Couples Workshop

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Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop

Strengthen emotional connection and intimacy in two days.

The Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop is a two day, in person experience based on the Hold Me Tight® curriculum created by Dr. Sue Johnson, the developer of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. This workshop is designed to help couples strengthen emotional connection, improve communication, and deepen intimacy by understanding and reshaping the emotional bond between partners.

This workshop is designed for all couples who value their relationship and want to care for it intentionally. Some couples are preparing for marriage and want to ensure a strong foundation. Others have been married for decades and want to deepen what they already share. Others feel distance or conflict in their relationship and want support in restoring closeness.

Workshop Details

Dates: February 28 and March 1
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm both days
Location: 191 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas, California
Investment: $695 per couple

Each day runs from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. We offer short bio breaks throughout the day and there is a lunch break from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm both days. Couples are encouraged to enjoy one of the many nearby restaurants in Encinitas during that time.

Register Here

An Experiential and Research Based Path to Connection

The Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop follows the Dr. Sue Johnson’s Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, the core structure of the curriculum. The weekend combines guided private conversations between partners with experiential exercises that support emotional accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement.

Couples work privately throughout the workshop and do not share personal details with the group, unless they want to. The focus remains on understanding your bond and strengthening your connection in a contained way.

The Seven Conversations of Hold Me Tight®

Conversation One: Recognizing the Demon Dialogues

Couples learn to recognize the negative cycle they get pulled into, and begin to see the pattern as the problem, rather than each other, and work together to do things differently.

Conversation Two: Finding the Raw Spots

Couples explore triggers and sensitivities that get activated during conflict, so their reactions make more sense, and they engage in mutual and reciprocal compassion and understanding.

Conversation Three: Revisiting a Rocky Moment

Couples revisit an experience from their past, and have a conversation about it, with developing skills in place, enabling them to offer more grace, empathy, and care.

Conversation Four: Hold Me Tight

Couples engage in a deep conversation, in which they clearly express needs, wants, and fears, giving them the experience of reaching and responding with presence and connection.

Conversation Five: Forgiving Injuries

Couples work through a challenge point in their relationship, or one from their past, by acknowledging the impact, offering reassurance, and committing to rebuilding trust over time.

Conversation Six: Bonding Through Sex and Touch

Couples deepen their understanding of how emotional connection and physical intimacy are interconnected so eroticism can become mutual, playful, and safe.

Conversation Seven: Keeping Your Love Alive

Couples discover how to strengthen ongoing patterns of responsiveness and repair so their connection stays steady and their love remains alive.

Your Facilitator

The workshop is led by Cristina Trette, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Owner of Integrative Couples Therapy. Cristina has advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and extensive experience conducting couples therapy and workshop facilitation. Her facilitation style is warm and uplifting. She creates a space where couples can engage deeply.

Flying Into San Diego International Airport

The closest airport is San Diego International Airport (SAN), located about 30 minutes south of Encinitas, San Diego International Airport.

Where to Stay

Many couples, including those living in San Diego, choose to stay at local hotels or Airbnbs to give themselves the entire weekend to focus on their relationship. A few favorites include:

Reserve Your Spot

Advance registration is required to support a small and connected group experience. If you have questions about whether the Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop is right for you, our team is happy to help. You can contact us and schedule a consultation with Cristina Trette to learn more.

Register Now

If you are ready to register now, click here. If you want to set up a complimentary consultation with Cristina Trette, please create a profile in our client portal and book a time to meet with her here.

Or, contact us and our Care Coordinator can answer your questions and help you get started.