Relationship Intensives with Susan Tinsley Daily, LMHC
Susan Tinsley Daily
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Phone: 413-212-9515
An intensive is an excellent way to prioritize your relationship and benefit from dedicated time together with the guidance of a therapist, identifying areas of growth, working through a sticky issue, or simply learning skills to enhance your communication and problem-solving abilities. Couples choose to do an intensive when they feel a sense of urgency or a high level of commitment to “jump start” relationship therapy or do a deep dive into a particularly “stuck” area.
Mini-Intensives (½ day) and Intensives (1 day) with Susan are offered in-person in a cozy office studio in a residential area a few blocks from downtown Amherst. Mini-Intensives last 4 hours, with a break in the middle, while 1-day Intensives are 7 hours, with a lunch break and two shorter breaks.
With Susan’s background as an educator and skilled group facilitator, as well as an experienced therapist, Intensives are the perfect place for her to craft meaningful, productive experiences for her participants. Susan is deeply invested in the work couples do together to break through the real and perceived barriers that keep them from what they really want with each other: connection. She works with each person’s “messiness” with empathy while maintaining their dignity, understanding that we all have picked up flawed coping styles along the way as a way to survive. She truly believes anyone can unlearn ineffective habits and develop more healthy relationship skills and loves the moments of breakthrough that occur when couples take the risk of being vulnerable with each other.
Transformative Relationship Intensives
Relationship Kick-Start Intensive
This ½ or 1 day intensive is for people in a relationship who want to move forward quickly in couples counseling, starting off their counseling experience with an intensive that combines the first 3-4 sessions of intake, diagnosis and treatment plan into one comprehensive, focused experience. We will meet together, then individually, then together again throughout the time period. This is especially helpful for people who want to get relief quickly, are conflict-avoidant, or who are excited and ready to do some significant work together.
Skill-Building Intensive
This ½ or 1 day intensive is a dynamic experience where Susan will work with you to build your interpersonal toolbox to improve communication, conflict-resolution, and intimacy. Skills are taught and then immediately put into practice in session so that participants build confidence using them on their own. Susan will tailor the skill-building based on areas of needed growth identified by the couple. This is great for couples who feel their relationship needs a “tune-up” or if things are starting to feel complacent and less connected.
Premarital or Early Relationship Intensive
Most couples therapists would tell you that they wished their clients had reached out earlier in their relationship, before harmful habits become ingrained. You don’t need to wait for a crisis or to dig out from decades of challenges to seek out counseling, and an Intensive can be the perfect way to work together to determine what kind of relationship you want to build together. Premarital/Early Relationship Intensives help couples identify autonomous and shared goals, address family-of-origin attachment styles, identify areas of the relationship that need some extra attention before they solidify into unhealthy habits, and build skills to address challenges as they arise.
When one person is leaning out, and the other person is leaning into the relationship, it can be a time of great confusion and disruption. Discernment sessions are generally up to five two-hour sessions, spaced at minimum a few days apart up to a week apart. A couple can start the discernment process with a Mini-Intensive, which is equal to two discernment sessions. Susan will guide you through a process that helps each person discern which path they want to take in terms of deciding to separate or divorce or deciding to commit to couples therapy with separation/divorce off the table for 6 months. This is a powerful, nuanced process to ensure this life-changing decision is made with great care.
What Will I Receive for the Mini or 1-day Intensive?
A Couples Assessment - usually four documents to be carefully filled out by each of you and sent to me to be reviewed prior to the Intensive. This assessment helps me diagnose your couples stage and challenges for each of you and set the course for our work.
In-person Intensive in Amherst with a focus of the couple’s choosing.
A binder with Supplemental Materials relevant to your situation, focusing on skills and breaking negative patterns.
Additionally, 75 or 90-minute follow-up coaching sessions are available via online video call or in person. Some couples choose to establish weekly couples therapy after their Intensive experience, if there is availability.
Relationship Intensive Fees & Payment
Please contact Director Katherine Waddell at 413-695-7193 to discuss fee structure.
**No insurances are accepted**
Payments can be made through the Couples Center of the Pioneer Valley via PayPal or credit card.
A deposit of half the cost of the intensive is due at the time of booking.
Next Steps
If this feels like the kind of focused, in-depth support you and your partner need right now, I invite you to reach out to our director Katherine Waddell LMFT, at (413) 695-7193.
Intensives offer a dedicated space to really dive into what’s happening between you, uncover the underlying patterns, and begin creating meaningful shifts.
Together, we’ll work toward greater clarity, connection, and a clear sense of direction for your relationship moving forward.