Couples Counselling Retreat
Revitalise Your Relationship
With Couples Counsellor - Jacqueline Hogan
McCrae on the Mornington Peninsula - Near Melbourne in Victoria

Repair Your Relationship with Jacqui's Couples Counselling Retreat
An exclusive 1:1 experience for you and your partner
Start a new chapter in your relationship. Create the shift you desire in as little as a weekend.
Avoid the stop-start flow of traditional session-based couples therapy and benefit from ‘full-focus days’ to make a bigger improvement in your relationship sooner.
My Couples Counselling Retreat is perfect for busy Melbourne based couples who can carve out a weekend or a 2-day block of time together, to work on their relationship.
Couples retreats are an increasingly popular way to deliver marriage therapy. We make great use of our time together, and hit the ground running.
The greatest benefit is having the luxury of time to ‘keep going’ and achieve the breakthroughs you’ve been searching for.
No more: “I’m sorry – That’s all we have time for”…
There are many benefits of my Couples Counselling Retreat. However, it’s an intensive form of marriage therapy, so It’s not for everyone.
Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and find out if my Couples Counselling Retreat is the right choice for you.

“Let’s turn your relationship around and rekindle new fondness and admiration for each other.”
I’ve carefully designed the Couples Counselling Retreat around my popular and proven Save My Marriage Program ensuring a deeply personalised and empowering experience.
Your retreat is tailored specifically to your needs, guided by your Gottman assessments. This means we focus precisely on what matters most to you, allowing for deep transformation uniquely aligned with your relationship’s needs.
With my extensive training and experience in Couples Counselling, you’re in safe hands. Together, we’ll work compassionately and authentically to restore your connection and rebuild the strength of your relationship.

