Intensive retreats are offered throughout the year.  They could be an intensive therapeutic weekend for one couple, or offered to a group as a condensed workshop. Some take place locally, some take place abroad. They can be offered as a week-long retreat in a warm destination. Please inquire for further information.

"7 Principles for Making Marriage Work Weekend Couples Retreat!"

• What: This weekend retreat is based on John Gottman's book, "The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work"
• When: Friday March 22, 2024 at 4pm to Sunday March 24, 2024 at 2pm
• Where: Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre, 1617 Blythe Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5H 2C3 (This is a Christian retreat centre, and this 7 Principles retreat will be offered in a secular format. All are welcome)
• Watch a tour of the retreat centre here. You can see the rooms, dining hall, meeting room, and some of the grounds.
• Who: This retreat is appropriate for couples who are pre-engaged, premarital, newlyweds to long-time married. It is great for couples who want to enhance their relationship and are seeking better conflict management tools. 
• This retreat is not appropriate for couples who are experiencing severe relationship distress, emotional abuse, domestic violence, active addictions (alcohol, drug, sexual, gambling, etc), or serious mental health problems in one or both partners.
• Topics: Improving your friendship/ fondness/ admiration; enhancing romance/ intimacy; managing conflict constructively; gaining skills to address perpetual and solvable problems; and creating shared meaning
• Format: There will be lectures/presentations, class exercises, couple exercises and homework activities. You will not be asked to share personal problems in front of others. This is a psycho-educational skill-building retreat, and not a couple therapy support group.
• Disclaimer: if you are an existing client and chose to participate in this retreat, it is possible that your participation in couples therapy may become evident through participation in this retreat. Please be mindful and cautious in sharing in the group. Please know that I make every effort to respect your privacy and confidentiality around our work. You would not be identified as a client or asked to talk about our couple work in class.  
• What is included: $750 per couple includes the "7 Principles for Making Marriage Work" book by John Gottman, all digital materials, Gottman Connect questionnaire, time, all meals and two nights of accommodations. Melissa worked hard to make this as affordable as possible in order to make it accessible for any couple who could benefit from this.
• Gottman Connect questionnaire and digitial resource materials are included. It is also recommended that you download the Gottman Card Deck application on your phone for class.
• This retreat will be offered in 1-3 sessions per day over 3 days. Please check with your benefits provider to see what may be covered through them for psycho-educational workshops. Melissa is a Registered Social Worker and will be providing receipts for each day of the retreat
• 10% deposit due upon booking. This is refundable if you cancel by December 15, 2023
• Additional 20% non-refundable deposit due by December 31, 2023
• Remaining balance due by March 1, 2024
• Please message me to register!

UPDATE:

The March 2024 Couples Retreat was a great success! Six couples from engaged to married over 30 years! The participants were enthusiastic with the exercises, appreciated the role plays/videos demonstrating the Gottman techniques, involved with the discussions and gave encouraging feedback!

Thank you again to Mike Fidler, my Gottman Mentor, who came to support me in hosting my first retreat! Also, thank you to Kristen Parselias, my University of Toronto MSW intern, who was a great help through the weekend. In addition, thank you to Susan Netterfield, MDiv Tyndale Student, who came quite spontaneously last minute and was a lovely help as well!

Pictured here is me with Mike and Kristen :)

Pictured here is me with the door prize winners! Congratulations P and J! Thank you again for coming and for all your input in the class discussions! They won a Gottman Love Maps/Open-Ended Questions Card Deck and some other goodies!

We are now planning for our next retreat. We are aiming at every fall and spring. The next one will be Sept/Oct 2024, and the one after that is booked for May 2-4, 2025! Registration will be opening soon!

Book Retreat Now!