8 Things to Look for in a Spiritual Retreat for Couples

If you’re feeling stuck in the everyday grind and wishing you had more time to focus on your relationship, a spiritual retreat for couples may be just what you need. Couples retreats come in many forms, but all give you and your partner the time and space you need to explore your relationship and reconnect on a spiritual level.

Acknowledging your need for a couples retreat is an important first step. When checking your options, choose a place that will provide a change of scenery from your everyday life, give you a sense of inner peace, and equip you with the tools you need to strengthen your relationship.

What Is a Spiritual Retreat for Couples?

Retreats are designed to get couples out of their everyday context and into one where they can gain a new perspective. “Retreat” means to step back, and this is exactly what a retreat offers: a chance to step back from the stresses of life, pause, breathe, and reconnect.

A spiritual retreat gives you and your partner a safe space to explore your feelings, gain deeper self-awareness, improve your relationship dynamics, and dream together. The perspective gained in couples counseling retreats, especially, helps couples identify what is most important to them and start afresh.

Top Features to Look for in a Couples Retreat

The following features can be highly beneficial in a spiritual retreat experience for couples:

1. Picturesque Location

Couples retreats are often set in a secluded location, surrounded by nature. Not only does a picturesque location set the scene for the beautiful experience you’ll enjoy on your retreat, it also takes you away from the distractions and stressors that negatively affect your everyday life. 

For example, our luxury spa resort in the British Virgin Islands gives couples the opportunity to spend time far away from their everyday concerns and create memories together against the stunning backdrop of white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and lush vegetation. It doesn’t get much more romantic than that!

2. Outdoor Activities

Urban environments can lead to a sensory overload that results in tension, fatigue, and stress. Studies show that our bodies and minds relax in natural settings, leaving us calmer, happier, and more ready to focus on our goals. Taking part in outdoor activities like hiking also contributes to the sense of well-being that couples seek in a retreat.

3. Yoga and Mindfulness Activities

Everyone, even total beginners, can benefit greatly from starting a yoga practice while on a retreat. Yoga focuses on relaxation, deep breathing, and strengthening the mind-body connection. Mindfulness exercises offer similar benefits. The sense of calm you gain from these activities provides the perfect start to a calm, mindful, and serene day with your partner.

4. Nourishing Food

A sense of well-being starts with looking after your nutrition. That’s why retreats take care of you with a delicious and healthy menu.

Eating healthily on your retreat not only encourages physical detoxification but also instills a general sense of well-being that hopefully extends beyond the days spent at your retreat. Those who are not so used to a healthy eating schedule shouldn’t worry, as the food offered at retreats is wholesome, well-cooked, and delicious.

5. Communication Skills Training

Most couples understand the importance of good communication for a healthy relationship, but it isn’t always easy in practice. Learning how to express your feelings, listen to your partner effectively, and give positive affirmations can help you improve your relationship going forward. 

At our Elevate Love Summit, we teach communication skills, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution skills, and a host of other skills to help you forge a deeper and more dynamic relationship with your partner.

6. Personal Growth

A relationship only works as well as the people in that relationship, which is why personal growth is so critical. Working individually on thought and behavior patterns that get in the way of a healthy relationship can put you on a much better footing for continuing to grow together once you get home.

7. Goal Setting

Setting long and short-term goals can help you leave the retreat with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity about where you want to go as a couple. Setting goals together can also help you both renew your commitment to the relationship because it allows you to envision a shared future that you can achieve by working as a team.

8. Relationship or Marriage Counseling

Some couples may wish to use their retreat time to work through challenging issues in the relationship. In this case, it can be beneficial to have a counselor accompany you on your journey. A trained counselor can help you as a couple to identify points of agreement and conflict, observe behavior patterns that are causing issues, and help you create a plan for getting back on track.

It’s important to note here that some couples may have deep, long-term challenges or past wounds that require a longer series of therapy sessions to resolve. During your retreat, the couples counselor can help you identify the areas that need work and advise you on finding a professional to work with you and your partner long-term.

Who Are Spiritual Retreats For?

Spiritual retreats for couples don’t only appeal to a certain type of couple. In fact, a private couples retreat may help anyone who is in a committed relationship relax and reconnect on a spiritual level. However, getting the most out of the experience requires couples to go with an open mind and a willingness to embrace new experiences. People who may benefit from a marriage retreat or couples retreat include those who:

• Feel stuck in a rut
• Feel trapped by the mundanity of everyday life
• Sense that their relationship isn’t progressing as they’d like it to
• Are aware of underlying issues that aren’t being talked about or addressed
• Wish to learn healthier ways of thinking or living
• Wish to forge a deeper connection 
• Wish to develop a shared sense of purpose as a couple
• Wish to take their relationship to the next level

If your retreat experience transforms your relationship, you may ultimately consider a private island wedding, renewal of vows, or honeymoon. The same picturesque, serene setting that helps you strengthen your relationship can provide a beautiful context in which to affirm or reaffirm your commitment to each other.

What Can I Gain from a Spiritual Retreat for Couples?

Some couples may head for a couples retreat with specific goals in mind. However, there are several things that couples will generally gain from the experience:

• Mindfulness: Research shows that mindfulness-based therapy can help with stress, depression, and anxiety, which in turn can improve your relationship with your partner.
• Peace: The sense of serenity a retreat offers gives you space to unclutter your mind and refocus on the present moment.
• Clarity: A spiritual retreat can help you put the weights and responsibilities you carry to one side, take a step back, and look at things from a different perspective.
• Relaxation: When we relax, we can listen better both to others and to ourselves.
• Nourishment for the body and mind: Eating a healthy and balanced diet on your retreat is likely to help you feel better, clearer, and more energetic. Workshops on healthy thinking and communication can also help to change your thoughts and conversational life for the better.

Reset Your Relationship at a Couples Retreat

If you, like many other couples, feel your relationship could benefit from a boost, a couples retreat could be just what the doctor ordered. Couples retreats provide a healthy and positive way to affirm your love for each other and prioritize your relationship.

Modern-day life takes its toll on all of us. That’s why it’s sometimes necessary to take a step back and focus on ourselves, each other, and the bonds that connect our bodies, minds, and souls.