Intensive Therapy Getaway
Intensive Therapy Getaway — accelerated, immersive therapy that compresses months of weekly sessions into a single dedicated weekend, creating the kind of momentum and breakthrough that conventional therapy can take years to reach.
What is Intensive Therapy Getaway?
An intensive therapy getaway is a concentrated, multi-day therapeutic experience designed for individuals and couples who want to make meaningful progress quickly — without waiting weeks between sessions for momentum to build. By removing the gaps that conventional weekly therapy cannot avoid, the intensive format allows the therapeutic work to reach a depth, continuity, and pace that fifty minutes a week simply cannot replicate.
At TrueMe® Counseling, our intensive getaway is held in Westlake Village, California, and is guided by a Gottman-trained therapist with over 20 years of clinical experience in couples and relationship work. Prior to the weekend, both partners complete the Gottman Relationship Checkup — a comprehensive, research-based assessment covering friendship, intimacy, conflict, values, trust, finances, parenting, and more — so that the work begins with a detailed, accurate clinical picture of your relationship from the very first session.
Intensive Therapy Getaway as a Catalyst
The intensive is not a replacement for ongoing therapy. It is a catalyst — one that creates the kind of clarity and momentum that can take months to build in conventional care. Many couples describe it as the most significant therapeutic experience they have had, precisely because it gives the work the time and continuity it deserves.
Common signs Intensive Therapy Gateway may be for you:
- Your relationship is in crisis and needs immediate, focused attention
- You feel stuck after months of weekly therapy
- You want to make meaningful change quickly
- Life circumstances make consistent weekly therapy difficult
If you identify with 2 or more of these, you may be a good candidate for our testing and assessment.
OUR CLINICAL APPROACH
How we treat you — and why it works
Most therapy fails because it’s generic. At TrueMe® Counseling, our licensed therapists use a structured, evidence-based framework built around your specific needs, history, and goals — not a one-size-fits-all program.Whether you’re across the street or across the state, we’re here — in person or virtually throughout California.
Clinical Assessment & Root-Cause Mapping
We begin with a thorough clinical assessment — identifying your specific challenges, personal history, thought patterns, and underlying triggers. This isn't a generic intake form. It's the diagnostic foundation that everything else is built on.
Cognitive Restructuring
Using CBT and other evidence-based modalities, we help you identify and challenge the distorted thinking patterns keeping you stuck — whether that's anxiety, depression, low self-worth, or relationship difficulties. You learn to respond to life differently, from the inside out.
Behavioral Intervention
Insight alone doesn't create change — behavior does. We use structured techniques to help you break the cycles, habits, and avoidance patterns that have been holding you back. This is where meaningful, real-world transformation begins.
Personalized Treatment Planning
No two people are the same — and neither are their treatment plans. Your therapist builds a roadmap tailored specifically to your needs, goals, and pace. Every session is purposeful, intentional, and designed to move you forward.
Progress Tracking & Plan Adjustment
Healing isn't linear — and your therapist knows that. Progress is regularly reviewed and your treatment plan is adjusted in real time to ensure you're always moving in the right direction at the right pace for you.
Resilience Building & Long-Term Independence
The final stage equips you with a personalized, lifelong toolkit — regulation strategies, early warning recognition, and sustainable coping skills — so that when life gets hard, you have everything you need to handle it. The goal is independence, not dependency on therapy.
YOUR THERAPY JOURNEY
What to expect in therapy
Starting therapy can feel intimidating — especially when you’re already carrying so much. Here’s exactly what the process looks like, step by step.
Free consultation call
Before anything else, you’ll have a brief, no-pressure call to share what you’re going through and ask any questions you have. There’s no commitment — just a conversation to make sure we’re the right fit for you.
Your first session
Your first session is a relaxed, open conversation — not a test. Your therapist will take time to understand your history, your current experience, and what you’re hoping to achieve. Many clients leave their first session already feeling a sense of relief just from being heard.
