We often hear from potential clients that they are eager to try a couples therapy retreat. They’ve tried weekly therapy sessions and find the lack of substantial progress frustrating. They’ve read about marriage retreats and boot camps and they understand the value of an intensive counseling experience, but their spouse is not on board yet.
It is useful when both participants feel comfortable with the therapist and have trust in the therapy process. At Marriage Quest, we like to speak with each spouse so that they feel comfortable with us and with our therapeutic approach. It makes the work more successful and we want our couples to succeed.
3 Reasons Why Couples Therapy Retreats Are Better Than Traditional Therapy Sessions
We’ve heard from many couples over the past 25 years that they achieved more in three days on a Marriage Quest retreat than years of their prior weekly sessions, even with a variety of different therapists and approaches. Here are 3 reasons why Intensive Couples Retreats are better than most traditional weekly therapy sessions.
1. Longer Sessions Are More Effective And Less Frustrating
Many clients share their frustration with getting to the deeper conversation just when the session was about to end. Spending two to four hours working on your specific goals can feel very useful in getting things off of your chest and actually finding some resolution. We’ve helped couples work through problems that have been bothering them since the very beginning of their relationship, sometimes before they even got married.
2. Fewer Distractions Help You To Focus On Your Goals
Having a stretch of time to work on any project is usually more efficient and satisfying than stopping and starting over and over again. A Couples Retreat is a time for you and your partner to prioritize your relationship by taking a break from the demands of everyday life. Many couples have challenges focusing on important issues because of their need to deal with family and work responsibilities. A counseling retreat allows the couple the time and space to focus on their relationship.
3. Couples Retreats Are Useful For Busy Couples
Most couples who attend a Marriage Quest retreat appreciate having the time to focus on themselves and their relationship. Not only is it a time to deal with the challenging issues that often get ignored but couples also take time to have some fun together. Many couples get so busy with family and work that they don’t enjoy time alone together very often. Having fun together is really important for bonding in a marriage. It is often like the fun days of courtship.
In addition, people who are private or distrusting are usually hesitant to open up in a 45-minute session. Sometimes they don’t open up at all and therefore the issues persist. Other times they open up and become emotional only to then regret it as they rush back to their daily life.
How To Encourage Your Resistant Husband To Try A Retreat
My first suggestion to someone whose spouse is hesitant or is considering divorce, is that they not ask a bunch of questions like, “Are you interested?” “What do you think?” “Do you want to do this?” Instead, share your thoughts: what you are thinking and feeling and what you want.
Share something like, “I love you and really want to improve our marriage. I hate it when we argue. I really want things to change, and I want to work on it with you. I found a couples therapy retreat which works on saving marriages, but not at any price. I’d like it if you would look at their website and then we can have a conversation. You can also call them if you want to, but you don’t need to. If after the retreat you want a divorce, I will let go. But I’d like to get a professional opinion before calling it quits. I’d like to understand better what happened and why, what can still change and what will probably never change.”
My Husband Wants A Divorce. Can We Still Go To A Marriage Retreat?
We work with clients who have many different goals and perspectives. Many of them wonder if a divorce is a good solution for their situation, maybe the only viable option. Some have a foot out the door on their way to a divorce and others have already filed for a divorce and now are having some second thoughts.
About 40% of people who get divorced report they regret it later on, and that number jumps to 80% if the divorce is due to an affair. We have helped many couples explore the possibility of divorce. It is amazing how when this conversation is approached correctly it can actually turn things around and help rekindle the marriage. Many couples report that they are now happier than they’ve been in many years and wonder why they didn’t do this ten years earlier. If you’re ready to learn more about couples therapy retreats, contact us using the links below.
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