Who should attend?

The workshop is appropriate for any couple who wants to create a more loving bond. All couples are welcome – married, unmarried, straight, gay, the long-married, the recently-married. Couples of all types can benefit, from couples in high distress and considering separation to recently married couples looking to enhance and better understand their relationship. Only a few situations would indicate that this would not be the best approach right now: where there is violence in a relationship such that either party doesn’t feel safe, where there is active, untreated drug or alcohol addiction, where there is an undisclosed or unresolved affair keeping one person from fully investing in the relationship.

We are worried about sharing in the larger group. Is that required?

No, each of the couples conversations designed to deepen intimacy are done in the privacy of your relationship. While some people may worry about the group context, it seems that most people become surprisingly comfortable fairly quickly. We emphasize a warm and supportive environment. There is a substantial teaching component done in the larger group, we spread out through the space to have the couple conversations, and there is no pressure to interact with other couples. Although there is an opportunity to share experiences afterwards in the larger group, only some people do so, and there is no expectation or pressure to speak. On the first day, participants do introduce themselves by their first name.

What is the cancellation policy?

With 21 days notice in advance of the workshop, you will receive a refund of your payment in full, less a $20 processing fee. If you cancel up until one week of the workshop, half will be refunded. If you cancel in less than seven days, a refund is not guaranteed.

Who will lead the workshop?

Nancy Knudsen, LMFT. will be the Workshop presenter. She has had many years of experience as a couples therapist. Read more about Nancy HERE. She will be assisted in the workshop by other trained couples therapists who are well versed in the emotionally focused therapy approach.

Where is the workshop and what about food and lodging?

The workshop will take place at the Smith College Conference Center, 51 College Lane, Northampton, MA.

There will be coffee, tea, and bagels at the beginning of each day and snacks during the breaks. Lunch will be on your own.

For those of you traveling in from out of town, Northampton has a number of nice restaurants and lodging options.

What assistance will there be if we need some help during an exercise?

Some assistance will be available during the exercises, as the workshop leader and helpers circulate and provide help where needed. Such one-on-one assistance is not therapy, but facilitation to assist you in getting the most out of the exercises.

How many couples will there be at the workshop?

There will be approximately 10 to 15 couples.

Is there homework before the workshop?

Reading Dr. Sue Johnson’s Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations For a Lifetime of Love before the workshop is recommended to get the most from the experience. However, it is not required; the workshop is self-explanatory and will make sense even if you don’t get a chance to read it beforehand.