Intensive couples therapy in NYC

Couples therapy that achieves the progress of 2–3 months of weekly sessions in just two days

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Our Couples Therapy Intensives offer deep, focused, high-touch support for couples in crisis who need real movement, fast.

When your relationship feels like it’s hanging by a thread or you’re unsure whether to even stay together, traditional weekly therapy may not feel like enough.

Download our informational booklet

Signs you may benefit from a couples intensive

  • You feel more like roommates than romantic partners.

  • You have found your way back to each other - or determining whether you can rebuild - after a recent infidelity / betrayal.

  • You keep getting stuck in the same blowout fight.

  • You are preparing for or adjusting to major milestones or transitions - marriage, a child, the loss of a job, a new diagnosis, a relapse.

  • You simply wish to deepen your connection and prevent an escalation of dynamics you’ve noticed between each other.

  • You are seriously considering separation.

Questions Couples Often Ask Themselves

By the time couples consider an intensive, they've usually been living with questions they can't answer.

  • "How did we get here?" You remember being close. Somewhere between then and now, something shifted and the gap between you continues to widen.

  • "Why do we keep having the same fight?" Different topics, same script with little confidence that you can talk without a blow-up. 

  • "Can we ever come back from this?" Intrusive thoughts about the affair keep you spiraling, trying to find comfort through more information.

  • "Are we partners or just roommates?" You can't remember your last real conversation that wasn't about the kids, the schedule, or the house.

  • "Should we stay or should we go?" One or both of you is weighing whether the relationship can be salvaged. 

  • "Do we have time to fix this?" Weekly therapy feels too slow for where you are. Something needs to shift now, not in eight months.

  • “What do we need to feel prepared for this?” It’s hard to prepare for something you’ve never done before, whether it’s marriage, having a child or a big life change.

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The Atlas Approach

Our approach combines research-backed methods that address both the emotional and practical aspects of your relationship crisis.

Each intensive is customized to your needs, and may include:

  • A thorough intake and relationship history assessment

  • 6 - 12+ hours of therapy in a day or over a weekend

  • Individual and joint sessions

  • Concrete communication skills modeling and hands-on practice in conflict repair

  • Tools and next-step recommendations to take home


You’ll leave with more clarity, emotional insight, and actionable guidance—whether you're hoping to rebuild or decide how to part in a way that’s respectful and grounded.

Our work together uses modalities such as Gottman Method for couples therapy, emotionally focused therapy (EFT), and discernment counseling.

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What to expect during a Couples Intensive

Each intensive is structured but personalized. Here are examples of the kinds of exercises we may use to guide your work together:

Download our informational booklet

Preparation

Prior to sign-up, you and your partner will participate in a consultation call to assess whether this is the right intervention for you. This is a 30 minute virtual consultation and can be followed-up with individual consultations if additional consultation is needed.

Prior to the start of your couples intensive, you and your partner will complete a series of relationship assessments. These will help you organize your thoughts about your relationship, its strengths and challenges and give your therapist a foundational understanding of target areas.

Your therapist will then share materials tailored to you and your relationship to further prepare you for the time spent in the intensive. This will include previews of worksheets, recommended readings, provisional schedule of events and more.

Conflict pattern mapping (Gottman & EFT informed)

We help you identify the recurring negative cycles that keep you stuck—whether it's shutting down, criticism, defensiveness, or emotional withdrawal—and begin replacing them with healthier, more connected patterns.

Guided communication practices

Using structured scripts like the Gottman “Dreams Within Conflict” or the EFT “Hold Me Tight” conversations, you’ll practice speaking vulnerably and listening with curiosity and empathy, even around emotionally charged issues.

Attachment needs & wounds exploration (EFT)

You’ll be guided to explore the underlying fears, longings, and attachment needs that fuel your reactivity—and begin seeing each other’s emotional pain in a new light.

Relationship timeline & meaning making

We may map out significant relational events to help you process hurt and disconnection, clarify where trust was lost, and explore opportunities for repair or closure.

Discernment dialogues (if applicable)

When one or both partners are ambivalent about staying in the relationship, we use structured one-on-one and joint sessions to clarify each person’s truth—without pressure or urgency to fix things prematurely.