For couples in distress, it's time to get professional help.
Over two full days, we’ll work together 1-on-1, using effective, proven therapies to strengthen and repair your relationship in any of the following areas as required…
Ongoing Conflict
Out-of-control arguments and escalating conflict can strain your relationship and impact those around you, including your children. But with the right tools and support, you can restore calm, and create a more harmonious home.
Broken Communication
Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling - known as the 'Four Horsemen' - are clear signs of broken communication. While these behaviours can be destructive, a fresh approach can help you replace them with calm, respectful, and healthy ways to communicate.
Betrayal & Infidelity
Broken trust, lies, and betrayal can deeply harm a relationship, and it’s no surprise that infidelity is a leading cause of separation and divorce. However, through Couples Counselling and fostering a shared understanding, forgiveness and a path forward can become a reality.
Severed Connection
Mismatched values, differing goals, and diverging life paths can leave your relationship feeling disconnected. But disconnection doesn’t have to spell the end. By discovering shared hopes, and dreams, with a renewed sense of care, you can reignite the affection, and create a future filled with meaning and purpose.
Negative Sentiment
Constantly focusing on the negative and holding onto resentment can slowly erode the connection in your relationship. Left unchecked, it can make communication and understanding feel impossible. But with guidance, you can break the cycle, rediscover the positives in each other, and rebuild a stronger, more compassionate relationship.
Avoidant Behaviour
Avoiding the problems in your relationship is a heavy burden to carry leaving you drained and overwhelmed. Depression, sadness, poor sleep, and low energy are common signs of this burden. While some may seek comfort elsewhere, true relief comes from facing the issues together and finding lasting solutions that work for both of you.
Unrelenting Pressure & Stress
Daily stress from work, family, finances, children, and health challenges can quickly compound, creating unrelenting pressure on your relationship. Left unmanaged, this stress can spill over into destructive behaviours that destabilise your relationship. By turning toward each other and offering mutual support, you can manage stress in healthy ways and maintain balance in your relationship.
Lingering Resentment
Lingering resentment is like a sharp stone in your shoe—always present, making every step painful. While distractions may offer temporary relief, unresolved resentment takes a toll on your mental health and quality of life. By addressing these feelings, healing old wounds, and finding peace, you can transform your relationship and walk a more fulfilling path together.
Invisible & Unappreciated
Feeling unsupported and unappreciated can take a toll on your sense of self-worth and connection with your partner. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. With care and effort, you can rebuild appreciation, feel seen, and restore that sense of love, where you feel truly valued.
Unfulfilled Dreams & Desires
Frustration and unfulfilled dreams can leave you feeling like life is passing you by. Over time, this sense of emptiness can lead to desperation and loneliness, putting your relationship at risk. But it’s never too late to rediscover your dreams, rekindle hope, and create a fulfilling future together.
Lost Intimacy
When physical connection fades, it can feel like you’re living as room-mates rather than partners. The lack of intimacy leaves you feeling isolated, and longing for closeness. But intimacy can be rekindled. With intention and care, you can rebuild closeness, reignite passion, and strengthen your relationship across all key areas.
Controlling Behaviour
Feeling controlled by your partner can feel suffocating, gradually eroding your confidence and self-worth. This loss of independence often leads to resentment and emotional distance. However, it’s possible to find a balance with mutual respect, and a healthy dynamic where you both feel heard and valued; free to thrive as individuals and as a couple.
Turn Your Relationship Around
Reduce Conflict
Reduce conflict in your relationship by learning to de-escalate tensions and manage emotions with ease. Address underlying issues calmly and embrace a new, healthier way of communicating that brings you closer together.
Healthy Communication
Eliminating the 'Four Horsemen' from your relationship is essential for healing and growth to begin. Once these destructive patterns are behind you, you’ll discover how to have healthy, and respectful conversations that ensure you both feel truly heard and understood.
Rebuild Trust
Rebuild trust and support each other by working through infidelity, betrayal, and broken trust in a safe and compassionate space. Move beyond feelings of grief, shame, and guilt toward forgiveness and understanding. Together, you can create a stronger relationship built on new standards and healthy communication for a closer, loving connection.
Repair Connection
Discover your shared values and create new rituals of connection. Feel valued and supported by your partner. Find common ground and know how to resolve tension early, to preserve your connection.
Fresh Positive Outlook
Cherish and respect each other by letting go of negative thoughts and feelings that cloud your relationship. Break free from unhelpful patterns and behaviours, and welcome positive sentiment into your relationship. Start seeing the ‘good’ in your partner more often and feel closer, happier, accepted, and truly loved.
Shared Responsibility
Replace avoidance with shared responsibility, creating a space to resolve issues together. Work through challenges calmly and sensitively, with a refreshed sense of “us.” Enjoy restful sleep and a renewed sense of peace as you find comfort and solace within the relationship once more.
Reduce Stress & Manage Emotions
Build self-awareness and discover practical ways to reduce stress and manage strong emotions. Self-soothe to stay calm and grounded, creating space for open, supportive communication in your relationship.
Peace & Forgiveness
Let go of lingering resentment by embracing forgiveness and starting a new chapter together. Work as a team to find peace and reach healthy compromises, creating a relationship where both partners feel heard, valued, and encouraged to speak openly.
Valued & Appreciated
Celebrate each other’s strengths and support each other’s growth. Feel seen, respected, and loved as you create a committed, uplifting relationship built on mutual appreciation.
Create a Vision for the Future
Visualise a happy and fulfilling future together based on your shared values. Set intentions that build renewed positivity between you. Create a stronger relationship with more meaning and purpose.
Rekindle Love & Intimacy
Rekindle the spark by creating special moments of closeness and affection that bring you together. Build deeper emotional and physical connection to renew the warmth, trust, and desire in your relationship.
Empowered Independence & Freedom
Create a relationship that honours independence and freedom of choice, allowing you to pursue personal goals while also supporting your partner. Build a balanced partnership that feels respectful, rewarding, and deeply fulfilling.
Return to Harmony

Client Success Stories
Benefits of Jacqui's Couples Counselling Retreat
Also known as ‘Intensive Marriage Therapy’ – the top benefits of Jacqui’s Couples Counselling Retreat include…
- Transform years of relationship struggles into newfound connection and understanding over just one weekend.
- Achieve deep breakthroughs that reignite love and trust faster than traditional session based counselling.
- Reconnect and avoid daily distractions to rediscover what truly matters in your relationship.
- Relax in a safe space where you can open-up, share, heal, and rekindle feelings of affection in a peaceful, stress-free setting.