A personalized treatment plan
Your therapist will work with you to create a plan tailored specifically to your needs — not a generic program, but a personalized roadmap designed around your unique history, goals, and what you’re going through right now.
Ongoing sessions & real tools
Each session builds on the last. Using CBT and other evidence-based methods, your therapist will help you identify the thought patterns and behaviors holding you back — and equip you with practical tools you can use in real life between sessions.
Tracking your progress
Healing isn’t always linear — and your therapist knows that. Progress is regularly reviewed and your plan is adjusted as needed to ensure you’re always moving in the adirection at the right pace for you.
Life beyond anxiety
The goal of therapy isn’t just symptom relief — it’s lasting transformation. You’ll finish therapy with a deeper understanding of yourself, a toolkit you carry for life, and the confidence to face whatever comes next.
Meet Our Therapists
TrueMe® Counseling is a team of licensed MFTs and PhDs with decades of combined clinical experience.
Marina Edelman LMFT #51009
Founder of TrueMe® Counseling | Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Cheryl Baldi,
LMFT #39801
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Dr. Rachel Chistyakov, PsyD, LMFT #150001
Licensed Psychologist
Sharalee Hall,
LMFT #135374
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Chris Calandra, AMFT#129479
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Suzanne Perry,
AMFT #132904
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Hayley Willis, AMFT #132776
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Jasmine Johnson, AMFT #137660
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Kylee Garfield, AMFT #145651
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Sean Palmer, AMFT #
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
FAQ - INTENSIVE THERAPY
Frequently Asked Questions About Intensive Therapy
Honest answers from our licensed therapists — before you take the first step.
1. Is the intensive therapy getaway only for couples in crisis?
Not at all — though it is particularly powerful for couples navigating acute crisis. The intensive format is designed for any couple who wants to make meaningful progress quickly, whether that means addressing an emergency like infidelity, breaking through patterns that weekly therapy hasn’t shifted, or simply investing deeply in a relationship that matters and deserves more than fifty minutes a week. The most important prerequisite is that both partners are genuinely willing to engage — not that things have reached a breaking point.
2. What is the Gottman Relationship Checkup — and why does it matter for intensive therapy?
The Gottman Relationship Checkup is a comprehensive, research-based assessment tool developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. It consists of 480 questions covering friendship, intimacy, emotional connection, conflict, values, trust, commitment, parenting, housework, finances, and individual areas of concern. Completing it before the weekend means your therapist arrives at the first session with a detailed, accurate clinical picture of your relationship — rather than spending the early sessions building that picture from scratch. It is one of the things that makes the intensive format so efficient and so targeted.
3. Who is the intensive therapy getaway NOT suitable for?
The intensive weekend may not be the right fit in certain specific circumstances: if either partner is experiencing untreated mental illness including suicidal or homicidal ideation; if there is ongoing physical violence between partners; or if one partner feels pressured into the process rather than choosing it freely. If you are unsure whether the intensive is appropriate for your situation, a complimentary consultation call is the best way to find out — and we will always give you an honest clinical assessment of whether this is the right next step.
4. What happens after the intensive therapy weekend ends?
The Sunday wrap-up session includes a full debrief, a personalized set of resources and tools, and a clear set of recommendations for what comes next — whether that is ongoing weekly therapy, specific exercises to continue at home, or a follow-up intensive at a later stage. The intensive is a catalyst, not a conclusion. What you do with the clarity and momentum you leave with is what determines how lasting the change is — and your therapist will give you everything you need to sustain and build on the work of the weekend.
5. How do we get started and book the intensive therapy getaway?
The first step is a complimentary consultation call with Marina Edelman directly. That conversation gives us the opportunity to understand where you and your partner are, what you are hoping to accomplish, and whether the intensive format is genuinely the most appropriate next step for your specific situation. If it is the right fit, we will discuss scheduling, the pre-weekend assessment, and everything you need to prepare. Call us at (818) 851-1293 or book a consultation through our website to get started.
