Couples Therapy Intensives
A focused, immersive experience that gives your relationship the time and depth it deserves — months of progress, condensed into one or two transformative days.
Valarie Merced
LMHC · Sex Therapist · Sexologist · Senior Staff Psychotherapist
There are very few clinicians in New York — or anywhere — who bring what Valarie brings to couples work. She is a licensed mental health counselor, a trained sexologist, a sex therapist, an EFT-informed couples therapist, and a deeply experienced guide for couples navigating the full complexity of intimacy, identity, and desire. She holds all of it without flinching.
Her approach is humanistic, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed — gentle enough that partners feel safe, and direct enough that real things actually get said. She works with all relationship structures: monogamous, ethically non-monogamous, polyamorous, kink-involved, LGBTQIA+, and everything in between. There is no version of your relationship she hasn't held with care.
Clients describe Valarie as one of those rare therapists who makes you feel truly seen — not managed, not categorized, but seen. That quality of presence is what makes the intensive format work: when the therapist can go deep, so can you.
Beyond her direct client work, Valarie also provides clinical supervision to sex therapy and couples therapy cases at BIPS — bringing her expertise to bear on the growth of the entire clinical team. Her influence at BIPS extends far beyond her own caseload.
Read Valarie's full bio →"Most couples aren't fighting about what they think they're fighting about. We help you find what's underneath."— Valarie Merced, LMHC
Some things can't be worked through fifty minutes at a time.
In a typical weekly session, just as something real begins to open, it's time to stop. You carry it into another week of the same patterns. A couples therapy intensive removes that ceiling — over one or two full days, you work deeply and continuously, reaching shifts that weekly therapy takes months to produce.
of couples completing EFT report lasting improvement in relationship satisfaction. (Johnson, EFT outcome research)
of weekly progress achievable in a single intensive — because continuity eliminates the warm-up and wind-down that fragments weekly sessions.
average cost of an uncontested divorce in New York. An intensive is a fraction of that — and for many couples, it is the intervention that makes the difference. (lawyers.com)
Couples therapy intensives and sex therapy intensives work best when time is what you need most.
Couples stuck in the same argument cycle who can't break through in weekly sessions
Partners navigating rupture — betrayal, major transition, or prolonged disconnection
Couples with demanding schedules who can't reliably commit to weekly appointments
Those investing proactively — before marriage, a child, a move, or a major change
LGBTQIA+ couples, ENM partnerships, and all non-traditional relationship structures
Anyone navigating desire, intimacy, shame, or sexuality with a partner in a genuinely affirming space
Three formats — all led by Valarie.
Each intensive is shaped through a thorough pre-intake. All formats are fee-for-service — contact us to discuss availability and fees.
The Focused Session
Targeted work on a specific issue — or a complement to ongoing weekly couples therapy or sex therapy.
- Pre-intensive intake (individual + joint)
- 3-hour focused session with Valarie
- Written summary and next steps
The One-Day Intensive
The equivalent of 6–8 weeks of weekly sessions — in one structured, immersive day.
- 90-min pre-intensive intake per partner
- 6 hours of structured therapy with Valarie
- Personalized care plan + 30-day follow-up
The Two-Day Intensive
For significant rupture, longstanding disconnection, or complex intimacy and sexuality concerns.
- Full pre-intensive intake
- Two consecutive days with Valarie
- Written treatment plan + two follow-up sessions
Evidence-based. Deeply relational.
Valarie's work draws from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), psychodynamic couples therapy, and formal sexology training — one of the rarest combinations available from any therapist in New York City.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
The gold-standard attachment-based approach to couples therapy. Over 30 years of research supports its effectiveness — including with couples who felt there was no hope.
Sex Therapy & Sexology
Valarie is one of a small number of licensed sex therapists in New York with formal sexology training. She supervises sex therapy cases at BIPS and brings a non-pathologizing lens to desire, intimacy, shame, and sexual identity.
Psychodynamic depth
Family-of-origin dynamics, unconscious relational templates, implicit expectations — the deeper currents that shape how partners experience each other.
Fully affirming practice
LGBTQIA+ couples, ENM, polyamorous, kink-involved — all relationship structures are welcomed without qualification. Affirmation is foundational, not an add-on.
Other therapists offering couples therapy and sexuality-oriented care
Beyond Valarie's intensive program, BIPS has a team of clinicians offering ongoing weekly couples therapy and sexuality-affirming care across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and via telehealth — including sex-positive therapy, ENM, kink-aware, and LGBTQIA+-affirming practice.
Lily Hetzler, LMSW — couples therapy, ENM, polyamory, kink-aware, IFS & somatic approaches
Amber Banks, LMSW — LGBTQIA+, poly/ENM, kink-affirming, adults & couples
Sydney Morris, LMSW — couples therapy including monogamous, ENM & polycules; new parents; people of color
Jordana Alhante, LCSW — couples & relationship dynamics, EFT-informed, supervisor
Fran Mackin, LCSW — couples therapy, chronic health & body image, ACT
Rachel Glod, LCSW — couples & relationship therapy, AEDP, supervisor (NY/MA)
Our intake team will match you with the right clinician. Get in touch →
We'll tell you honestly if an intensive isn't right for you.
Intensives are not appropriate in situations involving active domestic violence, untreated substance use, or immediate safety concerns. We take assessment seriously — and will always offer a path forward, whether that's individual therapy first, weekly couples work, or a referral to another specialist.
What you might be wondering.
Does insurance cover couples therapy intensives or sex therapy intensives?
Intensives are fee-for-service. Insurance does not reimburse extended session formats, but we provide superbills upon request. Ongoing weekly therapy at BIPS — including couples therapy and sex therapy sessions — is billed separately and may be covered in-network.
Do we need prior couples therapy experience?
No. Many couples come to an intensive as their first step. The pre-intensive intake gives Valarie everything she needs to work effectively with you from the start.
Can we do a virtual intensive?
Yes — virtual intensives are available via secure video, in the same format as in-person. Many couples find the privacy of their own space actually supports the depth of the work.
Your relationship deserves
more than fifty minutes.
Reach out to begin the conversation. Our intake team will connect you with Valarie or match you with the right therapist for ongoing couples or sex therapy at BIPS.
Get in touch →FAQs
Understanding the Investment
1
A Couples Intensive costs more because it involves specialized training, longer sessions with prep, and focused, high-impact work that resolves complex issues faster. It’s often similar in price to several months of weekly therapy but delivers deeper, more large-step progress.
Is a Couples Intensive a replacement for ongoing therapy?
2
For some couples, an intensive serves as a starting point or catalyst. Others use it as a stand-alone intervention. Recommendations are made collaboratively based on clinical fit.
Do Couples Intensives work for high-conflict relationships?
3
Yes. The intensive format can be particularly helpful for addressing intimacy and sexual concerns with depth, continuity, and clinical care.
Are Couples Intensives covered by insurance?
4
Couples Intensives are typically private pay and not fully covered by insurance. Our team can discuss payment details during consultation.