Relationship Rehab: Bush Retreat

One of the major pitfalls of traditional "weekly" relationship therapy is that, just when couples are really "getting into it" with a psychologist, the session time is up, and they need to adjourn for another week... But not enough work has necessarily been done to be really effective, and the couple leaves feeling somewhat uncontained and directionless, with layers of awkwardness hanging thick in the air. A second pitfall is the rushed, chaotic nature of modern living, which seldom allows for a real concerted effort to be made to heal and mend relationship connections. Gains made in a weekly meeting with a psychologist may be somewhat diluted and lost in the frenetic pace of board meetings, deadlines, infants, parent-teacher meetings and the Johannesburg reality of being "tired-all-the-time".

In my experience, this often leads to the unnecessary conclusion that a couple “just can’t anymore”, and the sentiment that a divorce may simply be a relief, and an antidote to the tension that is never quite eradicated, despite the best of efforts.

My 2-day "bush-getaway" (Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon), for both married and non-married couples, has been designed to address these pitfalls, by offering a private counselling experience that is deeper and more comprehensive than regular weekly counselling sessions allow for. I have found several exquisite private game lodges within a 2-hour radius from Johannesburg, from where I conduct what I call my "Relationship Rehab”. "Relationship Rehab" combines the restorative power of nature with intensive, "marathon-like" relationship counselling sessions with myself, to have couples leave on Sunday afternoon feeling as though they have hope again. I am able to accommodate 3 couples per weekend. Group interaction is minimal – this is not a seminar or a workshop, and there is no sharing involved. Meals are served communally, and recreational activities are social in nature, but the core focus is on special, constructive "alone-time", and therapy. Optional recreational activities on offer include "big 5" game drives (morning and evening), horse-riding, hiking, spa treatments etcetera.

I am, of course, available in my private practice in Sunninghill for ongoing maintenance, if needed, but it is my intention that, with the intensive counselling offered over this weekend, the "back" of the problem should essentially be broken.

The therapeutic element of this weekend will include: