Couples Retreat

Hold Me Tight® Couples Retreat · Denver, CO

Nobody teaches you how to love each other through the hard parts.

You weren’t taught how to do this. Neither was your partner. You’re not behind — you just never had the map.

Does This Sound Familiar?

We don’t want to give up. But we’re stuck, we’re exhausted — and we don’t know how to fix this.

“Sometimes we fight. Sometimes we just go quiet. Either way, we keep ending up in the same place — frustrated, distant, alone — and we’re not sure what to do, but we can’t keep doing this.”

Therapists who work with couples hear some version of this almost every week. Sometimes it looks like disconnection — two people moving through life in parallel, not quite together. Sometimes it’s friction: arguments that escalate fast, leave both people feeling unseen and alone, and don’t really end — they just go quiet until the next one. Sometimes there’s no drama at all — just a growing sense that something between you has gone quiet, and neither of you knows how to bring it back.

Couples often say: “We need to communicate better.” And that’s true — but it’s not the whole picture. The missing piece is usually not a technique. It’s understanding what’s actually happening between you when things go wrong. That’s what this retreat is designed to address.

“Reconnection is not about going back to who you were — it’s about discovering who you can become together.”

~ Esther Perel

This retreat is for you if —

A photo of a pair of swans symbolizing connection in a couple's retreat

You remember what it felt like to feel close — and you want that back

The same arguments keep happening and never fully resolve
It doesn’t feel as safe to be honest with each other anymore
You feel more like roommates than partners — the closeness has faded
It’s hard to trust that your partner means well — even when they probably do
Life got busy and your relationship got pushed back. You want to invest in each other — but can’t commit to weekly therapy right now

When This Retreat ISN’T the Right Starting Point

This retreat is designed for couples who are disconnected or stuck — not couples in crisis. If any of the following apply, reaching out for a conversation about what would actually serve you best is a good place to start:

There is active physical, emotional, or psychological abuse in the relationship
One or both partners doesn’t feel safe in the relationship
There has been a recent significant breach of trust — infidelity, a major secret, a rupture that hasn’t been addressed
One or both partners is seriously considering leaving and needs help making that decision

In those situations, couples therapy may be a better fit — and in some cases, Discernment Counseling is worth exploring first. Both are available at The Catalyst Center. If you’re not sure which applies to you, a free 15-minute call is a good place to start.

At the Heart of this Retreat

At the foundation is the Hold Me Tight® curriculum — seven intentional conversations developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and grounded in 35+ years of attachment research. Each conversation is designed to help you understand the emotional patterns underneath your dynamic and experience something different inside them.

What makes this retreat different is how the curriculum has been expanded. Drawing on her training in EFT, EMDR, Brainspotting, and Polyvagal Theory, Dorothy has woven in nervous system reset practices throughout the day — because real change doesn’t just happen cognitively. It happens in the body. Every element is designed to help you stay in the experience, not just think about it.

This isn’t a communication class. There are no scripts to memorize, no formulas to follow. The group time is experiential — videos, guided imagery, exercises, and conversation. You’re being moved through something, not lectured at. When it’s time for your private conversations, you’ll have your own room — just the two of you, with the material and the space to actually go deeper.

The group size is small enough that you’re not lost in a crowd, and supported enough that you don’t feel alone in it. Dorothy is present and attuned throughout the day — available, following where each couple is, and there when things get hard.

The Seven Conversations — What you’ll move through together

Each conversation builds on the last. You don’t have to arrive with insight.

Recognizing the Demon Dialogues

You identify the cycle you’re stuck in — the pattern of conflict or withdrawal that keeps repeating. The goal is to see the cycle as the problem, not each other.

Finding the Raw Spots

You explore the tender places — the fears and sensitivities that get activated when things go wrong. Understanding your own raw spots, and your partner’s, changes how you respond to each other.

Revisiting a Rocky Moment

You return to a past fight — not to relitigate it, but to understand what was really happening for each of you. This conversation builds the skill of repair.

Hold Me Tight — Engaging and Connecting

You practice reaching for each other — sharing the deeper fears and longings that are usually hidden beneath the surface of an argument. This is the heart of the program.

Forgiving Injuries

You address the moments that left a mark — not necessarily a dramatic betrayal, but the times one of you felt truly let down. This conversation opens a path toward genuine repair.

Bonding Through Sex and Touch

You explore how physical closeness and emotional safety are connected — and how to talk honestly about what you each need in that space.

Keeping Your Love Alive

You look at how to protect and tend to the connection you’ve been building — and leave with a clearer sense of what your relationship needs to stay close.

All seven conversations are covered in both the semi-private retreat and the intensive. The private group retreat can be customized based on your group’s needs.

The Shift — What Changes When You Finally Understand What’s Happening Between You

You stop fighting the same fight

Most couples have a predictable cycle — one pursues, one withdraws, or both escalate. When you can name it, it loses some of its grip. You start responding to each other instead of reacting.

