MAP FAQs
MAP is designed to help committed partners identify and address a wide variety of relationship concerns that are causing problematic dynamics and impasse. This unique program takes place over two consecutive days which allows participants to make substantial progress by addressing issues in a more direct, efficient way which helps to bring relief more quickly—essentially providing you with a “map” to navigate, more effectively, the many inevitable challenges that arise over the course of a long-term relationship.
The program is designed with your specific relationship struggles in mind, whether you are seriously stressed from going through a major life transition together, have been working on repairing an aspect of your relationship and need some extra guidance, or you want to enhance your bond moving forward and get on the same page regarding your future goals. The time in this unique program aims to offer you clarity, healing, and new insights as well as concrete skills that will help your relationship thrive.
Modern Accelerated Program FAQs
But isn’t weekly couples therapy considered ideal?
This really depends on the couple, your availability, and the issues you’re facing together. It is difficult to say if there is one particular method or way of working that is better than others. So much of what makes the process of therapy effective depends on what you’re willing to put in outside of therapy, the personalty fit between you and the therapist, the therapist’s skill level and training, and your ability to follow through on what is being offered to you in whatever form of therapy you’re receiving. To find out if MAP is the right fit for you at this time, it’s best to read through the information on this page and then schedule a phone consultation.
We’d like to delve deeper into our issues pertaining to physical intimacy, can we make the focus of our intensive about improving this area?
Of course. The intensive program is customizable to your specific needs at the time of service. This means taking into consideration the areas that you would like to strengthen at present. The intensive can be taken alone or in conjunction with couples therapy.
Do you think this is okay even if one or both of us has a history of some form of sexual abuse?
Yes. Although it is important to consider where you are in your journey toward healing. It’s best to schedule a conversation with our clinical director in order to discuss the best options for you and your partner.
How long is the program?
MAP takes place over the course of two consecutive days. You will have approximately one hour of paperwork to complete prior to the actual program. Once the in-person portion of our program is complete, you will also receive materials to help you in your process together and maintain the momentum you have established in the intensive program.
How is the Modern Accelerated Program different from other couple therapy services?
Our program is in-person and tailored to meet your relationship needs. We are constantly improving our skills and work diligently to provide you with the most up to date and effective forms of professional therapy. We care deeply about your success in our programs and we provide opportunities for feedback throughout the program.
While therapy services are unpredictable in nature in terms of outcomes, we make every effort to understand deeply the issues bringing you in prior to our first meeting. Once you complete our intake and assessment forms, we carefully review them taking into consideration all of the areas you would like to improve.
Who conducts the sessions?
All accelerated couples therapy programs at Modern MFT are conducted by Jennifer Uhrlass, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Jennifer is passionate about improving relationships and helping couples to maximize the amount of happiness, fun, and connection they experience together. Her years of experience helping couples inspired her to create this unique program which she designed to address a difficult dynamic present in the relationship as well as common relationship challenges that occur over the course of a long-term relationship. Over the years, Jennifer has received training from some of the most well known and influential couples therapists including Esther Perel, Suzanne Iasenza, and senior EFT faculty.
What if we’re currently in couples therapy? Can this program help me and my partner?
Absolutely! Oftentimes, the intensive work enhances the work you are currently doing in couples therapy or individual therapy. It also provides you additional time to focus on one or two particular areas that you are having difficulty moving through i.e. sexual issues, communication/ conflict management, or healing from a relationship rupture that requires more time and attention. If you’re currently in therapy, it’s ideal if we can coordinate care with the other providers involved so that we can provide the best care for you and your partner.
Couples who are currently involved in couples therapy or both partners being in individual therapy often make the most progress with MAP. This may be due to the increased self awareness that is a common result of therapy.
Who are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) exactly, and how can they help me with my relationship?
LMFTs work with individuals, couples, and families in their clinical work and are considered a part of the core mental health professions in NY State which also include psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. LMFTs are highly trained professionals in the field of psychotherapy and family systems and have undergone rigorous and extensive training in order to become licensed.
LMFTs are unique within the field of mental health due to their extensive relationship therapy training and their contextual understanding of mental health and relationship issues. MFTs in training are required to complete half of all clinical hours with couples and families (relational hours). Upon graduation, MFTs in NY State complete an additional 1000 supervised hours of individual, couple, and family clinical work before they must pass a national exam to be qualified for licensure.
LMFTs employed at Modern MFT have also completed extensive postgraduate clinical training. We believe this advanced level of care can be felt in the quality of the work we do with people who seek our services.
