Divorce Therapy Retreat | Pre-Divorce Discernment & Conscious Uncoupling

The “No Blame, No Shame” Goodbye Retreat for Couples at a Crossroads

When you’re standing on the edge of divorce, it’s easy to feel torn. One of you may be ready to end the marriage while the other still hopes to try again. Or maybe you’ve both accepted that it’s time to part—but you want to do it in a way that’s respectful, dignified, and won’t tear your family apart.

That’s why we created our 2-Day Divorce Therapy & Discernment Retreat (sometimes called breakup counseling or a discernment counseling intensive, this retreat gives you clarity before you decide.)—a safe, structured space to:

• Decide with clarity whether to divorce or reconcile

• Consciously uncouple and say goodbye with respect

• Heal old wounds before moving forward

• Protect your children from conflict

• Save time, money, and pain compared to a traditional, adversarial divorce

This is your chance to gain closure, find peace, and choose your next step with confidence.

Why a Divorce Therapy Retreat?

Unlike traditional therapy or mediation, our divorce discernment retreat is designed to help couples who are unsure about divorce make a decision with clarity. Most couples try traditional therapy or mediation, but when divorce is on the table, these approaches often fall short:

• Traditional therapy assumes both partners want to repair.

• Mediation often fails without emotional closure and safe communication.

• Lawyers escalate conflict, cost money, and can destroy goodwill between parents.

A discernment intensive or conscious uncoupling retreat fills this gap. It combines therapy, guided relationship assessment, and mediation to give you both clarity and closure—whether you stay or separate.

What You’ll Experience in 2 Days

Day 1: Becoming Conscious (6 Hours of Therapy)

• Explore your relationship history and why it reached this point

• Understand why you chose your spouse and what unmet needs were at play

• Process relationship frustrations with the Imago Dialogue (a safe, structured communication tool)

• Learn to communicate without blame, criticism, or shame

• Gain insights usually missing from pre-divorce counseling by learning why you chose your spouse and how old patterns play out in your marriage.

Day 2: Charting the Course (6 Hours of Therapy)

• Map out the road ahead—whether as partners or co-parents

• Create a relationship vision for your new roles and boundaries

• Engage in The Amends Process—say goodbye to old hurts so you can move forward with dignity

• Design an action plan for your next chapter

• Create a vision for your future roles, whether you continue together or move forward after a couples closure retreat.

Built-In Mediation Support

Because we know you don’t want a nasty divorce, the retreat also includes 3 hours of relational mediation with experienced divorce mediators. Unlike standalone mediation, this works because:

• You first learn to communicate safely

• Both partners are guided through emotional closure

• You leave with agreements that actually work, not just words on paper

• Mediation on its own rarely works for mixed-agenda couples counseling—one person leaning in, the other leaning out. Our process bridges that gap.

Who Is This Retreat For?

• Couples uncertain about divorce who want clarity

• Mixed-agenda couples (one leaning out, one leaning in)

• Couples who want to end their marriage respectfully

• Parents who want to protect children from conflict

• Couples who want closure before moving forward

• Couples considering a conscious uncoupling retreat but unsure if they’re ready to let go.

• Partners searching for breakup counseling that feels safe, structured, and dignified.

Testimonials from Past Retreats

“Thank you for working with us. I am now able to forgive the past and move on without harboring resentment. I can see how we got to this point and have learned so much about myself in the process.”

“I was worried about a nasty divorce that would cost us thousands in legal fees and hurt our kids. This program helped us learn to work together in a positive way, limit the damage of divorce, and protect our family.”

“Our discernment counseling intensive helped us decide peacefully without wasting years in limbo.”

Why Choose the “No Blame, No Shame” Goodbye Retreat?

• Clarity – Know if reconciliation is possible or if it’s time to say goodbye

• Closure – Heal past wounds so you don’t carry them into your future

• Confidence – Move forward without regret

• Compassion – Protect your children, finances, and dignity

Whether you want one last chance to save your marriage or you’re ready to say goodbye peacefully, our 2-Day Divorce Therapy & Discernment Retreat gives you the structure and support to do it with honor. Whether you’re looking for pre-divorce counseling, a conscious uncoupling retreat, or one last couples closure retreat, our 2-Day intensive is designed to meet you where you are.

Key Takeaways

• A divorce therapy retreat provides closure and clarity for couples at the brink of divorce.

• It’s more effective than traditional therapy or mediation for mixed-agenda couples (one leaning out, one leaning in).

• The 2-Day intensive combines discernment counseling, conscious uncoupling practices, and mediation support.

• Couples leave with either a clear plan to reconcile or a respectful roadmap to separate.

• Protects children and prevents the high costs—financial and emotional—of adversarial divorce.

FAQ: Divorce Therapy & Breakup Counseling

Sources

1. Doherty, W. J., & Harris, S. M. (2017). Helping Couples on the Brink of Divorce: Discernment Counseling for Troubled Relationships. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.
   – Framework for discernment counseling, especially for mixed-agenda couples.
2. Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. (2018). What is Conscious Uncoupling? Psychology Today.
   – Defines conscious uncoupling and its benefits over adversarial divorce.
3. Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on Divorce: Continuing Trends and New Developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650–666.
   – Effects of divorce on couples and children; underscores need for cooperative approaches.
4. Hetherington, E. M., & Kelly, J. (2002). For Better or For Worse: Divorce Reconsidered. W. W. Norton.
   – Research showing how children fare better when parents separate respectfully.
5. Verywell Mind. (2021). Discernment Counseling: Definition, Techniques, and Efficacy.
   – Outlines process, session structure, and outcomes of discernment counseling.

Related reading:

Still unsure if divorce is right for you? Start with our discernment counseling article here.

If you’re certain about separation and want to part peacefully, read about conscious uncoupling here.