Rebuilding trust after betrayal

If infidelity or secrecy is part of your story, we may use structured trust repair exercises, accountability conversations, and forgiveness work to support healing—only if both partners are willing and ready.

Values Clarification & next steps planning

Whether you decide to rebuild or separate, we’ll help you identify your individual and shared values, agree on immediate next steps, and leave the intensive with a practical, emotionally attuned plan.

Results after therapy

Two days won't solve everything, no honest therapist would promise that. What an intensive does is create a turning point. Couples leave with things that often take months of weekly sessions to build.

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Clarity You Can Act On

  • Your cycle, mapped. You both finally see the full pattern — who pursues, who withdraws, what each of you is protecting — and you feel aligned in recognizing the cycle as a team.

  • The real issues are named and faced. The conversations you've been avoiding for months happen, with a therapist keeping them safe and productive.

  • A decision, or a path to one. For couples on the brink, discernment work brings honest clarity about staying or separating.

  • A concrete plan. You leave with a written roadmap: what you're each working on, how to handle the next conflict, and what follow-up support looks like.

Connection You Can Feel

  • A different kind of conversation. Many couples have their first truly vulnerable exchange in years during an intensive and remember what reaching for each other feels like.

  • Repair, experienced firsthand. You don't just learn de-escalation and repair skills, you practice them in the room.

  • Trust with a foundation. For couples recovering from betrayal, the structured trust-rebuilding work creates the first solid ground to stand on.

  • Momentum. Instead of losing the thread between weekly sessions, you build enough momentum to make meaningful progress.

Client Testimonials

  • Tina, NYC (Psychiatric Provider)

    “Working with Janine has been nothing short of exceptional. She is truly one of a kind; professional, compassionate, and reliable. In every interaction, she brings a presence that makes both clients and colleagues feel supported and understood. What makes her stand out is the way she goes above and beyond for her patients, ensuring they feel supported and genuinely cared for. Her dedication to their well-being is unmatched. She never disappoints; whether it’s her clinical insight, her collaborative approach, or her ability to handle challenging situations with grace and clarity. She brings heart and excellence into everything she does.

    I’ve seen firsthand how her unique combination of expertise and warmth makes a meaningful impact on the clients she works with. She’s a rare gem in the field and any client would be fortunate to work with her.”

  • Chelsea, NYC

    “Janine has been the most spectacular therapist. She’s always provided a safe and open space for me to speak my thoughts.

    I have made leaps and bounds in my progress in my work with her. I would recommend anyone to try therapy with her. She has helped me so much. I’m constantly astounded by how much better my life has gotten since I’ve started working with her.”

  • P & R, NYC

    “Janine was our couples therapist during a very rough period in our marriage. We had seen two couples therapists and didn’t feel like it helped. Our time with Janine brought us back from what felt like a point of no return. We are really grateful to have found her.”

  • Mei & James, CA

    “We love Janine! She was highly recommended to us by a friend who saw her for couple therapy. She really made us feel comfortable.”

  • P, CA

    “I have been in a lot of therapy. Therapy with Janine was different and actually changed my life. She wrote me a treatment plan, she made me worksheets and she always knew when/how much to push me and when I just needed to be held. So glad I found her.”

  • Stephanie, NYC

    “My favorite part of therapy was the visualizations! They were always so relaxing and they showed me how I can get out of my head and into my body.”

  • Anonymous

    “I began working with Dr. Stephanie during a period when anxiety was deeply affecting my daily life, including intense physical symptoms that felt overwhelming at the time. From the very beginning, she created a space that felt safe, steady, and genuinely supportive. Through our work together, she offered practical tools and thoughtful guidance that helped me understand and calm my anxiety, while also gently guiding me through deeper inner-child work that I didn’t realize I needed. I’m incredibly grateful for that chapter. “

  • Anonymous

    “Dr. Chin was great to have as a therapist. She was respectful and I felt comfortable speaking with her about anything I had on my mind. She remained professional in all of our sessions and I would confidently recommend her!”

  • Stacey L

    “Dr. Stephanie Chin helped me through a really hard time when I was chronically dealing with trauma and burnout from work. After a few months of working with her, I have made significant improvements on my cognitive thought processes in regards to my work schedule. Very objective and solution oriented, gives productive feedback and listens at the same time.”