We know we’d like to pursue some form of couples therapy, but why invest in MAP vs. weekly couples therapy?
MAP is designed for a wide range of couples experiencing difficulties in their relationship. Sometimes, couples wish to participate to further enhance their relationship or to deal with a pain point that has not been adequately addressed. Couples may have been in therapy before and need a “tuneup”. With that said, it’s important to consider your goals and what you’re hoping to achieve in the sessions. MAP is designed to be enhancing and educational while tracking your progress and providing you with skills and a “map” to continue your positive momentum once the program is completed.
We seem to fall into one of the categories that make us a poor fit for the intensive at this time. What would you suggest?
Depending on what you’re experiencing right now, it might be best to evaluate more carefully what kind of service or program is right for you and what you are willing to commit to at the present time. It’s best to contact our clinical director to discuss the specific issues you’re facing at this time.
We are in major crisis mode, is MAP right for us?
Whatever the reasons for completing the program, it’s important to consider your motivation and expectations. If currently in crisis, depending on each partner’s willingness and readiness in the sessions, it may serve as an important first step in confronting present and past relationship concerns.
The intensive can certainly provide a sense of clarity on what needs to happen next and can start the process of healing and/or resolution. If the crisis you’re currently in involves active untreated addiction (from either partner’s perspective), an ongoing affair, or serious violence, it is likely not the right fit for you at this time. In a situation where one partner is not willing or ready to pursue couples therapy, it may be helpful for partners to pursue individual therapy so that each partner has the opportunity to explore their own well-being and their own perceptions of the relationship struggles before committing to couples therapy together.
Do couples ever complete the intensive and realize they have some more work to do in couples therapy?
While the program is designed to deliver significant value in itself, there are times when couples feel they could benefit from continued time in therapy. Sometimes the program helps to shed light on the areas in need of more attention. The program aims to provide a special space to address your most personal and pressing concerns in an environment that is conducive to developing a stronger bond and greater emotional intimacy.
The program aims to provide clarity, confrontation, skills and accountability so that partners can confidently move forward together. Sometimes, you may find that there are issues that you’d like to address more in-depth as a result of the program. Your clinician can provide you with the appropriate referrals at the end of treatment if necessary.
I keep hearing about EFT, what is it exactly and how can it help our issues?
EFT or Emotionally Focused Therapy is an evidence-based couples therapy model designed to address the underlying attachment needs that prevent a couple from experiencing a deeper sense of connection, mutual understanding, and genuine intimacy. Rather than focus on content or teaching specific skills, the aim of this therapy is to focus on the process that takes place between partners and their unique cycle of interaction.
In creating a more secure attachment, the couple is able to break their problematic cycle of interaction in favor of a more authentic and deeper connection. This therapy is based on attachment theory which posits that we each develop an attachment style based on our relationships with our early caregivers— which informs our relationship patterns as adults.
The goal of this type of therapy is to move both partners toward secure attachment so that they are no longer triggered by their partner in the same familiar ways. The emphasis of this treatment is on addressing the problematic dynamic that currently exists between partners and moving toward a more productive, intimate, and understanding stance.
Research studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery in 10-12 sessions and 90% show significant improvement. It is a present-focused, non-blaming, humanistic, and client-centered model. It is currently the best delineated and most empirically validated couples therapy of the past 25 years.
MAP seems like a great fit for us but we don’t live in NYC. Any suggestions?
We welcome couples from every corner of the globe! We deeply value diversity and enjoy working with couples from all backgrounds. We are happy to assist you in making suitable arrangements so that you can complete the program.
We are heading to NYC on holiday and we’d like to book an intensive while we’re there…
We are happy to work with couples on holiday–We think it’s the perfect time to deepen your connection, renew your sense of purpose together, and work through a difficult point of contention. While you are responsible for coordinating and booking your stay, we are happy to assist you if you have specific questions. If you’re not already familiar with NYC, we are happy to provide you with a list of area resources including near-by hotels, lunch spots, and where to enjoy a night out while you’re here.
What if we book the intensive and find out last minute we will no longer be able to make it?
We do not provide a refund for cancelled intensives so it’s best to be sure that you can make it. Once your program is booked, that time is reserved for you. In the rare instance that we are not able to offer another intensive spot within 4 weeks, we will refund you the cost of your intensive.
Our intensives are, well, intense!
