What are Couples Retreats?
A private or group, intensive, interactive experience designed to help couples reconnect and address relationship challenges.
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13 focused hours delivered over a weekend (Friday - Sunday) format.
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Ideal for couples with busy schedules, residing anywhere in the US, Canada, or internationally.
Couples Retreat Benefits
Focused Time and Privacy: Escape daily distractions and dedicate uninterrupted time to reconnect and rebuild your relationship.
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Short Time-Large Benefit: Benefit from a concentrated experience, allowing for significant relationship progression in a succinct timeframe.
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Personalized Setting: Whether you choose to travel to a comfortable and private location I provide, or I travel to a mutually agreeable location, you'll have a dedicated space for open communication and reflection.
Is a Couples Retreat Right for You?
Weekend Couples Retreats offer a unique opportunity for couples to reconnect and address relationship challenges in a focused and experiencial setting.
Consider a Couples Retreat if you:
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Have Busy Schedules: Finding time for regular therapy sessions can be difficult. Retreats offer a concentrated experience, allowing for significant progress in a condensed timeframe (Friday-Sunday)
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Are Ready to Invest in Your Relationship: Retreats require dedication and emotional investment. Couples who are serious about making positive changes in their relationship will benefit most from this intensive format.
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Seek to Rekindle Connection and Rebuild Intimacy: Retreats provide a dedicated space for focused communication, reflection, and rebuilding intimacy away from daily distractions.
Couples Retreats May Not
Be Suitable if:
One partner is experiencing a serious mental health issue such as untreated bipolar disorder, suicidal ideation, or major depression. Individual therapy may be necessary before couples counseling can be effective.
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There is domestic violence in the relationship. Couples therapy is not appropriate for situations involving domestic violence.
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One or both partners are struggling with active addiction. Addressing substance abuse issues may be necessary before couples counseling can be beneficial.
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One or both partners are unwilling or unable to commit to the level of focus and emotional investment required for an intensive retreat. The retreat demands a high level of commitment, similar to the intense focus required for major sporting events like the Wimbledon finals or the Super Bowl.
​Once these concerns are addressed and the situation has stabilized, I'd be happy to schedule a consultation to discuss if a Couples Retreat is the right fit for your relationship at that time.
Couples Retreat Experiences
West Coast Psychotherapy offers two therapy retreat options to suit your needs and preferences:
Private Couples Retreat
Focused Attention & Personalized Experience: Enjoy a dedicated and intimate retreat experience with John Edwards as your guide. This retreat offers your relationship the full focus and attention it deserves, creating a positive space for growth.
Mutually Agreed Upon Location: Choose a comfortable and private location that works for you and John. This could be a vacation rental or another suitable space.
Tailored Program: The retreat program will be customized to address your specific relationship challenges and goals.
Small Group
Couples Retreat
Connect and Learn Together: Bond with other couples (usually 6-8) on a similar journey in a supportive group setting. This retreat provides a unique opportunity to learn from shared experiences and gain valuable insights from John Edward's expertise.
Develop Supportive Connections: Sharing your challenges with other couples can foster understanding and a sense of community.
Expert Guidance: John will facilitate the retreat, offering guidance, tools, interactive experiences, and exercises to strengthen your relationship.
Couples Therapy Options
in
California | New York | Washington State | British Columbia
Weekly Couples Therapy Sessions - approximately 90 minutes
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Extended Couples Therapy Sessions - 3 hours with a break at the 90 minute mark. Occurs once or twice per month
Private Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats:
This is 13 hours of relationship counseling: Friday - Sunday format:
The Gottman Relationship Check Up is completed at least one week prior to the couples retreat date.
Friday Schedule
Assessment Phase - 3 hours
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Joint Interview - 90 minutes
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Individual interviews approximately 45 minutes each
Saturday Schedule
Assessment Phase
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Feed back - approximately 45 minutes
Intervention Phase
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5 hours of couples counseling
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Sunday Schedule
Intervention Phase
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5 hours of couples counseling
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Wrap up and plan for follow up sessions or check-in
Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats are best suited for couples who:
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Have busy schedules and coordinating a weekly time would be difficult.
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Live outside of the Oakland, CA area such as the Peninsula, South Bay, North Bay and areas beyond which makes traveling for weekly sessions quite challenging.
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Couples who live anywhere in the USA, Canada or in the world.
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Are committed and prepared to engage in intensive challenging and difficult emotional work over several days to repair, revitalize and rejuvenate their relationship or marriage.
Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats or Intensive Couples Counseling requires the commitment and concentration as if you are in one of the following scenarios:
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Playing Centre Court in the Wimbledon finals.
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Making your debut at the Metropolitan Opera.
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Playing in the NBA finals.
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Playing in the world series.
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Playing in the Super Bowl.
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Playing at the Masters.
House Calls For Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats orÂ
Extended Couples Therapy Sessions
House calls are available in the following states and province where I am licensed/registered to practice counseling and psychotherapy:
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California
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New York
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Washington State
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British Columbia, Canada
If you live on the east coast of the USA or Canada, Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats can occur in New York City/New York state.
House Calls for Weekend Couples Therapy Retreats or Extended Couples Therapy Sessions require the following expenses to be covered:
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Travel
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Travel time - San Francisco Bay area up to 2 hours away by car.
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Locations outside of the San Francisco Bay Area - hotel - the ones with the best beds which rules out most Sheratons (from my experience.)
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Air travel - preferred airlines - Delta, Alaska, American or the airline that has the most direct route to your location.
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Couples who would not be a good fit for a Weekend Couples Therapy Retreat
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One of you has:
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a serious untreated mental health issue such as bi-polar disorder, suicidal, major depression
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domestic violence,
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active drug or alcohol addiction including weed/pot.
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It may be prudent to address these individual issues prior to attempting relationship counseling. Once the situation has stabilized I would be happy to consult with you to see if the timing is right for relationship counseling with me.
Relationship and Marriage Counseling Costs
Weekly sessions: $400 per 90 minute session or $270 per 60 minute session
Extended session: $800 [Two 90 minute sessions with a break - In office]
Extended session: $1,000 [Two 90 minute sessions - within a 2 hour drive of Oakland | CA]
Weekend Couples Therapy Retreat: $5000 [13 hours of counseling in my office]
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Weekend Couples Therapy Retreat: $10,000 [travel to your location | 13 hours of counseling]
Travel available in California, Washington State, New York and British Columbia, Canada.
to Save Your Marriage or Relationship