Couples retreats in Texas come in three main formats: method-based weekend workshops (Gottman, Imago, and Hold Me Tight), private intensives with a single therapist, and experiential retreats like WeDeepen's Love Immersion in the Austin Hill Country. The right one depends on whether you want a structured method, clinical depth on one problem, or a broader place to practice love. This guide walks through each so you can pick.
Start with what you want out of it
Before comparing venues and dates, get honest about why you're going:
- You keep having the same fight. A method-based workshop gives you one shared tool and vocabulary.
- Something specific broke, like an affair, a loss, or a long freeze. A private intensive with a licensed therapist is usually the better fit.
- Nothing is wrong, but you want more. More aliveness, more honesty, more play. An experiential retreat fits here.
- Only one of you wants to go. Look for a retreat that welcomes solo participants, so the willing partner can start.
Method-based couples workshops
These follow a published approach and are taught by trained leaders, usually over a weekend.
- Gottman, The Art and Science of Love. A two-day workshop. According to the Gottman Institute, day one covers the research and foundational skills, and day two focuses on managing conflict and communicating. It runs online and in person, including in Austin through the Center for Relationships.
- Imago, Getting the Love You Want. Imago Texas runs this workshop, about 18 to 20 hours over two and a half days, in several Texas cities. It centers on a structured dialogue.
- Hold Me Tight. Based on Dr. Sue Johnson's Emotionally Focused Therapy. Therapists offer it in Austin, for example A New Therapy, and elsewhere in Texas, such as Lifegrowth.
These are strong when both partners want to learn the same method. They're less suited to couples who want to explore beyond conflict, like desire, play, or who they each are becoming.
Private couples intensives
A private intensive puts one couple with one therapist for a concentrated block, from a few hours to several days. A New Therapy in Austin, for example, lists three-day Emotionally Focused Therapy intensives as well as shorter sessions. These sit closest to therapy. Choose one when the stakes are high and you want clinical care. Check the therapist's license and method before you book.
Experiential retreats
Experiential retreats are less about one method and more about practice. WeDeepen's Love Immersion is three days in person at HAVAN Estates, a private venue in the Texas Hill Country outside Austin. About 30 participants work with six coaches. The core is live hot-seat coaching: you bring what's most alive in your love life to two experts, then learn again by watching everyone else take their turn. The weekend also includes teachings, embodied practice, games, and shared meals.
Love Immersion runs on WeDeepen's Four Pillars: growth comes first, with no attachment to outcome; you own your own experience; all feelings are welcome; and the relationship is a place to practice love. It's open to couples and to people who come solo, with a friend, or with a family member. About half arrive solo. Participants rate it 9.6 out of 10, and 70% come back for another.
It's relationship education and coaching, not therapy. If you're in crisis, start with a therapist and add a retreat later.
Questions to ask any retreat
- Who leads it, and what is their training?
- How much time is group teaching versus private work as a couple?
- Can one partner come alone?
- What happens after the weekend: is there follow-up or a community?
- What is the refund or transfer policy?
On the last point: Love Immersion tickets are $2,995 per person, with a payment plan at checkout. They're non-refundable but fully transferable.
Keep practicing after the weekend
Every retreat leader will tell you the same thing: the weekend is the start, not the finish. Love is a trainable skill, and skills fade without practice. The WeDeepen Membership gives you a 90-minute live session every Tuesday at 6 PM Central and a private community, for $99/month. Join the membership before or after your retreat. Come play with us.
FAQ
How long is a typical couples retreat in Texas?
Most run two to three days. Gottman's Art and Science of Love is two days, Imago's Getting the Love You Want is about two and a half, and Love Immersion is three.
Is a couples retreat the same as couples therapy?
Not always. Private intensives with a licensed therapist are therapy. Method workshops and experiential retreats like Love Immersion are education and practice.
Can I go to a couples retreat without my partner?
Some retreats require couples. Love Immersion welcomes solo participants, and about half arrive solo.
Where is Love Immersion held?
At HAVAN Estates, a private venue in the Hill Country at 17301 Flint Rock Rd, Austin, TX 78738. Meals are included; lodging is booked separately.
Are couples retreats in Texas held online too?
Some are. The Gottman Institute runs The Art and Science of Love as a live virtual event as well as in person.