Couples Marathon Retreats
Skip the Blame Game and Transform Your Relationship with Expert-Led EMDR Therapy
Two days, two therapists, and an opportunity for lasting change.
Does this sound like you?
Are you and your partner stuck in a cycle of unresolved issues and heightened emotions? Does it feel like weekly therapy sessions just aren't making progress fast enough?
Are you tired of talking about it? Fed up with therapy that goes in circles?
Our approach is different. We focus on real results.
With EMDR, the focus is on healing and desensitizing triggered responses, not rehashing every detail of your issues.
This means you can achieve understanding and progress without the strain of over-talking your problems.
Group Dynamics in Our Retreats: A Focus on Healing, Not Blame
At the heart of our Couples Marathon Retreat are the four-person group sessions where both partners come together with our two experienced therapists in a shared space. These sessions are uniquely structured, differing significantly from traditional couples therapy. Instead of delving into blame or dissecting how each person should change, our focus is on identifying key areas where EMDR can be most effective.
In these group interactions, we create a safe and supportive environment for both partners to openly explore their triggers and emotional responses. This process is not about pointing fingers or demanding change from one another. Rather, it's about understanding the underlying issues and sensitivities that contribute to relationship challenges. By pinpointing these areas, we can more effectively use EMDR therapy to desensitize these triggers, fostering a more harmonious and understanding relationship dynamic.
Our goal is to move away from fault-finding and towards a mutual journey of healing and growth. By focusing on what EMDR can address, we help couples shift their perspective from what's 'wrong' in their relationship to what can be healed and improved. This approach not only enhances the effectiveness of the therapy but also strengthens the bond between partners, paving the way for a healthier, more resilient relationship.
Discover the Synergy of Individual Healing
In addition to our group sessions, a vital component of our Couples Marathon Retreat is the individual EMDR work. Here, we take the understanding and insights gained from the group interactions and apply them in a more personal setting. Each partner engages in separate yet simultaneous one-on-one sessions with one of our certified EMDR therapists. This approach allows for deep, focused work on the specific targets identified during the group work.
During these individual sessions, you'll experience the transformative power of EMDR therapy, working through personal triggers and emotional barriers that impact your relationship. This is a time for you to delve into your own experiences and emotions, guided safely and expertly by our therapists, without the presence of your partner. It’s a unique opportunity to address your individual needs, fostering personal healing and empowerment.
After these individual sessions, we reconvene as a group. Both partners, now having worked through some of their own specific challenges, come back together with both therapists. This is a powerful moment where you bring your individual progress back into the shared space of your relationship. The group sessions that follow the individual work allow both partners to understand each other better and to work more effectively on their collective journey.
Our retreat's dynamic structure, oscillating between individual and group work, ensures a holistic approach to your relationship's healing. You're not just working on being better partners; you're also evolving as individuals. This balanced method of therapy is what makes our Couples Marathon Retreat so effective and unique.
Why Choose Our Retreat?
Expert Guidance:
Our retreat is led by two certified EMDR therapists - one male and one female - who specialize in helping people desensitize relationship triggers. Our retreat is more than a counseling session - it's a guided journey towards healing triggered responses and understanding, designed specifically for couples facing conflicts due to triggered emotions and past experiences.
Personalized and Focused Approach:
Across two days, totaling 16 hours of therapy, we delve into the root cause of your relationship struggles and use a mix of EMDR and couples counseling techniques. Our aim is clear: to help you overcome trigger points and lay a new foundation for healthy interactions, with less emphasis on talking and more on experiencing and resolving.
Exclusive Attention:
Our retreat is designed to offer both one-on-one and couples sessions, ensuring that each partner's individual needs are addressed. We ensure that the therapy is customized for both individuals and the couple as a whole. This approach guarantees that each partner’s needs are met, fostering growth and understanding, without the pressure of verbalizing every thought and feeling.
A Healing Environment:
We encourage couples to book a local AirBnb stay, providing a peaceful "getaway" atmosphere away from daily distractions. This setting is crucial for allowing both of you to fully immerse in the experience.
Dynamic Therapeutic Approach:
Our therapy approach is like a see-saw: moving between individual counseling and group work. This dynamic approach is designed to support personal growth and relationship evolution, with EMDR facilitating healing without the necessity of extensive dialogue.
What to Expect:
One Pre-Retreat Session: to assess whether a retreat could be helpful and for treatment planning.
EMDR Retreat Workbook: this workbook saves hours of counseling time by helping you identify things that can help with EMDR processing.
The Retreat: Two days, 8am to 5pm with an hour lunch break. These sessions are held in our offices in Mill Creek, WA.
One Post-Retreat Session: A follow up meeting to support you in maintaining the positive gains made at the retreat.
FAQs
-
Perhaps you don’t have time for weekly sessions or you don’t want to spend months in traditional counseling. Perhaps you’ve tried couples counseling in the past and need something different.
Traditional couples counseling is not for everyone. These retreats offer a flexible approach that works for people who need something different.
EMDR therapy facilitates the processing of challenging experiences, enabling individuals to find relief from past traumas or negative experiences. This process is akin to a mental rewiring, allowing the brain to adaptively assimilate these experiences. Our method focuses on jointly uncovering the underlying mechanisms that cause problems between couples.
When applied intensively, EMDR can lead to profound healing and calmed reactions to triggers. -
You can learn more about them at their sites:
Kevin St Jacques, PsyD, LMHC
Linda Smith, MA, LMHC -
This two-day retreat, priced at $7700, is an investment in your relationship. It includes expert guidance and a unique opportunity for deep transformation with less reliance on talking and more focus on healing.
AirBnb cost not included.
All clinicians associated with Mill Creek EMDR Specialists are independent private practice provider businesses. All services rendered are representative of each individual provider’s license and their own businesses.
The Mill Creek EMDR Specialists website serves solely as a tool to help clients find providers of EMDR therapy services and is not a therapy service itself.
“I tried three different types of therapy and none of them helped with my trauma. EMDR therapy improved my life when the others couldn’t.”
— WILMA B. (therapist who tried EMDR)
Get started with Mill Creek EMDR Specialists, today.
Instagram.
