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Marriage Intensive Retreats

Relational Care Intensive retreats are multi-day therapeutic experiences that offer structured, focused opportunities for personal growth and relational enrichment.

Marriage Intensive Schedule

This Relational Care Intensive retreat for married couples is a therapeutic program that offers a structured, focused opportunity for deeper healing. As a couple, you will find growth and freedom from dysfunctional patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving as you experience healthy alternatives within a caring, connected group. Participation in the intensive program requires 8-12 hours of preparatory marital counseling with one of our staff counselors. 

In-Office Intensives

The In-Office Intensive for couples takes place Thurs-Sun, 9AM - 5PM.

Lunch and snacks are provided.

2024 Dates

May 9-12
September 18-21

Off-Site Retreat Intensives

This Off-Site Retreat Intensive for married couples is a four-day therapeutic program that takes place from Sunday evening to Thursday afternoon at an offsite retreat center in the Austin area.  This program includes all meals and accommodations for 4 nights.

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If you are interested in participating in one the marriage intensive retreats at WinShape in the Atlanta area, please contact our partners at Spring Life Counseling.

April 7-11

October 6-10

​To reserve your spot at an Intensive or for more information, please call 512.492.6200 or email intensive@relationalcare.org

The Process

Phone Consultation

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Schedule a free 15-20 minute phone consultation with our Intensive Intake Coordinator to answer any preliminary questions about the marriage intensive options or the process.  

Clinical Consultation

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If you decide that you are interested in attending a Marriage Intensive, the Intensive Intake Coordinator will help you schedule a 90-min Clinical Consultation Session with one of our staff counselors.

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The purpose of the consultation is to:

  • Discuss your goals and expectations 

  • Gain understanding about your current relationship dynamics
  • Determine which Marriage Intensive is the best option
  • Address any questions or concerns you may have

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The staff counselor will help you determine the best treatment plan.

If you decide to register for a Marriage Intensive, a deposit of $550 is required to secure your registration. The deposit is non-refundable but can be transferred to a future intensive upon receipt of cancellation notice 30 days in advance.

 

After submitting your deposit, you will complete the Couples Assessment Tools for the pre-intensive counseling.

Pre-Intensive Counseling

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Couples must attend in-office pre-intensive counseling with one of CRC's staff counselors. Pre-intensive counseling is 8-12 hours of couples therapy that is typically scheduled over two days. Pre-intensive counseling is billed separately at the counselor's normal hourly rate.  

If coming from out of town for an offsite intensive, pre-intensive counseling can be scheduled the Friday and Saturday before the intensive. 

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The pre-intensive counseling sessions are designed to:

  • Give you an initial understanding and experience of key principles and practices for a joyful, mutually satisfying relationship. You will be equipped to put them into practice immediately, and you will be prepared to make the most of your couples Intensive experience.

  • Allow you to work on issues specific to your marriage relationship.

  • Ensure that each couple is prepared for the Intensive Retreat. Extended pre-intensive counseling (more than 12 hours) may be required for some couples prior to being ready for a marriage intensive.

  • Help you understand and begin addressing patterns that have kept your relationship stuck.

  • Start you on a path of healing any past or current hurts in your relationship.

  • Bring increased hope for a positive future for your marriage.

Attend Intensive

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The opportunity for deeper healing is available through our Intensive retreats.  Find additional growth and freedom from dysfunctional patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving as you experience healthy alternatives within a caring, connected group.  During the Intensive retreats participants have the opportunity to find freedom from pain and dysfunctional patterns acquired during childhood and gain a deeper understanding of “leaving father and mother” (Gen. 2:24). This experience also serves to deepen your intimacy with God by addressing unresolved early life experiences.​

 

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The Intensive Experience is designed to:

  • Help you embrace God's plan for an intimate, mutually satisfying, joyful marriage

  • Clearly define what you need from one another

  • Help you identify skills for communicating with understanding and care

  • Resolve painful emotions such as hurt, anger, guilt and fear

  • Resolve conflicts, restore trust and remain "relationally-caring"in times of stress and difficulty

  • Guide you to learn about the impact of past experiences on present struggles

  • Help you address hurts from the past that hinder your capacity to love in the present

  • Assist you in overcoming unproductive behavior patterns and habits

  • Lead you to experience increased freedom to love God and others

Follow-up

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After attending an Intensive Retreat, our counseling staff will continue to be available for any supplemental support needed to help incorporate new learnings and implement new skills into current relationships.​

10 Reasons to consider a Marriage Intensive

Crisis

You are feeling like you are at a "stuck place" in your marriage.

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You have considered divorce.

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You are concerned about the impact of your marital conflict or disconnection on your children.

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You know that the things that you and your spouse learned in your childhoods are negatively impacting your marriage, but even though you have tried very hard, you haven't been able to break the cycle of conflict.

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There has been emotional or physical infidelity, or hurt and pain due to pornography, in your marriage and you find yourself not wanting to divorce but unsure how to move forward.

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Enrichment

You see yourself approaching the empty nest years, and want to make sure you have a strong bond that will allow you to enjoy one another after your children have left home.

 

You feel that you have a strong bond as a couple, but are under ongoing stress from parenting a child with special physical, developmental, or emotional needs and could really benefit from a week of respite and encouragement. Many couples who have fostered or adopted "kids from hard places" have found a week of rest and rejuvenation at a marriage intensive, as well as becoming more equipped to care for the needs of their children in the process.

 

Even though you and your spouse have a strong bond, you have just walked through a season of pain, grief, or stress that has left you both in need of healing and a breath of fresh air for your hearts and marriage. Many couples have attended marriage intensives after unexpected and painful job transitions, loss of close family members, or other hard losses or transitions.

 

You and your spouse are in a ministry role where you are constantly serving others, but have found yourself close to burnout and realize that it would benefit you to have a week where you allow others to serve you.

 

You are having an absolute blast being married to your spouse, and your marriage has never been better....and you want to become more equipped to encourage and support younger or struggling couples in your sphere of influence.

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