|
|
| What is Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC)? |
 One-hour sessions just aren’t enough time to address most marriage conflicts. When spouses surface painful memories without adequate time to resolve them, couples actually re-activate these old wounds and go away feeling worse than when they came. Leaving counseling with unresolved agitation can actually create more conflict among couples, not less.
Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC) eliminates this by combining approximately 18 hours of counseling into 2 or 3 meetings. It is like getting 6 months of counseling in just a few days! Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC) allows each partner time ‘to be heard’ and to actually resolve each issue when it is surfaced.
A heart surgeon would never open you up once a week for 18 weeks to do heart surgery. He would open you up and address the issues all at once. Wouldn't it be great if you could open up the hurtful events of your emotional heart, and resolve them all at once? Through Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC) you can!
Many couples describe their relationship as having a “wall between them.” This wall was built one hurtful brick at a time. Therefore, it must be torn down one hurtful brick at a time. This cannot be done well in 1-hour meetings, but in 18-hours of concentrated time it can. Imagine having your partner’s undivided attention (no TV, kids, chores, work duties) for 18-hours to thoroughly resolve the hurtful events that have separated you. This approach works with even the worst marriages. |
| What is Accelerated Marriage Counseling (AMC)? |
- AMC avoids unresolved pain. One-hour marriage counseling sessions are rarely effective. When hurts are surfaced, and wounds opened without adequate time to resolve them, couples actually activate old wounds and go away feeling worse than when they came.
- AMC works! AMC gives time to resolve each issue surfaced as both parties are able to address “their side of the story” and the contributing factors. If you were doing something (or not doing something) that was influencing (but not causing) your partners’ ‘bad’ behavior, would you want to know? AMC allows time to discover this!
- AMC is fast. AMC is the equivalent of five to six months of counseling in as little as a 2 or 3 day period. In a 2 or 3 day period most couples can address 100% of the issues causing conflict—or at least have mastered the tools to finish the process on their own.
- AMC is work friendly. Many prefer to make one trip to a counselor missing one or two days of work rather than to miss three hours a week (counting traffic) for 18 weeks.
- AMC is fluid. It is much easier (for couples and counselor) to flow from one issue to the next when sessions are done back to back versus weekly. AMC gives momentum to resolve root issues quickly.
- AMC gives 8-17% more time each hour. In weekly counseling, counselors take five to ten minutes of each hour to document notes from the counseling session, receive payment and schedule future sessions. With AMC you get full 60-minute hours because charting, scheduling and payment is done only once.
- AMC is cost effective. Because of the momentum gained in AMC, couples often need less counseling and therefore pay for fewer sessions.
- AMC is often covered by many insurance companies. Unless your insurance company limits you to only one session a day, there is a good chance your company pays for 50% to 80%. (click here for more insurance information)
- AMC utilizes team approach. A husband and wife counseling team (when requested and pending availability) adds both male and female perspective to the treatment.
- AMC is distraction free. A 2-day or 3-day AMC allows you to escape the distractions of work, children, chores, and TV so that you can have the full attention of your partner. This is especially true if you choose the hotel option and stay in a romantic upscale hotel. (click here more information on hotels in the area)
- AMC prevents new hurts. With weekly one-hour sessions, surfacing issues without resolution leaves you open, vulnerable and often agitated for days until your next session. AMC avoids this.
- AMC is agreeable. Partners who will not commit to six months of counseling are more open to consider a brief two or three-day approach.
- AMC is more effective with partners having ‘affairs.’ Often when one person wants out of a marriage it is because they are involved with another person. In these difficult cases, it is often important to get them out of their environment, away from the other person, and have enough time to pierce through their calloused heart. Rarely will this person commit to six months of weekly sessions because they just want out. Rarely will one-hour sessions pierce their calloused heart. AMC maximizes the influence you can make.
|
| When are the AMC's? |
Accelerated Marriage Counseling generally requires approximately 18 hours to work through marriage conflict.
Option A: 3-Day AMC
A 3-Day AMC completes the 18 hours of counseling over 3 consecutive days. These are generally done from 1:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday.
Note:
 Some first choose to have an initial evaluation (3 hours) before committing to either of the AMC’s to “test” or “examine” the process. Others (usually those already confident in the approach, acting on the suggestion of a referral, or those who come from out of town) choose to sign up for the AMC and have their initial evaluation completed during the first three hours of the AMC (the reccommended approach).