You understand what’s actually happening

The argument is rarely about what it looks like on the surface. EFT helps couples find what’s underneath — the fear, the longing, the unspoken need — so you can respond to the real thing.

You know how to repair

You learn what it feels like to actually come back together — not just wait out the silence until things feel normal again. Repair becomes something you can do on purpose.

You feel like a team again

Not perfectly in sync. Not conflict-free. But genuinely on the same side — with a shared language for what’s going on between you and how to reach each other when it matters.

What's Included — This isn't just about learning something. It's about experiencing something different. It's a day you give each other.

Every detail of this retreat has been thoughtfully designed — so you can arrive, settle in, and focus on what matters.

The full Hold Me Tight® curriculum

Seven conversations grounded in 35+ years of attachment research — expanded and adapted by Dorothy based on her training and expertise. This isn’t the standard workshop.

Nervous system settling practices

Drawing on her training in EFT, EMDR, Brainspotting, and Polyvagal Theory, Dorothy integrates body-based practices throughout the day — because lasting change happens in the body, not just the mind. These are practices you can take home and keep using.

Catered lunch and nourishing snacks

A proper catered meal is provided, along with nourishing snacks and drinks throughout the day. This is a day for the two of you — you shouldn’t have to think about anything other than the work and each other.

Custom workbook

A workbook designed specifically for this retreat — yours to keep. Something to return to when you need it, long after the retreat day is over.

Welcome gift for each couple

Each couple receives a curated welcome gift designed to support the work beyond the retreat day — practical, thoughtful, and intended to go home with you.

Real attention — not a big group

The group size is small enough that you’re not lost in a crowd, and supported enough that you don’t feel alone in it. Dorothy knows where you are. She can meet you there.

Retreat Formats — How You Can Participate

Three formats, each designed to give you the full retreat experience — with different levels of privacy and group size.

Semi-Private Retreat

The full retreat experience in a small, intentional group. Personal enough for Dorothy to meet you where you are, with the added benefit of knowing you’re not alone in this. Includes all seven conversations, catered lunch, custom workbook, and welcome gift.

$990 per couple

Semi-Private Retreat for BIPOC Couples

Facilitated by Dorothy, who identifies as a person of color, this retreat is designed with cultural attunement at its center. For many in the BIPOC community, being in a predominantly white space — even warm and well-meaning ones — takes a toll. It often means monitoring yourself, code switching, managing the room, and sacrificing presence. This retreat offers something different: a space where you can set the vigilance down and turn your energy and attention toward each other instead.

Dates are scheduled based on interest. If this retreat is calling to you, reach out — and when there’s a group, we’ll make it happen.

$990 per couple

Intensive — Just the Two of You

A private, full-day retreat for one couple. The complete curriculum, expanded practices, and Dorothy’s full attention — at your own pace, going deeper where it matters.

Private Retreat — Bring Your Own Group

Gather your own small group of couples for a private retreat facilitated by Dorothy. Customized to your group’s needs and schedule. Available in person or virtually.

Upcoming Dates

Semi-Private Retreat

Small Group · Intentional

Upcoming Event: Friday, May 1, 2026, 9:00 am – 4 pm & Saturday, May 2, 2026, 9 am – 12:30 pm

Lunch Catered on Friday and Nourishing Snacks Provided Throughout

Yoga available as an add on. Call or text 720-675-7123 to add one or both yoga sessions. Morning will be a gentle flow class (7:15 am – 8:15 am, and evening will be a yoga Nidra session (4:15 pm – 5:30 pm). No prior experience necessary, no equipment needed. Yoga provided by Jennifer Kloewer, RYT. Classes are $30 per participant per class.

Spots are limited. Register here.

Intensive or Private Retreat

By Appointment · Flexible Scheduling · Available year-round

Intensives and private retreats are scheduled directly. Reach out to find a date that works for you by email to admin@catalystcenterllc.com.

Your Facilitator — Why I Offer This Retreat

Dr. Dorothy Moon, PsyD · Licensed Clinical Psychologist · Certified EFT Couples Therapist · EMDR Certified · Certified Brainspotting Therapist · 17+ years in practice

I’ve been doing couples work for a long time. Most couples already know they shouldn’t go straight to blame, try to fix the problem, or walk away — and yet, there they are, doing exactly that. Knowing what to do and being able to do it in the moment are two completely different things. That’s not a willpower problem. It’s what happens when we’re emotionally activated. What changes things isn’t knowing better. It’s a shift in how you actually experience each other.

That’s what drew me to EFT and, specifically, to Hold Me Tight®. It doesn’t ask couples to analyze their patterns from the outside. It creates the conditions for something to shift from the inside — a moment where one partner really hears the other, where the defenses come down just enough for something new to happen.

When I facilitate this retreat, I bring the same approach I use in my therapy room. I follow where couples are. I name what I notice. I trust that the work will move at the right pace — and I’m there to hold that space and guide you when it gets hard.

