Private Couples Therapy Retreats
Located In Scenic Vermont. Virtual Marriage Retreats Also Available.
Couples often come to me in crisis as a last effort to save their marriage. After years of struggling, they feel hurt, tired, and hopeless. I get it. Having a happy marriage is hard work. Whether you are struggling in the first year of your marriage, or you have recently become empty nesters, let me be your guide and teacher.
I get results for my clients. I can help you and your partner learn to communicate effectively, increase your emotional connection, repair your sex life, and figure out once and for all if you are both truly compatible with each other.
Imagine True Healing In 3 Days
Staying in a toxic marriage feels awful. Most people want to experience positive change as quickly and efficiently as possible. Private retreats accomplish exactly that. Instead of traditional therapy sessions where you have to stop just as soon as you feel progress, retreats keep the momentum so you can work at a deeper level more quickly and effectively.
Benefits of a Couples Therapy Retreat
- Significant results in 3 days versus 6 months of therapy
- Create momentum each hour for deeper healing
- Retreats are easier to schedule than weekly sessions
- Faster results means less time suffering
- There is often higher motivation and engagement on a retreat due to the intensive format
Fix Your Marriage From The Root
When working with a couple, I always start with the same hypothesis: Your marriage can be happy and successful, and the issue is that no one has ever taught you the skills to make that possible. It’s my job to quickly identify the root cause of your issues and then teach you both a process that you can replicate on your own. That is how you will create strong and lasting changes.
Considering Divorce
An unhappy marriage can be devastating for both partners and make you question the entire relationship. Unfortunately, 40% of couples who divorce regret it, so be sure you are making the right choice.
Couples Communication
Break the negative cycles of communication and interaction by learning the skills to reconnect and find peace in your house.
Sexless Marriage
Couples of all ages can lose their spark or desire. Sexual satisfaction is extremely important for marital success and affair prevention.
Affair Recovery
Affairs can feel like the end of the marriage and leave someone questioning what they did wrong or blaming their partner. There are ways to survive and prevent affairs by working on your relationship.
Dr. David Helfand, PsyD
Couples Therapy Expert
During more than a decade of professional service, Dr David Helfand (or Dr H) has helped hundreds of people create a happier marriage and more fulfilled life through short-term therapy solutions.
He has been interviewed by multiple news organizations about his specialties in neuroscience, clinical psychology, mindfulness, and sex and intimacy. He specializes in private couples therapy retreats, neurofeedback, and brain mapping, and his couples workbook will be published later this year.
What To Expect On A Couples Therapy Retreat
My job is to teach both of you a process that helps you achieve your relationship goals and that you can replicate on your own. Most traditional therapy focuses on negative content such as discussing what led to the argument or qualities you don’t you like about your partner. I conduct my sessions with couples very differently.
During your retreat, I will coach and guide you to make sure the conversations are productive. You will learn how to discuss a negative emotion in way that actually creates an emotional connection. If you understand how to have the conversation in a successful way, you can create your own healing for years to come.
Sample 3-Day Retreat Itinerary
You can schedule a 1-4 day retreat with me, and the 3-day program is the most popular for couples who are in moderate to severe crisis. Please review the details below for an example of what to expect during a 3-day couples therapy retreat.
Preparation
Every retreat client receives free access to the online couples course so that you can begin learning the skills of a healthy relationship as soon as possible. You will also receive a relationship questionnaire to be completed before your retreat so that I can learn as much as possible about your relationship before meeting with you.
Day One
The first day of your retreat starts with an overview on the science of what makes relationships and marriages successful. Then I will conduct an individual intake with each partner to better understand your goals for the retreat, the history of your marriage, and your personal experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. After the intakes, I will review the foundations of couples communication before helping you practice with each other while offering coaching and guidance.
Day Two
The second day of your retreat is a deeper dive into helping you communicate your needs, triggers, and underlying emotions behind events that have occurred in your marriage while ultimately helping both of you to move in a positive direction. This day is tailored to each couple based on your goals and the topics that need to be addressed.
Day Three
The final day of a retreat is a pivotal moment. If you were able to connect and make progress during the retreat so far, then we will continue that momentum and go even deeper on day three. If it appears that the marriage cannot be saved or one of you decides you want out, then we will negotiate a trial separation that is either designed to help you reconnect or mindfully separate.
Aftercare
The last phase of every retreat is to provide ongoing suggestions that will help you continue to make progress for years to come. These might include specific exercises to do together, homework assignments, reading recommendations, or other activities that engage you both in making a positive step towards your goals. I am also available to discuss your aftercare plan with any provider or therapist who will be supporting you.
The Neuroscience of Relationships
You will become better at whatever you practice. If you speak with kindness, your relationship will feel kind. Most couples contact me because they have become masters at arguing. Therefore, part of my job is to help every couple consciously put their marriage in a positive state as much as possible so that those experiences will replicate themselves…
Researchers have repeatedly found that happy relationships require a ratio of 5:1 positive to negative interactions. This means for every negative experience together, you need 5 positive ones to then feel good about your partner. My goal is to help you surpass this ratio so that you thrive as a couple.
Additionally, I want to teach you how to turn negative emotions into a positive connection. Brain scans of couples in love and disagreement shows us that these states are very similar neurologically. Therefore, discord in a relationship is actually an opportunity to connect if you know how to appropriately redirect that energy and emotion.
Prefer A Slower Pace?
I understand that a retreat might not be a good fit for some couples. If you need a slower pace, you can also consider more traditional weekly couples therapy.
Online Couples Course Included With Every Retreat
Frequently Asked Questions
I get results. I’ve worked with hundreds of couples to help them repair or improve their marriage by teaching them how to enhance their emotional connection, reinvigorate their sex life, or make a determination about separation and divorce.
Each day of the retreat is equal to about 2 months of really good therapy. We are able to continuously work on your goals without stopping and starting which creates momentum and allows for deeper work with better outcomes. Many people find it difficult to attend weekly sessions, so the condensed format of a retreat also allows for easier attendance. Finally, condensing the therapy into a few days instead of months or years mean you will spend less time suffering.
All in-person Retreats are held at my office in St Johnsbury, Vermont. Due to state licensing laws, virtual retreats are currently available only if you will be physically located in VT, MA, or FL during our meetings times.
Retreats are regularly offered Monday through Wednesday. Weekends are also available for an up charge. I can accommodate other days or schedules on a case by case basis.
Couples retreats are not covered by any insurance. Traditional couples therapy can sometimes be covered by insurance, and I currently only accept Blue Cross Plans.
If you are interested in traditional therapy through insurance, I highly recommend scheduling a 1-day retreat to jump start your therapy and then following up with weekly sessions.
Couples Therapy Retreats are $1600 per day for a 1-3 day program. The 4-day retreat is premium all inclusive offer, so please contact me for pricing information.
A discount is available for retreats when you pay via check or wire transfer. All retreats include free access to the online Couples Course.
Because Retreats are offered on a limited schedule there is a strict cancellation policy. A non-refundable deposit of 50% is due upon booking, and you can transfer your deposit one time in specific cases. The final payment is due 1 week before your retreat.
The full policy is available in the “Client Informed Consent” document.
Not at this time. I work with one couple at a time to maintain your privacy and allow me to focus on your specific needs.
Let's Get Started
Already Scheduled A Couples Retreat?
If you and your partner have already scheduled your retreat, please review the resource page for information about next steps, local accommodations, and other helpful tips to get the most benefit out of your retreat experience.