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Should My Spouse and I Attend a Marriage Intensive or Retreat?

April 29, 2022
Marriage Retreats

Intensive vs. Retreat: Which Experience Is Right for You?

Marriage Intensives

Sometimes, couples need more than just a weekend getaway.

Maybe, you’re stuck in a cycle of shame and deep hurt, and you need a breakthrough. Or, your marriage is in crisis, and divorce seems like the only option. Perhaps, your marriage is healthy, but you and your spouse would benefit from extended, focused time to really dig deep.

If any of these situations resonate with you, then consider attending a Marriage Intensive, an experience that encourages honesty to bring healing.

Marriage Intensives are week-long experiences at WinShape Retreat in Rome, Georgia. They dig beneath the surface to uncover dynamics that interfere with having a happy, healthy relationship. Designed to take marriages to the next level, the intensive experience can help hurting couples heal by providing tools that allow them to break free from the cycle of damaging patterns as well as addressing issues that impede their growth.

During the week, couples will participate in small group counseling sessions with trained therapists to get to the root of serious martial struggles. This format helps them find lasting solutions. They renew their emotional connection, rediscover intimacy, and experience genuine healing, both individually and together.

Marriage Retreats

Other times, couples in their season of marriage would benefit from a restful weekend away together.

Is your life abundantly busy, and do you desire uninterrupted, quality time with your spouse? Between work and home obligations, raising children, and navigating new marriage seasons, making time for one another can be harder than you’d imagine.

If this resonates with you and a weekend away sounds like what you need, then consider attending a Marriage Retreat, an experience designed to enrich marriages.

Marriage Retreats are three-day weekend getaways at WinShape Retreat in Rome, Georgia. The content and experiential learning is designed to stretch and strengthen husbands and wives, encouraging them in their marriage journey.

During the weekend, couples will learn Bible-based teaching from retreat speakers and worship together in a large group setting. This format allows couples to connect with others in similar seasons of life and relax with each other on the peaceful campus, growing closer to one another and the Lord.

Which Experience Is Best?

Neither experience is better than the other; they’re simply different. Consider this analogy. Attending a Marriage Retreat can be compared to performing regular car maintenance like changing the oil or rotating the tires. On the other hand, attending a Marriage Intensive can be compared to addressing larger issues that keep a car running well overtime such as changing the timing belt or replacing the tires. Both are important and necessary throughout the lifetime of a car, just like different care is needed for your marriage overtime. Overall, Marriage Retreats focus on encouraging and strengthening couples, while Marriage Intensives concentrate on breakthrough and transformation.

Once you and your spouse have determined which experience—Marriage Intensive vs. Marriage Retreat—meets your current needs, follow the steps below to move your marriage forward positively.

My Spouse and I Want To Attend a Marriage Intensive.

Marriage Intensives are held nearly every week at The Normandy Inn on the WinShape Retreat campus in Rome, Georgia. WinShape Marriage partners with two ministries to register couples and guide them through these experiences. Each partner ministry offers a unique approach, so contact the organizations below to determine which is the best fit for your marriage.

If you and your spouse would like to attend a Marriage Intensive, but you want to start by attending a Marriage Retreat first, consider Courageous Communication or God, Sex, and Your Marriage.

My Spouse and I Want To Attend a Marriage Retreat.

WinShape Marriage has many different Marriage Retreats that are offered year-round. If you and your spouse need help finding the right fit for you, we’ve written an additional blog to help you navigate this decision.

If you already know which Marriage Retreat you’d like to attend, you can easily register online on the individual webpage of the retreat you’re interested in.

Still Need Help Deciding?

Call our Customer Experience Team at 866-976-2774, or fill out the form below. We'd love to help you identify the experience that's right for you and your spouse.