The Benefits of An Intensive Couples Retreat

Many people ask me about intensive couples retreats and how they support a relationship. How you feel in the first month of your relationship is rarely indicative of how well it will continue months or years from then. It’s normal for these things to have their ups and downs. Building a life with this other person means facing these challenges and coming out to the other side united. 

However, most people are unaware of how exactly to deal with issues in their relationship without blowing things out of proportion or making it worse. It’s especially difficult if you have to juggle other things in your life, like financial difficulties or smothering family members. 

Couples in crisis can particularly benefit from an intensive retreat because it gives you concentrated time together to work on your issues versus seeing a therapist weekly.

Here’s how an intensive couples retreat can help your emotional connection so you get your relationship back on track. 

What is an Intensive Couples Retreat?

An intensive couples retreat is a way for two people to get away from their busy lives and focus on their relationship. Too often, a person’s work life, family life, and other issues get in the way. There always seems to be something that takes priority, and it’s hard to focus on something else when it’s constantly there. 

At a couples retreat, you get more time to focus on your relationship than you would at a traditional weekly counseling session. You get to leave it all behind for a few days and enjoy spending time with your partner. 

You may choose to take your retreat opportunity to find a private setting away from the big city or a romantic vacation experience since the retreat is held virtually. The couples retreat includes discussions, lectures, role-play exercises, and more. These retreats also provide a romantic vacation experience. 

Benefits of a Retreat

Couples therapy can help people in any stage of their relationships, whether they’ve been together for years or only a few months. Just showing the willingness to attend a retreat with your significant other is a sign that you’re willing to work on the relationship and your partner is as well. 

There are many reasons to attend an intensive retreat as opposed to simply going on vacation. You get to spend some time away from your normal environment with the support of professionals. More importantly, you get to spend time with your significant other in a place focused on supporting one another. 

Change of Scenery 

You never know how harmful your environment can be until you step away from it all. 

For example, studies have shown that technology can cause big problems with a marriage. Many people use their smartphones at meals or when they should be spending time with one another. The result is a feeling of distance, even when two people live in the same home. 

Family and friends can influence your decision-making. People often bring home the stress of work and take out their anger on their partners. 

The best way to get to the source of your problems is to extricate yourself and analyze them from the outside. 

Focus on Your Relationship and Reconnect

Breaking out of your daily routine means getting a chance to spend more time with one another. That time will also be more meaningful with guided exercises that should help you establish boundaries, connect with each other’s feelings, and enjoy each other’s company. 

Since you don’t have to worry about work or your friends calling or interrupting, you can focus on your partner. Give your partner and the relationship the attention it needs without interruption. 

Additionally, sometimes, the best thing you can do for your relationship is to use this time during your couples retreats to be at a scenic locale with plenty of activities to participate in. It could be what your relationship needs most is the chance to try something new and rediscover who you are together. 

Learn Communication Skills

In a couple’s counseling retreat, you will learn the skills to communicate effectively, repair conflicts, and reduce arguments. Instead of looking at each other’s flaws, you’ll build appreciation for one another. 

Some of the ways you can communicate with your partner better are by slowing down and being present. Ask questions to facilitate a deeper conversation, and give them the chance to talk. If you struggle at doing this, professionals at the retreat can help walk you through the process. 

The overall goal is to provide the tools for you to start managing your relationship better at home. You also shouldn’t be afraid to pursue couples counseling afterward as a way to build on those lessons. 

Professional Support

You will receive one-on-one time and attention from me, a couples therapist, to set up an intensive couples retreat. I provide professional support before, during and after the marriage retreat, and I am available every step of the way. 

I specialize in marriage and couples counseling and know the best ways to utilize the short time spent at the retreat.

You can contact me from a free zoom consultation to discuss your needs during your intensive couples therapy.. 

Is a Marriage Retreat Different?

Both unmarried and married couples are welcome at a couples retreat. The goal is for these two people to reunite and reforge their relationship away from the distractions of their everyday lives. 

However, marriage counseling will likely differ from the type couples receive. 

Couples therapy is designed for people who love each other but have reached an impasse. Many couples pursue this type of therapy after their honeymoon period. 

Marriage counseling is focused on present concerns and sometimes future ones. It can serve as prep work for newer couples or as rejuvenation for older ones. 

Repair Your Relationship Issues With Help

It’s completely normal to feel frustrated or confused in your relationship. That doesn’t mean you need to face it alone or take the easy path. An intensive couples retreat gives you the opportunity to reconnect and sort out your feelings with professional support.

Lisa Rabinowitz offers virtual couples therapy retreats for anyone in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Florida, and Vermont and internationally. She focuses on the Gottman Method and the PACT Approach to help you get your relationship back on track. Contact us to learn more and to schedule an appointment online.