This retreat isn’t a replacement for therapy. But for many couples, it’s a genuinely powerful place to start — and a meaningful way to invest in each other.

Common Questions About Couples Retreats

What will this retreat help us with — what's the outcome for our relationship?

You’ll leave with a roadmap — a felt sense of how to turn toward each other in the sticky, hard moments. How to reach for your partner instead of shutting down or pushing them away. How to ask for what you need, and how to receive it when they reach back.

Because what most couples are really longing for in those moments is to hear: “I’m here with you. You’re not alone.” “I hear you — that makes sense to me.” “You matter to me.” Those moments don’t have to keep going sideways. This retreat is designed to help you find your way to them.

How is this different from a couples workshop or class?

Most couples workshops put you in a large room with 10+ other couples, run you through a curriculum, and keep costs down by spreading the experience across a bigger group. This is intentionally different. The group is small. You have your own private room for the conversations that matter most. The curriculum has been expanded with nervous system reset practices. And Dorothy is present throughout — attuned to where each couple actually is.

It’s also a genuine retreat experience — catered lunch, nourishing snacks, a custom workbook, and a welcome gift. Everything is taken care of so you can focus on each other. Because these conversations deserve more than a large room and a tight schedule.

Is this a replacement for couples therapy?

No — and it’s not designed to be. Couples therapy is ongoing, individualized work that goes at its own pace. This retreat is a concentrated, immersive experience that can stand on its own for some couples. For others, it’s a powerful entry point into therapy — a way to jumpstart the work and give you and your therapist new ground to build from. And for couples already in therapy, it can accelerate what’s already underway.

We're already in couples therapy. Can we still do this?

Yes — and many couples find this retreat pairs exceptionally well with ongoing therapy. The concentrated format can create shifts that take months to reach in weekly sessions, giving you and your therapist new ground to work from.

How do we know if we're ready for this?

If you’re both willing to show up and engage — you’re ready. You don’t need to arrive with insight or clarity. The retreat is designed to create the conditions for something to shift. Your job is to be present and willing to try.

If you’re not sure whether this is the right fit, a free 15-minute call is a good place to start.

What if one of us is hesitant?

Both partners need to be willing participants. The change happens in the conversations — the moments where you actually turn toward each other and say the thing that’s hard to say. If one partner isn’t willing to engage in those conversations, the retreat won’t be able to do what it’s designed to do.

Nervous is fine. Uncertain is fine. If you’re both willing to try, that’s enough.

What does the day look like?

You’ll arrive to a space that’s been prepared for you — comfortable seating, coffee and tea ready, nourishing snacks throughout the day. The group time moves through experiential presentations, guided imagery, videos, and exercises. When it’s time for private conversations, you’ll have your own room. A catered lunch is included — eat with the group or take time just for the two of you. Your custom workbook and welcome gift are waiting when you arrive.

Will we have privacy for our conversations?

Yes. When it’s time for your private conversations, you’ll have your own room — just the two of you. You won’t be doing this work in a shared space with other couples. The group comes together for the experiential presentations and optional sharing. The conversations themselves are yours.

How many couples will be there?

The semi-private retreat is kept to a small, intentional group — small enough to feel safe and receive real attention, large enough that you get to hear and learn from other couples who are navigating the same things you are. If you prefer complete privacy, the intensive format is just for the two of you.

Where is the retreat held?

The retreat is held at The Catalyst Center in Denver, CO — 300 S Jackson St #520, Denver, CO 80209. Private group retreats and intensives can also be held virtually depending on your needs.

What is your cancellation policy?

We understand that unexpected changes can come up. Due to the small group size and the fixed costs involved in preparing this retreat, all registrations are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to a future retreat.

If you’re unable to attend, you may offer your spot to another couple for the same retreat date, pending approval from the facilitator to ensure a good fit and adequate preparation time. Please reach out as soon as possible if this becomes necessary.

When registering, we encourage you to consider purchasing refund protection through our ticketing platform if available. This third-party option may allow you to request a refund directly from the provider in the event of unexpected illness, emergency, or other qualifying circumstances. Be sure to review their policy carefully at the time of purchase.

Hear from Couples Who Have Done This Work

“There was a pace and support structure that made it feel simultaneously intense and intentional. I would do it again and recommend to any couple just trying to find depth and connection.”

— Workshop participant

“The structure of the course allowed us the safety to practice with guard rails so that we could feel successful — something we both needed.”

— Workshop participant

“I was initially uncertain about spending a weekend with strangers to discuss my marriage. It gave us the opportunity to remain private but still learn from others. Learning to communicate in love is a new language for us. I am so excited to continue this journey.”

— Workshop participant

Meet Dorothy Moon

At the heart of this retreat is one goal: helping you connect. Dorothy Moon, PsyD brings years of experience working with couples through disconnection, conflict, and the quiet distance that can grow between two people over time. Grounded in the Hold Me Tight® curriculum and informed by somatic approaches, her work is designed to help you understand what’s really happening between you — and experience something different inside of it.