Only the two of you will be present. This retreat is specifically crafted around the hurts/resentments/issues that are causing the two of you conflict, that needs to be healed and resolved.

The retreat takes place over the weekend at 144 Christina Street South, in Sarnia Ontario. No one will be in the clinic except the three of us which ensures complete privacy and confidentiality.

No, the price strictly covers the psychotherapy services received. As such, there is no HST, and depending on your insurance provider, you may be entitled to receive full reimbursement of the cost of the retreat.

Absolutely! In our intake emails, we will send you a list of all our local reputable places with links to their websites.

Ronnie will go over a 2-day itinerary or a 3-day itinerary with you in the Free consult. Typically, each weekend begins with an individual session with each partner, so Ronnie can gain a clear understanding and assessment of the issues that are hurting the relationship. Together, we craft the goals of what needs to be healed, resolved, or forgiven for both partners. No goals are made without an agreement from both partners. The rest of the weekend is determined by the goals that are created.  However, some of the communication skills that are taught can be found here.

2 days are great when a couple struggles with communication and has some issues that require resolving. When the couple strictly wishes to focus on only communication, then two days typically is enough.

3 days, incorporates everything we do in a two day, but incorporates topics such as play, pleasure, intimacy, and building on more love, than just strictly communication. However, we can also do a hybrid two day depending on what your needs are.F

our days would only be necessary for a couple who has extensive complex issues and needs extended time to work through them. Again, speak with Ronnie about what would work for you the best.

The cost and benefit to doing an intensive is that it’s easier to stay in an uncomfortable conversation for longer periods so that you can finally resolve the issue.  Most couples cannot do this because they either explode or withdraw. In other words, they fight, or flight. They do not face. Learning how to face the problem is a skill set. It is a skill set we will practice repeatedly throughout the weekend so that tolerance and resilience is developed, and the couple learns to use both love and respect to resolve the issues that are plaguing them.

Each person has free will. When both partners come to the intensive because they both want their marriage to work (despite how much they may have hurt each other in the past,) and have a willingness to acknowledge the pain they have caused the person (regardless of intent,) and a willingness to create a new relationship based on a new way of talking… than they can heal, and create a new path and a new future together.  

All relationships have some form of conflict or pain. There is no such thing as a  “perfect” relationship.  But if we agree to learn how to face our problems together and have a willingness to change our behaviour and repair mistakes, then our relationship survives, grows, and even flourishes.  If you both want it to work, then amazing things can happen. But we have to practice sitting in uncomfortable conversations to get there.

I think this is a very common fear. The purpose of the weekend is the exact opposite. The purpose is to learn a new way of discussing problems.  We will be incorporating new skills like hitting the pause button, learning how to repair, and employing the four boundaries:

I am allowed to say No.
I am allowed to disagree.
I am allowed to give a complaint.
I am allowed to draw a boundary.

Further, Ronnie has worked with thousands of couples, and there will be plenty of opportunities to hit pause, to learn how to self-regulate when you have been hurt, or hit a trigger, and learn how to unhook from this feeling and state, so that you can resolve the conversation. No one is forced to do anything, or say anything, that they don’t want to. It’s about learning how to have both empathy and respect for your partner’s pain, even when you don’t agree with it.  

In your Free 30 Minute Consultation, you can discuss your schedule with Ronnie to choose a date that best works for you all of you.  Typically, Ronnie will hold two retreats a month but can be flexible on which weekend the couple chooses. Please discuss this with her further.

The 2-day retreat is 3600.00 and takes place on a Saturday and Sunday of your choosing. The 3-day retreat is 5100.00 and would take place on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or alternatively, a Saturday, Sunday, Monday depending on availability.

Once you have had your consultation, and it feels like a good fit, then after filling out your intake forms, The Couples Clinic will take a 25% deposit to hold the date.

Your deposit would be refunded minus a 250.00 admin fee if made 14 days before the reservation. If the cancellation is made afterwards, then 50% of the deposit will be refunded.

Yes, to both. If you have health benefits, then your retreat may be partially covered, or entirely covered depending on your insurance provider. Give us a call at The Couples Clinic 519-541-9173, to discuss further how we can help you to access this information.  However, even if you could not access health benefits, psychotherapy is a regulated health service in Ontario and can be counted as a health expense when filing your taxes.

Couple-Specific Intensive Retreats are not an appropriate fit for couples who are dealing with the following issues:
- Active substance abuse issues.
- Infidelity that has occurred in the last six months.
- History of physical abuse or where there is actively “hands on” between the couple.
- Individuals who struggle with explosive rage.
- Individuals who currently have criminal charges.
- Individuals who are no longer in love with their partner.