  • Brooke, CA

    “Janine is a thoughtful, warm, and skilled therapist with a unique ability to not only identify deeply rooted patterns within a client and their relationships, but to provide caring and collaborative guidance on the path toward measurable change.

    I recommend Janine and the Atlas Therapy team to any provider looking to add a therapist to their treatment team who is collaborative and insightful, and to any client who is interested in or ready for the meaningful and transformative therapy their team provides.”

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Our intensives range from $4,500 to $10,500+, depending on the length, customization, and any add-on services such as follow-up integration sessions or additional assessment. We’ll work with you to design an experience that fits your needs and goals. 50% of payment is due to secure your spot. The remaining 50% of your intensive costs are due 72 business hours before the start of your intensive.

  • If your relationship feels stuck, in distress, or on the verge of ending—but you want clarity, healing, or one last effort to reconnect—this is likely a good fit. It’s also ideal for couples who are motivated to do deep work but struggle to attend weekly sessions. We’ll schedule a consultation beforehand to ensure this is the best next step for your relationship.

  • We can’t guarantee a specific outcome—but many couples walk away with more clarity, emotional insight, communication, co-regulation, de-escalation and attunement tools than months of weekly therapy. Some couples choose to recommit and rebuild; others decide to separate with compassion and understanding. Either way, you’ll leave with more peace and direction than when you arrived.

  • It’s common for one partner to be more invested or ready than the other. We’ll start with an individual pre-intensive interview to understand each of your hopes, concerns, and hesitations. Our goal is not to push an outcome—but to help each of you get clarity and speak honestly about what you want and need.

  • Most intensives are between 1 and 2 full days (6–12 clinical hours total). We offer half-day, one-day, and two-day formats. Some couples opt to add follow-up integration sessions or additional support after the intensive, either in-person or virtually.

    • Pre-intensive assessment and planning

    • Structured and customized therapy sessions

    • Gottman Relationship Checkup

    • Personalized exercises and communication coaching

    • Breaks and integration time

    • Optional follow-up plan

  • Yes, intensives can be conducted in person or online via secure video, depending on your location and needs. We’ll help you create a private, uninterrupted environment if you're attending virtually.

  • Many couples continue with follow-up therapy or coaching sessions to build on the momentum. We’ll discuss next steps before you leave, and can coordinate continued care with our team or refer you to trusted providers in your area.

Meet our Therapists

  • A woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and hoop earrings, smiling slightly, wearing a white button-up shirt, against a plain white background.

    Janine Cheng, LCSW

    Founder + Clinical Director

    Culturally responsive therapy for perfectionists, people-pleasers, stressed couples, and strained families. Structured, and goal-oriented in a warm and supportive setting.

    Full Bio
  • A woman with medium-length dark hair, wearing hoop earrings, a white turtleneck, and a light brown blazer, smiling in front of a plain white wall.

    Dr. Lisa Cordero, PsyD, LMHC, LPC

    Psychotherapist

    Active, goal-oriented therapy for individuals, couples, and families — insight into why you're stuck, and concrete tools to change it.

    Full Bio
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Experience personalized therapy at our office in Nomad

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Our office in Manhattan was intentionally designed to create a sense of comfort, privacy, and ease from the moment you walk through the door. Surrounded by refined interiors and a peaceful atmosphere, you'll find a space that encourages reflection, connection, and meaningful change.

All in-person sessions will take place in a warm, inviting space that will help you feel calm and centered for the work. The office is located in Nomad and easily accessible via the 1, 2, 3, N, R, W, B, D, F, M and 6 lines.

Inquire About Therapy

If you’re not quite ready to book a consultation, use the form below to introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you’re looking for.

You’ll hear from our Clinical Director within 24 business hours.

Based on what you share about your concerns, goals, preferences, availability and budget, we’ll recommend one or more therapists whose experience and approach may be a good fit and guide you through the next step.

Schedule Your Consultation

You can schedule an introductory conversation with our Clinical Director using the calendar below. During this conversation, we’ll learn more about what you’re looking for and help match you with the therapist on our team who best fits your needs.

If you prefer to connect directly with a therapist, explore our team bios and schedule a consultation with the therapist you’re most interested in working with.

Rewrite your story today.

You don't have to keep repeating the same patterns. Therapy can help you better understand what's driving them and create a different path forward. Let us help find the right therapist for you.

Request a free consultation