In order to provide the best possible service and to maintain the program as one of our main offerings, we do not over book our services. It’s important to anticipate your travel needs in advance and coordinate overnight stays to accommodate your sessions. If you are unable to make it, we suggest that you contact Modern MFT as soon as you find out in order to reschedule your intensive for the next available spot.
What does postgraduate training mean exactly and how does that impact the quality of the services we receive?
We believe it’s important to always be open to learning something new and evolving throughout life— both personally and professionally. While our graduate level education prepared us for clinical work with individuals, couples, and families, here at Modern MFT, we also participate in on-going, advanced clinical training throughout the year.
We deeply value our profession, education, and peer relationships—we think it makes us even stronger, more effective clinicians. Postgraduate training is different from required continuing education in that postgraduate training is offered in the form of an advanced training program aimed at strengthening a specific area of clinical work. Postgraduate training such as advanced coursework, EFT, consultation groups are not required in order to be a practicing therapist.
The team at Modern MFT is constantly seeking to improve on our services, skills, and knowledge so that we can provide the highest quality care. To this end, we have pursued education and consultation far beyond what is required for licensure. We are privileged and honored to be providing this special service to the public and work hard to ensure you are getting the most up to date, highest quality care and service.
How do I know if the Modern MFT couple intensive program is really right for us?
Check out the Modern Accelerated Program Overview. If you find that it might not be the best fit for you at the present time, perhaps some of our other services may be a better fit. Check out our services page for more information.
How far in advance should we book the intensive program?
We recommend booking the intensive at least two weeks in advance. This will give you time to complete the opening paperwork and to prepare for your appointment, book flights, and hotel if that applies to you. We open enrollment three times per year so it’s best to get on our email list so you can be alerted about upcoming dates as they are released.
Can we get reimbursed through insurance for the sessions?
MAP is not typically reimbursed through insurance. Reimbursement depends on your insurance coverage and the nature of the services provided.
We scheduled our intensive and it’s three weeks away, is there a resource we can begin reviewing in advance to help us prepare and get the most out of it?
Once you register for the intensive, be sure to sign up for our email list if you haven’t already so that you can receive 10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Relationship in One Week.
You will also receive weekly tips about overall relationship/emotional health and stay up to date on special offers and events. Many couples also report that completing the opening paperwork in preparation for their intensive is helpful in itself.
What’s the next step in booking an intensive?
If you have already reviewed the Overview and who the program is for/ not for, talked it over with your partner, and you have looked at the upcoming dates and determined at least two possible options, you are ready to take the next step.
You can schedule your initial phone consultation in order to discuss details, dates, and to book your session.
Upcoming winter Intensive Dates:
2018
February 10th &11th
March 10th & 11th
Is the program very structured? Will there be enough time to talk about what prompted us to come in?
The program is loosely structured but will be guided by your initial intake materials and the flow of our sessions. As a result, you can be certain that we will cover the reasons you decided to come in for help.
What about after the program, how can we ensure that we continue to make progress and retain all that we’ve learned?
The intensive is designed to hold your hand throughout the process. We will pause along the way to make sure that you have what you need to in order to refer back to it at a later date. Once you have completed the program you will also receive materials that will help you to maintain the progress you have made. We recommend that every six months (minimally) to a year that you schedule a RelationshipCheckup with Modern MFT. This way you can create the time and space to actively confront any issues in the relationship before they become problematic. Just as our bodies require regular maintenance to function optimally, so too, do our intimate relationships.
We are generally happy in our relationship but recently hit a rough patch. Is MAP appropriate for us?
Definitely. Because MAP is offered over two consecutive full days, we will have ample time to discuss your specific challenges and address a range of problem areas over the two days. MAP is deal for couples who are struggling in their dynamic but want to return to a better place where they feel more intimately connected and there is space for both independence and togetherness.
Since the intensive is a relatively short amount of time, how can we make sure that we will cover the areas we really need to improve?
In order to make sure the program meets your specific needs, you’ll first complete an assessment and intake process. This will serve to guide our work and make sure your intensive will be tailored to the specific needs of you and your partner. We also monitor your progress throughout our time together so if there is an area you feel was not adequately covered, we will be sure to address it.
Once you decide to move forward with the program, you will be asked to complete an inventory which will ask you several questions about your goals and the current state of your relationship. From this intake, your clinician will design a unique program tailored to the specific areas you have identified in need of improvement. In addition, the program is flexible in that we will also have ample time to together to talk about what’s bringing you in and what you’re hoping to accomplish together.
