Gottman's Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
Come for the Experience. Leave With Tools for a Lifetime Together.
February 8–14, 2027 | Villa Cascadas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
7 Days • 6 Nights • $7,997 Per Couple
No work responsibilities, endless to-do lists, or rushing from one commitment to the next. Just time to slow down, reconnect, and enjoy being together.
My husband, Edward, and I are both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and we're excited to invite you to join us for a very special couples retreat in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!
We'll be combining Gottman's Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work with six nights in a luxury private villa, delicious meals prepared by a private chef, relaxation, nature, and opportunities to explore Puerto Vallarta together.
But what makes this retreat special isn't just the beautiful destination. It's the opportunity to invest in your relationship and come home with practical skills you can continue using for years to come.
Reserve Your Spot – $7,997 Per CoupleWhy a retreat
I love traveling, and I love creating experiences that bring people together. But as a therapist, I also know that meaningful change takes more than simply learning something new. We need opportunities to practice what we're learning, experience it in real life, and begin integrating those skills into our relationships.
Think about what often happens when we attend a workshop, read a relationship book, or have a meaningful conversation about wanting to do things differently. We feel inspired and motivated. But then life happens. We go back to work, responsibilities pile up, and before we know it, we fall back into familiar routines and patterns.
A retreat gives us an opportunity to do something different. Instead of learning relationship skills for an hour and immediately returning to everyday responsibilities, you'll have several days to slow down, focus on each other, and begin practicing what you're learning. And you get to do it while enjoying a beautiful vacation together!
Our hope is that you'll return home with more than wonderful memories: a deeper understanding of each other, practical relationship tools, and a plan for continuing to strengthen your relationship long after the retreat ends.
The method
One of the things I appreciate most about the Gottman Method is that it's grounded in decades of research on what helps relationships thrive. The work of Drs. John and Julie Gottman has helped couples better understand friendship, emotional connection, communication, conflict management, and creating shared meaning.
What I especially love about the Seven Principles is how practical they are. It's not just about understanding why something happens in your relationship. It's about learning what you can actually do differently. Because a happy, healthy relationship isn't something we create once. It's something we continue building together.
01
Continue getting to know your partner's inner world, including their hopes, dreams, stresses, and experiences.
02
Strengthen appreciation, affection, friendship, and the positive feelings that brought you together.
03
Recognize and respond to the small, everyday opportunities for connection that strengthen relationships.
04
Build a stronger partnership through mutual respect, shared decision-making, and understanding each other's perspectives.
05
Learn practical communication and conflict-management skills, including healthier ways to approach disagreements and find compromise.
06
Explore the deeper dreams, values, and needs behind recurring disagreements so you can better understand one another.
07
Strengthen your relationship by exploring shared values, traditions, goals, and the future you want to build together.
Why learn these skills on a retreat?
Understanding a concept and being able to use it in everyday life are two different things. We can know that communication matters and recognize patterns we'd like to change. But knowing isn't always enough. We need opportunities to practice new ways of relating to each other.
That's why we've designed this retreat to include five days of relationship workshops, with two 90-minute sessions each day. You'll have time to learn, practice, reflect, and begin applying what you've learned throughout your time together.
Maybe you practice turning toward each other during a quiet morning at the villa. Maybe a conversation over dinner helps you understand something new about your partner. Or perhaps exploring somewhere new together gives you an opportunity to practice communication and teamwork.
Because you're spending several days together rather than attending a single workshop, you'll have opportunities to revisit those skills and continue practicing. Lasting change requires continued effort once you're home, but we want this experience to give you a meaningful foundation to build on.
Our retreat is educational and skills-based. You will not be asked to share personal relationship challenges, private history, or intimate details with the group. Instead, you will learn the principles together and complete exercises and conversations privately with your partner.
Lasting results
The retreat may only last seven days, but our hope is that what you learn will stay with you for years. That's why we want you to leave with more than inspiration.
Each couple will receive a relationship workbook to use throughout the retreat. You'll reflect, complete exercises together, and capture the insights and tools most meaningful to your relationship. It will also be a resource to use at home.
Before leaving Puerto Vallarta, we'll help you create a realistic plan for continuing to practice what you've learned. The goal isn't perfection or another overwhelming task. It's continuing to show up for each other.
Approximately 30 days after returning home, we'll host a virtual group integration session to revisit key principles, reflect on applying what you've learned, and explore ways to keep building healthy habits. Participation is educational, and no one will be expected to share private relationship information.
Because your relationship doesn't stop growing when the retreat ends. Neither should your learning.
