What happens in the free relationship assessment?

You receive a confidential, personalized virtual call that clarifies your specific challenges and dynamics, and sets a focused path for rapid and deliberate improvement.

Is counseling online or in person?

All sessions are private, and virtual, for confidentiality and convenience.

How long does the program typically take?

Typically, in three to four months, we right the ship and set a confident course for the relationship you want without relying on extended sessions.

How are fees determined?

The free assessment lets us understand your specific needs and craft a tailored plan. Costs are discussed transparently at the conclusion of the initial consultation.

How is your approach different from traditional counseling?

The approach is focused on rapid, deliberate progress. We spend little time assigning blame or revisiting childhood. We co-create the relationship you want, rather than refereeing arguments.

Does this approach help after infidelity?

Yes. The approach helps couples create the intimately loving marriage they want, even after infidelity.

How does this work benefit our children?

Improving the marital relationship reduces household tension and stress. A harmonious home helps children thrive academically and socially, and models emotional maturity and healthy conflict resolution.

What results can couples expect?

A clearer path to a safe, respectful, and intimate partnership, improved communication, rekindled trust, and practical skills you can use long after sessions end.

What does the process look like?

Using a deliberate approach, we become clear about the relationship you want to create, then show up to contribute to it skillfully. The program breaks down problems step by step so you can understand each other better and overcome obstacles to getting the love you want.

Is this right for us?

If you are ready to accept guidance, work on improving your relationship and yourself, and want a direct, no-nonsense approach that prioritizes rapid progress, this is designed for you.

Who leads the program?

The program is led by Anthony Santen, CT, with over 25 years of experience helping couples rebuild trust and intimacy.

Is the process confidential?

Yes. Full discretion is assured. All sessions are private, and virtual.

A Structured Alternative to Traditional Couples Therapy

You have already talked about the problems.
You may already understand where they came from.
But understanding has not changed what happens between you.

You Do Not Need Another Version of the Same Conversation.

You need a process that identifies the pattern, changes what each partner does inside it, and moves the relationship toward a defined outcome. Intentional Marriage Counseling is a private, structured 12–16 week program for couples who want deliberate change rather than indefinite weekly therapy.

Private Assessment Call.
60–90 min. No charge.

Book Your Free Relationship Assessment

Our Senior Program Advisor will help you clarify what your relationship needs and whether this program is the right path. Sessions are live with Anthony.

"You showed us more about our relationship dynamic than our previous therapist did in six months of sitting in her office. We haven't even paid you for a single session yet!"

Trevor

Why Couples Look for an Alternative

Most couples do not reject counseling because they are unwilling to work. They begin looking elsewhere because the work has become repetitive. The same hurts are explained again, the same arguments are revisited, and both partners leave knowing more about the problem without knowing what to do differently when it happens again.

At that point, another open conversation is not enough. The relationship needs a clear diagnosis of the cycle, a shared direction, and a sequence of practical changes that both partners can carry into daily life.

What to do when couples therapy is not creating enough change

What Is Different About a Structured Program

This is not drop-in support and it is not an indefinite weekly appointment. The work is organized around a defined relationship outcome, a deliberate sequence, longer intensive sessions, and clear responsibilities for both partners.

We identify what keeps the relationship stuck. Then we determine what each partner must understand, stop, begin, repair, and practise so the relationship can become steady, connected, and emotionally safe again.

The goal is not to decide who is right. The goal is to change the relationship pattern that keeps producing the same pain.

Not Less Serious. More Deliberate.

An alternative to traditional couples therapy should not mean avoiding difficult work. It should mean using the couple's time more carefully.

We spend less time circling old arguments and more time clarifying what the relationship requires now. Past experiences are addressed when they explain the present pattern, but they do not become a substitute for changing the way the relationship functions.

Who This Is Designed For

This program is designed for couples who still want the relationship, but no longer trust their own attempts to repair it. You may be exhausted, resentful, disconnected, recovering from betrayal, or discussing separation. What matters is that both partners are willing to look directly at the pattern and take responsibility for changing their contribution to it.

It is not designed for someone seeking a referee, a verdict against their partner, or a place to repeat the same complaint indefinitely.

The First Step Is an Assessment, Not a Sales Pitch

The free 60–90 minute Relationship Assessment is used to understand what is actually happening between you, what has already been tried, what keeps failing, and whether a structured program is appropriate.

You leave with a clearer explanation of the relationship dynamic and the most direct path forward. If the program is a fit, the scope, timeframe, and cost are explained before you decide whether to proceed.

Find out what is keeping your relationship stuck.

Begin Your Relationship Assessment

You'll leave with answers, not more questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main alternatives to traditional couples therapy?

Alternatives include structured marriage programs, couples intensives, discernment counseling, relationship education, coaching, retreats, and specialized infidelity-recovery programs. The important distinction is not the label but whether the approach matches the seriousness, goals, and dynamics of the relationship.

How is this different from ordinary weekly couples therapy?

The program is finite, sequenced, and built around a defined outcome. Sessions are longer and the work between sessions is part of the process. The focus is on changing the relationship pattern rather than repeatedly discussing each week's conflict.

Is this a weekend retreat?

No. This is a private 12–16 week online program. It is intensive in depth, structure, session length, and accountability, but it is not compressed into a weekend.

What if previous couples therapy did not work?

Previous therapy is treated as useful information. We identify what was understood, what changed, what did not transfer into daily life, and what the prior format may have left unresolved.

Do both partners need to participate?

The full couples program is designed for both partners. The assessment determines whether both are sufficiently willing and whether the program is appropriate for the relationship.

How do we begin?

Begin with the free 60–90 minute Relationship Assessment. It clarifies the pattern, the desired outcome, and the most direct path forward.