The very first step in preparing for your marriage retreat is to talk to your partner about doing it. A marriage retreat for one might be a nice time for you, but it’s not really the couples retreat you were hoping for. If you’d like our thoughts on choosing the right marriage retreat for you, you can read about that here. 

If you’re considering joining us for your couples retreat, congrats! We’re excited to host you and to help you see the changes you are wanting in your relationship. I’ll walk you through what you can expect from a couples therapy retreat at Inland Empire Couples Counseling.

Prepare for your marriage retreat in California: Getting to know you

First you will book a time for a free phone consultation. Our intake coordinator will answer any questions you have about our services, go over pricing, and get you scheduled for your two-day retreat and your intro calls. 

Your therapist (or therapists, if you choose to work with two of our therapists as a team to help you; we recommend this option for best results) will spend an hour with you prior to your scheduled retreat days to get to know your situation and what you are wanting to work on, understand, or change during your retreat.

Setting up for a successful marriage retreat in California

We recommend that you take a few steps to ensure you get the most from your couples therapy retreat. The purpose of a retreat is for you and your partner to getaway, to be able to focus on your relationship separate from other worries and concerns. Here are some suggestions to help you do that:

Time

We recommend taking the full two days off work and other responsibilities. The time with your therapist(s) is part of the retreat experience, but so is the time WITH YOUR PARTNER. We’d love for you to have breakfast together, have time for a walk, to talk together, to connect. You’re working against the purpose of the retreat if you are trying to fit work meetings or other obligations into your retreat time.

Energy

Working on relationships is work. Come into the experience as rested as possible. A retreat after the busiest work week of the year might not set you up for success.

Focus

We also recommend you don’t schedule right before a looming deadline. You don’t want to be so worried about what’s happening next week that you can’t focus on your partner right in front of you. 

Childcare (if applicable)

Find trusted childcare for your retreat time. It might be hard, it might be difficult to ask, but your relationship is worth it. Your kids will be happier overall with happier parents. The short term trade off of finding childcare is worth the long term gain of a healthier marriage.

Lodging (if possible)

If you live far from our offices, you’ll need lodging for your retreat. But even if you live close by, even one night away from home at a hotel or vacation rental can really enhance your retreat experience. We can make recommendations of places nearby if needed.

Customized plan just for you and your partner on your marriage retreat in California

While you are taking care of some practical things, we are preparing too! Whether you’re working with one therapist in your retreat or two (meet us), our therapists will consult with the whole IECC therapist team in preparing activities and focus for your retreat. We will carefully outline how to spend your therapy time to get you the results you are looking for. 

Your therapist will likely send you a questionnaire to be completed before you arrive for your couples therapy retreat. This questionnaire is the result of decades of research into why some relationships work and some don’t. It gives us valuable information to help us know what might be standing in the way of your goals and also where you are already strong. 

Day 1 of your marriage retreat in California

Day one of your retreat has four hours of therapist time, this is typically divided into two hours in the morning, a break for lunch, and then another two hours in the afternoon. We almost always have some combination of time together as a couple and one-on-one time with the therapist. Sometimes there are things you need to say or items to discuss that are hard to talk about in front of your partner. This is why we recommend working with two therapists for best results--you and your partner can be getting your one-on-one time at the same time!

After your therapy time is completed on day one, we will send you to engage in some type of enriching or connecting activity. We will make all the arrangements for you, and you’ll know what the activity is before you arrive. You might go for a couples massage, a partner yoga class, a sound bath, a breathwork session, or an escape room, depending on what you need, what you’re trying to accomplish, and your personal preferences. So far, every couple who has participated in our retreats says they LOVE the day one activity. 

Day 2 of your marriage retreat in California

Day two is another four hours of therapist time, again usually 2 two hour sessions with a lunch break. This is always customizable depending on your needs and your progress. Our therapists work hard to get you the results you are looking for. They are excellent at helping couples stay on topic, so that you can feel like you’re getting somewhere. Our therapists know how to help you finish the conversations that are usually left undone at home. 

At the end of day two, your therapist(s) will work with you to create a take-home plan. They’ll review what you accomplished and any recommendations, skills, or referrals discussed during your retreat. 

Keep the goodness going: What happens after your marriage retreat in California ends

After your retreat ends, we will send you your customized plan. And you’ll also schedule a one-hour follow up with your therapist(s). We know that a lot can happen in the couples therapy retreat, and that sometimes it’s hard to take all that learning and apply it at home, so we’ve added in this follow up session to help you get the most of your experience. The follow-up session might be together as a couple, or it could be two 30 minute individual sessions if that’s better for your situation. 

Many of our retreat couples find they had such a good experience with their couples therapy retreat that they want to continue to work with one or both of their therapists. If you are in California, we can set up ongoing therapy sessions with you. If you liked the experience and wanted to repeat it in a few months or even a year later, you can book again. What an amazing tradition to invest in your relationship in this way!

If you’d like continued therapy and aren’t in California, we’ll use our amazing referral network to get you a quality couples therapist in your area. (Seriously, our practice owner knows and works with therapists all over the country. We’re pretty confident we can find someone near you.)

Does this sound good? Take the first step in transforming your relationship by scheduling your marriage retreat in California today!

At Inland Empire Couples Counseling we offer the best marriage counseling we can! Our couples therapists are trained in helping couples heal from infidelity, substance use in relationships, childhood trauma, communication skills, as well as providing the LGBTQIA+ community with pride counseling. We have online couples counseling in California. We have couples therapy in Riverside, CA. We also have marriage counseling in Murrieta CA or the Temecula Valley. Please reach out for help by clicking the button below to schedule a free 15 minute consultation with our Intake Coordinator.

Have questions about couples counseling? Visit our FAQs page to find out more.