How Retrouvaille is Different
Retrouvaille Is Very Different Than Other Marriage Programs
Some spouses resist the idea of attending the program, out of concern that they will be required to expose their personal lives. None of this is true. In fact, the program is entirely unique, and most couples find that this is the very thing that worked when all else failed. We are told constantly that this is one of the best kept secrets in the world, and couples regularly comment that they wish they had done the program long before they did; That it would have saved them so much pain and anguish.
It is NOT a Retreat, Seminar, Social Gathering, or Religious Conversion Experience
This is not a kumbaya marriage retreat by any means, and there is never any attempt to convert couples to any religious belief system. It is a structured program designed to help you and your spouse learn communication skills that will put you in tune with one another.
This is not a vacation weekend for the two of you, but rather a program to help your marriage get back to where it was meant to be. You will be working on your marriage and communication skills, and there will be very little downtime during the weekend. Our goal is to help your marriage, not to provide retreat.
It is NOT Marriage Counseling
There are no marriage counselors in the program. This is a peer ministry, presented by three married couples and a priest or pastor couple. The team couples are volunteers, who have experienced disillusionment, pain, anger, and conflict in their own marriages.
They offer hope as they share their personal stories of struggle, reconciliation and healing. You will find courage and strength in the realization that you are not alone in your struggle.
The interaction is between you and your spouse, not a counselor. There is no mediating of any kind. In fact, while a marriage counselor asks you to share your troubles with them, our presenters will be sharing their stories with you.
It is NOT a Sensitivity Group
This is not a program with the goal of making people more aware of their own prejudices and more sensitive to others. The weekend is about you and your spouse, and nothing more.
We do not have group activities, team building, or any other shared participation exercises that try to change you or make you into something you are not. Rather, it is about you understanding your spouse, and your spouse understanding you.
It is unlike anything you may have seen on TV or the movies, or any other conventional program you are likely to have tried or heard of in the past.
It is NOT Group Counseling
While there are other couples in the program, it is by no means group counseling. You will not be asked to share your problems with anyone else. There are neither group dynamics nor group discussions on the weekend.
You will most likely not even learn the names of other couples during your weekend, and 100% of the two-way communication is between you and your spouse. Other than that, you are hearing the powerful and moving stories of the presenting couples.
It is NOT for Profit
Family counseling, which includes marriage counseling, marriage seminars and retreats is a $32 billion Dollar industry in the United States, with nearly 85,000 for-profit businesses established to improve marriages. Consider these facts about Retrouvaille: