipped with knowledge, skills, and experience for more complex dynamics and deeper needs.

Format: This is the most significant distinction.  Our programs are NOT a typical seminar, conference, workshop, or retreat.  There is not a schedule or particular specific lectures and presentations-it is not a cookie-cutter or “canned” approach to the situations and problems the clients are presenting.  Over the years, our team of clinical professionals have collaborated their areas of expertise and we developed a “model” or approach, theories about working with couples, along with specific techniques that we have found to be effective for individuals and impacting change in relationships.  We have observed and explored many myths about relationships and have worked to define the actual elements of truth in a way that is easy to understand and apply.  All of this is the foundation that the counselors work from, however the actual format and delivery during the programs it is not delivered as a “structured model.” We gather detailed information from each spouse PRIOR to their arrival so the counselors can review and get a sense of the unique aspect or concerns to consider for each individual, each couple, and the group as a whole (In the case of the Couples Intensive^sm 4-day Program, there are never more than 5 couples, so it is a small group, not a large group or audience.)  Time is spent custom-tailored to your needs.

While some programs assign “couples time” and “homework” type exercises, in our program the entire 4 days (approximately 30 hours) are spent directly with the two therapists in the group.  Each couple has multiple opportunities to work with the therapists directly to explore the areas and issues that are critical to their situation and the therapists will discuss and then teach as needed the specific concepts or skills as it applies directly to that situation.  Some of the benefits that we observe from this approach include the following:

• It is not high pressure and people can establish their comfort before participating directly.
• People have commented that they sometimes learn more by observing when another couple is working directly with the therapists because they can be more objective and not as emotionally distracted.
• Memory and learning seem to be more powerful when it is specific and relevant by applying in a current situation.

Some may ask if there is individual time with the therapists, and there is not.  The therapists do attend meal times and are on location usually during breaks, so they are available and approachable if there is a concern that needs to be addressed or if a client needs to ask a question before bringing it up in the group.  We maintain this format because (in addition to the above reasons) the small group provides the following:

• opportunities to learn through the other relationships
• opportunities to receive support
• opportunities to receive encouragement
• opportunities to receive feedback
• opportunities to grow by participating and providing support, encouragement, and feedback to others

Since the days are long and quite involved, we do not have structured assignments for the evenings.  That time is free for couples and individuals to relax, go out, visit with others, and take good care of themselves as needed.

This is a faith-based organization.  As such, our marriage counselors are Christian believers and followers.  We believe that God is our source of truth for the principles and skills that we teach individuals and couples looking for hope to heal, grow, and love with freedom from judgment, condemnation, and helplessness.

While The Institute teaches relationship principles that are Biblically sound, they can stand alone as secular teaching and can have an impact regardless of the individual’s level of faith.

The overt spiritual dimensions include the following: During the actual marriage counseling , the marriage counselors may share from their personal experience and refer to scriptures to illustrate points.  Each session is also opened with a general prayer.

We have a variety of people that attend.  Those that attend Intensives consist of individuals that are very active in their faith, from a variety of denominations and also include non-believers.   Our guiding principles in our approach include promoting safety, honor, respect, and curiosity rather than high-pressure, judgmental approaches that would promote The Institute as any authority with a particular agenda. The Institute marriage counselors meet people at all different places on their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual journeys, and we are here to assist them at their request to find more effective tools.

We realize that the rooming arrangements might be a concern with some couples because they are currently separated or they do not feel comfortable staying in the same room with their spouse.  We are committed to making sure each couple's stay with The Institute is as safe and comfortable as possible.  The lodging arrangments for each location is listed below.  If additional rooms are needed, our team will be able to provide you with necessary information to make these arrangements (the additional room cost will be the couple's responsibility).

• Branson - One bedroom with full bath.
• Rome - Two bedroom suite with bathrooms and shared sitting area.