Marriage Retreats | About Us | Scheduling | Costs | Accommodations

FAQs: Marriage Retreats
My partner and I are not married - are Intensives appropriate for us?
Definitely.

Are these marriage retreats helpful for any kind of couple's issues?
We don't pretend that these Intensives are cure-alls. Certain trauma related concerns, safety concerns and substance abuse issues may not be appropriate for these meetings. If you currently go to counseling, we recommend that you discuss the marriage retreats with your counselor. Also, review our "Will We Benefit Checklist". If you have further concerns, please call or email us.

Will the marriage retreats interfere with our regular couples counseling?
Not usually. Intensives can either be a great addition or a good start to your counseling. We do urge you to discuss our Couples Intensives or any marriage retreat with your counselor. Please call or email us with any concerns.

Why don't you emphasize childhood issues?
We don't ignore or discount childhood issues; it does help to understand how past issues are affecting your marriage. But we have found that it is most useful to bring the focus onto current relationship problems and how to change them.

What happens if I want to discuss some childhood issues?
This is fine, as long as the focus remains on helping the relationship move forward.
It would not be helpful to use our marriage retreats to focus too much on childhood issues.

My partner doesn't really think the Intensives will help, but is willing to try it for me.
Is this an OK reason? Will the marriage retreats still be useful?
Many partners are initially reluctant, doubtful or unfamiliar with the benefits of counseling - or marriage retreats. We have found, over and over again, that these partners quickly feel comfortable and benefit from Intensives. Sometimes it is helpful for us to know specific hesitations of either partner so that we can accommodate these concerns. As long as both of you are willing to fully participate, we've found that it's completely fine if one partner is willing to come to a marriage retreat mainly because their partner wants them to.

Can we see the two of you as a team for our marriage retreat?                                   Yes, you can.  Though most couples choose a single therapist, many prefer the husband & wife therapist team for their marriage retreat. We regularly do team counseling in both the Intensives and our weekly counseling.

How does the team counseling work?                                                                                   Just like single therapist counseling - except you have the two of us. We have offered these for most of our years in practice: it is very comfortable and fluid for both us and clients.

What are the advantages of having the husband & wife therapist team for a marriage retreat?                                                                                                                                         Most notably, you will receive more feedback because there are two therapists helping you. For some clients, it is more comfortable to have a couple or both the male & female perspective in the room.

What are the disadvantages of the husband-wife therapy team?                               There are two main disadvantages; since there are two therapists, it is harder to schedule and it is more costly. To schedule or discuss costs, please contact us.

What if I'm having trouble choosing between one therapist or the team?             Please contact us to help you decide.

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FAQs: About Us
What if we're not comfortable with your style or approach once we start
a marriage retreat?
Your comfort in working with us is critical. Most couples feel comfortable with us very quickly, but if, after the first hour of the Intensive, you're not comfortable with us or our style, we will end the session and refund your Intensive fees. We cannot refund any other costs for travel or accommodations.

Can we speak on the phone in order to get a sense of you and your style, and to answer our questions?
After you initially contact us, we will schedule a half-hour phone conversation to answer your questions and clarify your goals for your Intensive.

We're within driving distance of your office; will you see us as regular clients after the marriage retreat?
Whichever one of us delivers your Intensive will generally not be available to see you as an ongoing client. However, it is fine to see one of us for the Intensive and the other for ongoing counseling.

We've already seen you as regular clients - can we do an Intensive?
If you've seen one of us as clients, you can use the other for a marriage retreat.
If you've seen us as a team, we would need to discuss the possibility.

Is there a certain theory you utilize or certain prominent people whose
approach you follow?
We have training and experience in a number of approaches, but we don't rigidly adhere to a specific theory or model. We do utilize solution oriented, cognitive, behavioral, marital enrichment material, and research from John Gottman. If there are certain approaches or marital books that you value a lot, we can probably integrate them into your marriage retreat.
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FAQs: Scheduling
Can we do a follow up Intensive?
Yes, you can. We do recommend that you wait a couple of months so that you
can practice the tools and strategies you've learned.

Can you schedule on other days besides Friday/Saturday?
It is possible, but we would need to schedule well in advance.

What happens if we have to cancel?
If you cancel more than seven days before the scheduled Intensive, we will refund 100% of your deposit. For cancellations less than seven days ahead of time, we will refund your deposit minus a $250 administrative fee.

What happens if you have to cancel?
We will only cancel in case of emergency. We will either give you a full refund of your Intensive fees or, if you prefer, give you a credit towards a future Intensive.

Can you give me driving directions?
Directions are available on our links page. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions.

If we want, will you refer us to a couple's counselor if we need one after
the marriage retreat?
We may or may not have a specific counselor to recommend in your area. We can provide you with specific guidelines for choosing a counselor that would be a good
fit for you.
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FAQs: Costs
What are the fees?
We prefer to discuss these over the phone.

Do you accept payment plans?
Unfortunately, no. 50% of the fee is due at the time of reservation.
The rest is due at our first meeting.

Do you accept credit card payment?
Yes.

Will insurance pay for Intensives?
No.

Will my Flex Plan at work reimburse me for this as a health related cost?
Not typically, but we can give you a receipt to submit to your plan.
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FAQs: Accommodations
What if we don't want to stay at your recommended hotels?
It's fine to choose other accommodations.

Can we stay in Stowe but not at Stoweflake?
It's fine to stay elsewhere in Stowe. In this case, your Intensive would occur at our offices in Burlington (a 50-minute drive from Stowe). If you're staying in Stowe, we do highly recommend the Stoweflake because it provides a great environment for couples and we can offer the marriage retreats at the resort.
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