Reno Hold
Me Tight®
Retreat
We'd be happy to help you see if this program is a good fit for you.
Based on Dr. Sue Johnson’s Hold Me Tight® program, this intensive retreat uses decades of relationship research to help you move past surface arguments and build a bond that actually lasts.
of the Couples Retreat Program
THE DYNAMICS
What to Expect: Our Commitment to Your Emotional Safety
Will We Have to Share Our Private Issues with the Group?
No. Your privacy is entirely preserved. While the educational components, video examples, and conceptual frameworks are presented to the group as a whole, all processing, exercises, and personal conversations happen exclusively between you and your partner.
There is absolutely no public disclosure or group sharing required.
What If We Get Stuck or Start to Escalate During an Exercise?
The retreat is specifically structured to prevent escalating conflict. During the private partner exercises, trained facilitators are quietly moving around the room.
If you and your partner hit a roadblock or feel a reactive cycle starting, you simply raise your hand, and a facilitator will step in to privately help you de-escalate and find your footing.
Available Retreats
Early 2027
Facilitators: Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW & Hillary Harris, CPC-I
Limited to 7 Couples
Call to Register: 775-235-2205
Spaces fill quickly. Please call to inquire about availability or our waiting list.
Autumn 2027
Facilitators: Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW & Hillary Harris, CPC-I
Limited to 7 Couples
Call to Register: 775-235-2205
Spaces fill quickly. Please call to inquire about availability or our waiting list.
Meet Your Facilitators
Cornelius has over 12 years of experience co-facilitating retreats.
He co-leads both the Spring and Autumn sessions to help couples rediscover connection.
Hillary co-facilitates our 2026 retreats, bringing a compassionate, structured approach to the Hold Me Tight® process for every couple.
Couples Retreat in Reno – Register Now or Learn More
Hold Me Tight® Retreat
Call us to learn more and see if this program would be a good fit for you.
Benefits of Our Couples Retreat Reno Program
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A Renewed Team
Shift from battling each other to viewing your relationship as a team, working together to change negative patterns.
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Remove the Threat
Recognize the "pained protest" beneath conflict and learn how to make it safe to reach for each other again.
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Soothe Raw Spots
Identify the underlying sensitivities aching for loving contact, moving past the visible anger or withdrawal.
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Remove the Stigma
Understand that your reactions are natural responses to disconnection, creating space for vulnerability without shame.
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Renewed Confidence
Walk away with a hands-on framework that provides lasting hope in your ability to maintain a loving connection.
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Accelerate Healing
The retreat acts as a catalyst, often accomplishing in two days what can take months in traditional weekly sessions.
Couples Retreat in Reno – Register Now or Learn More
Enhance Your Relationship
Call us to reserve your spot for the May or October retreats
The Essence of the Weekend
Based on the internationally renowned work of Dr. Sue Johnson, this retreat helps you recognize the "pained protest" beneath your conflict. We move beyond surface arguments to uncover the raw spots that are aching for loving contact, helping you take the threat out of your interactions.
A Renewed Sense of Teamwork
Shift from battling each other to viewing your relationship as a team. We guide you through conversations that are rare for most couples to have, helping you understand the triggers that fuel your conflict and the underlying attachment needs that keep you caught in an endless loop.
Healing the Unyielding Impasse
Unresolved hurts can create a disconnection that feels permanent. In a safe and private environment, you will walk through the process of Apologies and Forgiveness, learning specific steps to express deeper, more vulnerable emotions that are often hidden beneath anger or silence.
Building a Secure Base
The final stage focuses on Intimacy Beyond Words. You will practice how to reach and respond to each other in a new way, ensuring your relationship remains a safe haven. Most couples report that this weekend accomplishes in two days what can take months in traditional therapy.
What to Expect When Attending the Couples Retreat Reno Program
Couples who have struggled to be close for some time, as well as those who simply wish to enhance their relationship and deepen their intimacy, should consider joining this retreat. Couples worldwide have called this the best couples retreat they've experienced.
This workshop includes:
- Video sessions and demonstrations of EFT principles
- Guided couple exercises to deepen emotional connection and communication
- Support from trained EFT therapists during exercises
- A Hold Me Tight® workbook with take-home exercises and resources
Couples Retreat in Reno – Register Now or Learn More
Enhance Your Relationship
Call us to reserve your spot for the May or October retreats
Who Is Couples Retreat Reno For?
- The Couple Who Want to Deepen Connection
- Premarital Couples
- Newlywed Couples
- Married Couples That Want to Make Their Marriage a More Connected, Harmonious Safe-Haven
- Couples of All Races, Genders, Ethnicity and Sexual Orientation
This Workshop Is Not Appropriate For:
- Couples Who Have Recent Trauma with Infidelity
- Couples Where One or Both Partners have Substance Use patterns that interfere with clear communication and require separate treatment.
- Couples Where There is Physical Abuse
- Couples Where One or Both Partners Have Significant Mental Health Distress (Severe Depression/Bipolar) That is Unregulated and/or Untreated
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hold Me Tight® Marriage Workshop
Not sure whether this is right for you? Have more questions about what to expect? Read our FAQs below, and of course reach out to us if you have additional questions.
If my partner and I are already in couples counseling, will this retreat be helpful?
Absolutely! Hold Me Tight® is VERY helpful to couples already in counseling. The work you will do in a HMT retreat will enhance and move you along in your couple counseling. Other couples find it helpful and want to go to therapy after attending a Hold Me Tight® retreat. We can help you with a referral.
Does everyone talk together about their intimate relationships with the group?
No attendee is ever required or persuaded to share private information about themselves. The sharing that does occur has been authentic AND appropriate for the setting, i.e. not extremely detailed. This is not group therapy. Detailed information may be shared during the couple exercises with your partner.
How are the partner exercises facilitated?
When couples talk to each other during the exercises, each conversation creates a little “bubble” with the other conversations appearing as white noise in the background. We arrange the space to keep the conversations private. If the couple gets stuck and wants help, they can raise their hand and one of the EFT therapists assisting will come and help the couple move through the exercise. Many have remarked that this is the most helpful part of the entire program.
What if my partner is reluctant to come to the retreat, but I want to go?
If your partner is at least WILLING to come, we will do the rest! There is often a hesitancy or a fear for one or both partners coming into the retreat. Most often, once the couple gets there and begins to participate and see others participating, the fears dissipate and they will really enjoy and engage in the retreat.
Will there be a lot of lecture?
NO! We seek a balance between content, practice, examples, humor, and discussion to keep it lively and engaging.
"Over the twelve years I’ve co-facilitated, I’ve seen how this retreat helps couples rediscover closeness, understanding, and the joy of being together. It’s a special experience that gives you space to step away from daily stress and focus on what matters most—nurturing your connection and strengthening your bond."
- Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW — Director
WHERE TO FIND US