- Learn practical ways to resolve conflicts and communicate better - skills you’ll carry with you for a lifetime.
- Leave behind work, family pressures, and stress to focus solely on strengthening your relationship.
- Walk away feeling more aligned, appreciated, valued and confident in your future together.
- Gain clarity on your shared goals, values and vision for the future. Setting the stage for a happier, more purposeful relationship.
Spacious & Relaxing Seaside Accommodation
Our new location in McCrae has it’s own separate, comfortable & spacious unit, perfect for a marriage counselling getaway. Stay, repair, relax and unwind.
McCrae is conveniently located on the Mornington Peninsula, just a short drive from Melbourne, Victoria.
You have the whole private and comfortable unit to yourself. Warm and welcoming with bay views, it’s the perfect space to reconnect and repair your relationship.




“Your couples retreat has a Mediterranean flair, complimented with alluring bay views from the bedroom, kitchen, and lounge.”
Are You Suited to a Couples Counselling Retreat?
For more information, and to discuss your suitability, please get in touch. See below.
In general, Jacqui’s Couples Counselling Retreat will suit you, if you and your partner align to the following points:
- You are both committed to repairing the relationship.
- You are both resilient and have the capacity to endure longer therapy sessions over the course of two days.
- You are both open minded and can manage your emotions and are able to handle feelings of discomfort.
- You are both willing to try new things, consider new ideas and listen to different perspectives respectfully.
- You are both able to make the time available in your schedules and make the retreat a priority – with minimum distraction.
- You both have the best intentions for each other and the relationship.
- You are both willing to participate in therapy and are able to talk about what you are feeling, thinking, needing, etc.
You are unlikely to be suited to Jacqui’s Couples Counselling Retreat if you don’t align with the points above, and/or the following below points ring true for you or your partner.
- You’re currently having an affair.
- You’ve not told your partner you’re having / had an affair.
- You have untold secrets that would likely halt the retreat.
- You want to leave the relationship.
- You are unsure about saving the relationship.
- You feel you’d struggle with long therapy sessions over the course of two days.
- There is current or historic violence / abuse in the relationship (physical, verbal, emotional)
- You are emotionally unstable, irritable, or quick to anger.
- You are closed minded, and/or avoid feelings of discomfort.
- You are unwilling to participate in therapeutic exercises & discussion.
- You are unwilling or find it difficult to open up and talk about sensitive or difficult topics, including those from your past.
- You are unable to commit to making ‘distraction-free’ time available in your schedule. (e.g. On-call workers, parents, etc.)
- You are easily distracted.
- You have a current addiction – Alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, etc.
- You otherwise have ill feelings toward your partner.
- You / Your partner are feeling threatened / controlled / manipulated in any way.
Upcoming Retreat Dates
- 21-23rd of February 2025 - Available
- 21-23rd of March 2025 - Available
- Your Choice - Let's chat
Reserve Your Date & Learn More
Request a pre-scheduled retreat date and get in touch to learn more and get the process started.
Contact Jacqui to Learn More & Get Started
If you feel like the Couples Counselling Retreat is right for you, the first step is to get in touch.
The retreat is based on my proven & popular Save My Marriage Program, and the process of getting started is similar.
After our free initial chat, the next step is to book your 90-minute discovery session with me. This is where we’ll get the process started and begin preparing for your Couples Counselling Retreat.
Your discovery session is a welcome relief and provides a beacon of hope, helping you decide your best next steps.
Questions? – Specific dates? – Prices?
Get in touch to learn more and request a brochure for more details.

Learn More About Jacqui
Jacqui is a warm and compassionate Couples Counsellor with 25 years of counselling experience. Jacqui tailors her approach to your needs and preferred learning style.
Jacqui draws upon a lifetime of experience and specialist training. Her most significant Couples Counselling related training includes:
- Gottman Therapy – Level 3
- Relational Life Therapy, Terry Real – Level 3
- Emotionally Focused Therapy – Esther Perel
- Treating Affairs & Trauma – Gottman Institute
- Multi-generational Trauma: Treating the Past to Heal the Present – Terry Real, Relational Life Institute
- Working with Infidelity and Making Love Work – Terry Real, Relational Life Institute
- The Relational Brain – Terry Real & Julianne Shore, Relational Life Institute
- Staying in Love – The Art of Fierce Intimacy, Terry Real, Relational Life Institute
- Grandiose Women and Shut Down Men – Terry Real, Relational Life Institute
Formal education
- Bachelor of Social Work (BASW) – Latrobe University
- Diploma of Counselling Psychology – Ampersand Australia, 2009
My Professional Memberships
- Gottman Relationship Checkup Approved Member
- Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)


