What to Expect at a 2-Day Marriage Intensive (Sample Schedule)
Why Couples Choose an Intensive When your marriage feels stuck, weekly 50-minute therapy sessions can feel too slow. Just as the conversation starts to open up, the clock runs out — and couples leave frustrated, waiting another week to continue. A marriage intensive retreat compresses months of counseling into just two focused days. At The […]
Why Even Happy Couples Benefit from Marriage Intensives
Not Just for Couples in Crisis When people think of marriage intensives, they often imagine a last-ditch effort for couples on the brink of divorce. But the truth is, even happy couples can gain enormous value from these immersive experiences. A marriage intensive isn’t just about repairing broken trust — it’s about strengthening what’s already […]
Secular Premarital Retreat: A 1–2 Day Game Plan That Actually Preps You for Marriage
Short, practical, zero dogma—skills you’ll use on day one. Why Premarital Prep Often Falls Flat Most premarital counseling programs lean heavily on religious frameworks or stay surface-level—covering topics like budgeting, kids, or chores without giving you real tools to handle conflict. If you’re not looking for sermons or lectures, that can feel irrelevant. And if […]
DIY Marriage Retreat vs. Private Intensive: Which Is Right for Your Relationship?
When your marriage feels stuck, you may find yourself searching for “marriage retreat near me” or “intensive couples counseling.” But what if you don’t have $6,997 to invest in a private intensive—or can’t step away for a weekend with a therapist? That’s where DIY marriage retreats come in. For some couples, a structured, self-guided course […]
Couples Retreats as a Reset for Parents of Young Children
In the early years of parenting, life moves fast and rest comes slowly. Between sleepless nights, tantrums, nap schedules, mounting expenses, and managing a household, it’s no wonder that romance, emotional intimacy, and connection between partners often fall by the wayside. If you and your partner have looked at each other and wondered when the […]
Best Marriage Retreats in 2025: Reconnect, Renew, and Rebuild
By Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin, LCPC — Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Advanced Imago Relationship Therapist, and co-founder of The Marriage Restoration Project. For more than 20 years, he’s helped couples transform hopeless marriages into lasting connection through structured dialogue and emotional safety. Every couple deserves space to step away from daily pressures and focus on their relationship. […]
Non-Religious Marriage Retreats Near Me: A City-by-City Guide (2025)
Find truly secular, evidence-based secular marriage retreats near you—no sermons, non religious marriage counseling retreats that provide tools to restore connection and rebuild trust. Why Couples Search for Secular Marriage Retreats When your marriage feels strained, the last thing you want is to attend a program that doesn’t match your beliefs. Many retreats are faith-based, […]
Questions to Ask Before Booking a Couples Therapy Weekend
When couples contact me about attending my private marriage retreat, the first thing I tell them is this: not all couples therapy weekends are created equal. The right one can be life-changing; the wrong one can feel like an expensive disappointment. If you’re going to invest the time, money, and emotional energy into a multi-day […]
What Is Involved in an Intensive Couples Therapy Weekend?
When couples are stuck in patterns of conflict or emotional distance — or facing a potential breakup — an intensive couples therapy weekend can offer a powerful reset. Unlike weekly one-hour sessions, this format condenses months of progress into just a few days, allowing partners to move past surface-level issues and address the deeper roots […]
Why Intensive Marriage Counseling Retreats Work When Nothing Else Has
If you’re reading this, chances are high that you’re feeling stuck. Maybe the conversations between you and your partner always lead to the same arguments. Maybe you’re sleeping in separate rooms or feeling more like roommates than romantic partners. Maybe you’ve already tried weekly therapy, only to leave sessions more frustrated than before. You’re not […]
Do Marriage Counselors Ever Advise to Break Up?
People ask me this a lot – sometimes quietly, sometimes hoping I’ll say yes. “Do marriage counselors ever advise to break up?” I do know that many marriage counselors do. I personally do not. Ever. I don’t feel that it’s my job to tell a couple if they should or should not stay together. My […]
How to Get the Most Out of Your Couples Retreat: Before, During, and After
When your relationship is on the line, deciding to attend a couples retreat can feel both hopeful and nerve-wracking. You might be wondering: What will it be like? Will it actually help? What if we just end up fighting the whole time? These questions are completely normal—and they’re a sign that you care deeply about […]
Do Marriage Retreats Really Work? 5 Myths About Couples Therapy Retreats Debunked
When your marriage feels like it’s falling apart, it’s natural to hesitate about what to try next. Weekly therapy may feel too slow, while conversations at home often spiral into the same painful loops. If you’ve ever considered a couples retreat but brushed it off due to skepticism, fear, or misinformation—you’re not alone. At The […]
Marriage Intensive vs. Traditional Therapy: Deep Breakthroughs in Days
Marriage Intensive vs Weekly Therapy: Which Works Faster to Save Your Relationship? When your marriage is in crisis, every day magnifies the pain. Weekly sessions often feel like a slow drip of progress, with momentum easily lost between appointments. Research shows that while traditional therapy helps many couples, short weekly sessions frequently struggle to break […]
When to Quit Couples Therapy: 5 Signs It’s Doing More Harm Than Good
Couples therapy is often seen as the last-ditch effort to save a relationship. But what if it’s not helping? What if it’s making things worse? If you’re wondering when to quit couples therapy, you’re not alone—and your instincts may be trying to tell you something important. At The Marriage Restoration Project, we believe therapy should […]
Is Couples Therapy a Last Resort? Why Waiting Too Long Could Hurt Your Relationship
Many couples ask us one of the most common relationship questions online: “Is couples therapy a last resort?” At The Marriage Restoration Project, our answer is clear and compassionate: No. Couples therapy isn’t just for relationships that are falling apart. It’s one of the most powerful tools for any couple—whether you’re dating, engaged, newly married, […]
How Often Should a Couple Go to Couples Therapy?
When your relationship is struggling, it’s natural to wonder: How often should we be in couples therapy? Weekly? Monthly? Ongoing? Forever? At The Marriage Restoration Project, we believe couples therapy shouldn’t last forever. In fact, our mission is to help couples graduate—not stay stuck in therapy for years. Our approach, rooted in Imago Relationship Therapy, […]
Can Conscious Uncoupling Work for High Conflict Couples?
When most people hear the term conscious uncoupling, they picture a mutual, peaceful split — not the emotional minefield you might be walking through right now. The slammed doors. The silence. The feeling that your partner has become a stranger — or an enemy. But what if your relationship is the opposite of that? What […]
Why You Should Attend a Couples Therapy Weekend Near You to Strengthen Your Bond (Even if You Feel Like You Don’t Have Enough Empathy for Your Partner)
Attending a couples therapy weekend focused on empathy training for couples offers the perfect opportunity to rebuild empathy and emotional connection in your relationship. Whether you’re facing communication barriers, past hurts, or simply need to reconnect, this weekend is designed to provide the tools, support, and space for you both to grow and thrive together. […]
Is a Couples Retreat a Real Thing? Here’s What to Expect—and Why It Might Save Your Marriage
Is a Couples Retreat a Real Thing? Here’s What to Expect—and Why It Might Save Your Marriage If you’ve ever heard someone say they “went on a couples therapy retreat” and thought it sounded like a Hollywood plot line, you’re not alone. Many couples ask us: “Is a couples retreat a real thing?”The answer: Yes. […]