Marriage Intensives & Online Counseling | Imago Therapy โ€“ The Marriage Restoration Project

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 โ€” and couples leave frustrated, waiting another week to continue. A marriage intensive retreat compresses months of counseling into just two focused days. At The […]

How Much Does Divorce Cost vs. a Marriage Intensive?

The Real Price of Divorce When couples hit a breaking point, divorce can feel like the only option. But many people underestimate the financial, emotional, and relational toll divorce brings. According to the American Psychological Association and recent financial surveys, the average cost of divorce in the U.S. ranges from $15,000โ€“$30,000 per spouse, depending on […]

DIY Marriage Retreat vs. Private Intensive: Which Is Right for Your Relationship?

When your marriage feels stuck, you may find yourself searching for โ€œmarriage retreat near meโ€ or โ€œintensive couples counseling.โ€ But what if you donโ€™t have $6,997 to invest in a private intensiveโ€”or canโ€™t step away for a weekend with a therapist? Thatโ€™s where DIY marriage retreats come in. For some couples, a structured, self-guided course […]

Is My Marriage Over? 5 Signs & What to Do Next

Itโ€™s one of the scariest questions a couple can ask: Is my marriage over? If youโ€™re lying awake at night replaying fights, feeling alone in the same house, or wondering if youโ€™ll ever get back to the way it used to be, youโ€™re not alone. Many couples reach this painful crossroads. The good news? Hitting […]

Non-Religious Marriage Retreats Near Me: A City-by-City Guide (2025)

Find truly secular, evidence-based secular marriage retreats near youโ€”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 doesnโ€™t match your beliefs. Many retreats are faith-based, […]

Empty Nest, New Adventures: How Marriage Retreats Help Couples Reconnect

marriage tetreats, private marriage retreat, marriage counseling retreat

The last college drop-off is done, the house is quiet, and suddenlyโ€ฆ it feels like you donโ€™t know your partner anymore. If youโ€™ve ever thought: โ€œWhat happens to our marriage now that the kids are gone?โ€ youโ€™re not alone. The empty nest transition is one of the biggest turning points in a coupleโ€™s life. For […]

7 Best Marriage Intensives in 2025 (Expert Guide + Proven Model)

When your marriage feels strained, the usual hour-a-week therapy model may not deliver fast or lasting change. Thatโ€™s why many couples are turning to marriage intensives in 2025 โ€” highly focused, private retreats that compress months of therapy into just a few days. A well-designed intensive can help you: Leave with a clear roadmap for […]

Does Insurance Cover Infidelity Counseling? (Whatโ€™s Typically Covered, What Isnโ€™t, and Your Options)

The short answer Most health plans donโ€™t cover โ€œmarriageโ€ or โ€œinfidelityโ€ counseling as a stand-alone service. Coverage usually applies only when therapy treats a diagnosable mental health condition (like PTSD, depression, or anxiety) and the sessions are medically necessary for that treatment.ยนยฒโถ When coverage exists, itโ€™s generally for: Why marriage counseling is often excluded Insurance […]

How to Talk Your Partner Into Going on a Marriage Retreat (Without Starting a Fight)

marriage retreats, couples counseling, how to talk to your spouse, marriage intensive, The Marriage Restoration Project

Bringing up the idea of attending a marriage retreat can feel intimidating. Maybe youโ€™ve been thinking about it for a while, hoping it could help you reconnect, resolve long-standing conflicts, or simply strengthen your bond. But you might worry about your partnerโ€™s reaction. Will they feel blindsided? Defensive? Will the conversation turn into yet another […]

Why Communication Breakdowns Are Best Solved at a Marriage Retreat

Happy couple embracing after resolving communication challenges at a marriage retreat by The Marriage Restoration Project.

If you and your partner canโ€™t seem to talk it out without turning everything into an argument, or worse, youโ€™ve stopped talking altogether, it can feel like youโ€™re stuck in an endless cycle. Youโ€™ve tried to communicate better, maybe even gone to weekly therapy sessions, but somehow the same misunderstandings, hurt feelings and frustrations keep […]

Weekly Couples Therapy vs. 2-Day Affair Recovery Bootcamp (with Follow-Ups): Which Helps Fasterโ€”And Lasts?

After an affair, most couples ask the same thing: should we do weekly couples therapy or a focused weekend? This guide compares weekly counseling with our 2-Day Affair Recovery Bootcampโ€”with eight 90-minute follow-ups so momentum doesnโ€™t fade. Youโ€™ll see who each path fits, how structured disclosure (to prevent โ€œtrickle truthโ€) works, and what progress typically […]

Can a Therapist Tell You to Leave Your Partner?

Itโ€™s a question many people ask in a moment of crisis: Can a therapist tell you to leave your partner? And unfortunately, the answer is: Yes โ€” and it happens far too often. We wrote in detail about this in our article โ€œHow My Therapist Destroyed My Marriageโ€, where we explore real stories of individuals […]

Marriage Counseling for Infidelity: How Couples Heal After Betrayal

Infidelity is one of the most painful crises a couple can face. As a licensed marriage therapist who has spent over two decades working exclusively with couples, Iโ€™ve seen firsthand how betrayal shakes the very foundation of a relationship. The betrayed partner often experiences trauma symptomsโ€”intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, and a loss of trustโ€”that are overwhelming […]

Affair Recovery Bootcamp: Heal Faster After Infidelity

Infidelity can shatter trust, security, and intimacy at the core of a relationship. For many couples, the aftermath feels overwhelmingโ€”how do you rebuild when the foundation itself feels broken? An affair recovery bootcamp offers an intensive, structured approach that helps couples heal in days or weeks, rather than months or years of weekly counseling. As […]

Is Marriage Counseling Cheaper Than Divorce? Hereโ€™s What the Numbers Say

When couples reach a breaking point, one of the first practical questions that comes up is: Is marriage counseling cheaper than divorce? While the answer may seem obvious from a purely emotional perspective โ€” โ€œof course itโ€™s worth saving a marriage if you canโ€ โ€” the financial data adds another layer of urgency. Divorce is […]

The Silent Killers of Marriage That Retreats Help Uncover

The Silent Killers of Marriage That Retreats Help Uncover

Some marriages donโ€™t end with a bang – they fade away quietly. There are no explosive fights or dramatic betrayals and on the surface, everything might look fine. You still share a home, maybe even share laughs with friends and family. But under the surface, subtle emotional patterns are eroding the foundation of your relationship. […]

Imago vs. EFT vs. Gottman: What Works Best in a Weekend Retreat?

If youโ€™re considering a couples therapy weekend, youโ€™ll quickly encounter three names over and over: Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and The Gottman Method. All are evidence-based approaches, but they differ in focus, process, and what you might experience in a compressed weekend retreat format. In this guide, weโ€™ll break down the […]

Does Intensive Marriage Counseling Work? What Research and Real Couples Say

If your marriage is facing serious challenges, you may be wondering, โ€œDoes intensive marriage counseling work?โ€ The short answer is: Yes, it absolutely can โ€” if youโ€™re ready to do the work. Intensive marriage counseling, like the 2-day private retreats we offer at The Marriage Restoration Project, is an effective and transformative solution for couples […]

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