The villa
One of my favorite parts of creating retreats is finding beautiful places where people can truly relax and enjoy themselves. We'll be staying at Villa Cascadas, an exclusive seven-room luxury villa nestled in the lush tropical jungle of Puerto Vallarta.
Imagine waking up surrounded by nature, enjoying meals prepared by a private chef, spending time by the pool, and having the freedom to enjoy each other. We've chosen a small, intimate setting because we want this experience to feel personal, not like a large conference.
All of this is covered
The final activity schedule and details of included services will be shared before the retreat.
We don't want you spending your entire vacation sitting in workshops! Each workshop day includes two 90-minute educational sessions, leaving plenty of time for Puerto Vallarta. Enjoy conversations with your partner, relax by the pool, try yoga, explore the tropical surroundings, share delicious meals, and spend uninterrupted quality time together.
Is this for us?
Here's something I really want couples to know: you don't have to be struggling in your relationship to invest in it. One of the best things couples can do is continue investing before major problems develop.
Whether you've been together for five years or thirty, there's always something new to learn about each other. And I think that's a beautiful thing.
Your hosts
We're Arilda and Edward, a husband-and-wife team and co-owners of Wellness Counseling Inc. We're both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and we're passionate about helping people create healthier, stronger, and more meaningful relationships.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | Gottman Level 3 Trained | Founder of Wellness Counseling Inc.
I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Gottman Level 3 trained clinician, EMDRIA Certified Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and author of Treating Couples with EMDR – A Healing Journey. I've also organized and led more than 20 retreats around the world.
If you know anything about me, you probably know how much I love traveling, bringing people together, and creating experiences that combine personal growth with meaningful connection. I believe we can invest in ourselves and our relationships while also enjoying the beautiful experiences life has to offer.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | Co-Owner of Wellness Counseling Inc.
Edward brings his clinical experience and dedication to helping individuals and couples strengthen communication, develop greater understanding, and build healthier relationships. Together, we will guide couples through the Seven Principles in a comfortable environment for learning, practicing, and connecting.
Retreat investment
February 8–14, 2027 | Villa Cascadas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Your investment includes the six-night villa stay, 15 hours of workshops, private-chef meals, wellness opportunities, spa services, planned experiences, villa amenities, airport transfers, workbook, 90-day connection plan, and 30-day virtual integration session.
Space is extremely limited. Villa Cascadas has only seven rooms, allowing us to keep this experience intimate and personal.
Registration is subject to availability and completion of a brief suitability questionnaire. Deposit, payment schedule, cancellation terms, and any optional additional costs will be provided before booking.
Questions
Do we need to be having relationship problems to attend?
Absolutely not! Many couples attend because they want to strengthen an already healthy relationship, improve communication, or simply prioritize each other.
Is this couples therapy?
No. This is an educational relationship-enrichment retreat based on Gottman's Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Participating does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Will we have to share personal information with the group?
No. Personal exercises are completed privately with your partner.
How much time will we spend in workshops?
Five days of two 90-minute sessions each day, for 15 hours total.
Will we have time to relax and explore?
Absolutely! We've balanced the workshop schedule with relaxation, excursions, and quality time.
Is this retreat appropriate for every couple?
The retreat is educational rather than crisis intervention or intensive therapy. A brief confidential suitability questionnaire helps determine fit. Couples experiencing ongoing abuse, coercive control, or an acute crisis may benefit from individualized support instead.
What happens after the retreat?
You'll take home a workbook and 90-day plan, plus access to a virtual group integration session approximately 30 days later.
What airport should we fly into?
Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR). Private airport pickup and drop-off are included.
What is the cost?
$7,997 per couple, including the retreat experiences described above.
Life gets busy. Between work, family responsibilities, and everything else demanding our attention, it's easy to put our relationships on the back burner. But your relationship deserves time, attention, and care.
Imagine returning home from Puerto Vallarta with beautiful memories, a deeper understanding of your partner, new communication skills, and a renewed commitment to the relationship you're building together. That's what we hope to create.
Six nights in a beautiful luxury villa. Five days of meaningful relationship workshops. Delicious food, relaxation, adventure, and uninterrupted time together. Most importantly, an opportunity to invest in your relationship and the years you have ahead.
Edward and I would love to have you join us!
February 8–14, 2027 | Villa Cascadas, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | $7,997 per couple
Reserve Your SpotWith love,
Arilda & Edward Surridge, MA, LMFT
Wellness Counseling Inc.
This retreat is an educational relationship-enrichment experience, not couples therapy or a substitute for individualized mental health treatment.