If you are skeptical and want to first interview your counselor, then you should choose to have only an initial evaluation. If you are already confident in the approach, coming from out of town or just eager to find harmony fast, we recommend you have your initial evaluation during the AMC as it could possibly save you about 2 hours of fees (because of gaining momentum when done consecutively)
* The 18 hours is an accurate estimate for most Christian couples. More time might be needed for those with more severe dysfunction, those just beginning their spiritual journey or those who come uprepared and do not do their projects. Also, this AMC is designed to stabilize the marriage relationship not necessarily deal with all the family of origin issues from childhood. For dealing primarily with family of origin issues, please see our Root Issues Group Intensive. |
| Who should attend an AMC? |
- AMC’s are ideal for married, engaged, separated couples or families who want to heal hurts and resolve conflicts quickly and not wait 18 weeks (typical therapy length).
- AMC’s are ideal for busy professionals who would rather get to the root of issues quickly rather than leave work early once a week for 18 weeks.
- AMC’s are ideal for couples who simply want to improve their relationships, or for those on the verge of divorce from major events like infidelity.
- AMC’s are ideal for couples who are not sure if they love their partner any more and want to give it one last chance to decide.
|
| What specifically is covered in an AMC? |
- How to know and meet your partner’s top 12 needs.
- How to heal hurts and resentment from past hurts.
- How to experience 7 aspects of full forgiveness.
- How to heal the pain from hurts received in the past.
- How to recover and reconcile from infidelity.
- How to resolve the #1 reason most relationships struggle and fail.
- How to discover the unknown ways you hurt your partner.
- How to help your partner discover the unknown ways they hurt you.
 How (and when) to communicate your hurts, desires and needs to your partner without inciting them to anger, or argumentation.- How to meet 80% of your partners needs in 30 seconds.
- How to eliminate your own worry, fear and anxiety that robs you from experiencing the abundant life now.
- How to eliminate your partner’s anger—every single time.
- How to talk about sensitive issues without fighting and / or withdrawing.
- How to get to the root of marital conflict every time.
- How to respond emotionally to your partner.
- How to influence your partner to share more heart felt emotions with you.
- How to deal with childhood hurts that inevitably hinder our present relationships.
- How to protect your marriage from infidelity.
- Discover your spiritual gifts and how they predict the type of conflict that you will have in your marriage.
- How to get to the root of addictive behaviors: alcohol, pornography, drugs . . . .
- How to discover true freedom by gaining powerful self-control.
- How to understand our unique gender distinctives and roles.
|
| Who will be leading the AMC? |
| Karl Elkins, ThM, MA, LPC, CSC, BCPCC, PFIT (click here for more information). Occasionally Terry Elkins, Karl Elkins’ wife, accompanies him to add a female perspective. |
| When are the AMC’s? |
- Initial Evaluations and 3-day AMC’s are generally scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- 3-Day AMC’s typically are scheduled on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. Call for availability. Click here for contact information.
- Wednesday: 1:00 p.m. -- 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 1:00 p.m. -- 7:00 p.m.
- Friday: 1:00 p.m. -- 7:00 p.m..
Starting in the afternoon allows you to travel to the session from most US cities (saving an additional hotel cost if coming from outside Houston). The afternoon start time on the followig day allows you needed time to complete your marital projects prior to the second day of counseling. It is highly recommended that you stay in a hotel during a 3-day AMC and that you spend an extra night to enjoy the new relationship that inevitably occurs and to rest since the 3-day AMC is intensive and emotionally draining.
|
| Where will the AMC take place? |
Christway Counseling Center, PC
723 Cherrybark Ln.
Houston, TX 77079
(832) 358-0900 in Houston, Texas
(866) 892-5275 toll free
(For 3-day intensives, it is recommended that even those residing locally consider staying in a local hotel to remove yourself from the distractions of children, phone calls, TV and household chores. Staying in a hotel allows a quiet place to complete projects and gives the AMC a ‘romantic get-away’ vacation like feel.) (click here for more information on hotels in the area) |
| What is the cost of an AMC? |
- Individual counseling rate: $145 hour
- Covered by many health insurance plans
|
| How do I get started? |
- Call Karl at (832) 358-0900 in Houston, Texas or toll free (866) 892-5275 to schedule or get more information.
- You can start with a 3-hour Initial Evaluation or sign up immediately for an AMC (and complete the Initial Evaluation at the beginning of the AMC).
|
E-Mail this Page | Contact
Us
© Copyright 2003–2007 Christway Counseling Center
Web design by Drewa Designs
|
