Spend a weekend at Letchworth State Park this summer at a couples retreat that aims to revive, renew and transform couples — from self-awareness to communication with your mate. Retreats are led by Dr. Joanne Cannavo, PhD, MSSA, LCSW-R, a licensed clinical expert counseling and building relationships for over 20 years. A peaceful, therapeutic setting in nature is designed to add to the tranquility and opportunities for reflection, peacefulness and growth for each individual away from the possible stress and stimuli of everyday lives. Participating in a therapeutic couples weekend retreat allows you to carve out time to renew, revive, and focus on personal development through professional guidance to encourage your growth, reflection and awareness.
Dr. Cannavo recognizes that many couples arrive with different goals and interests for their couple relationship. Some couples may still be in the position of learning and identifying the path that is right for them. No matter what their stage of awareness for their plan, participants who invest themselves in the couples retreat weekend go through an experience of growth, development, and personal transformation. Dr. Cannavo believes in helping people better know themselves individually as well as a couple. There is a focus on existing strengths and understanding what is already working well. Participants will have opportunities to reflect and learn about critical elements that are points of growth and intervention of themselves, their mate, and their couple relationship. These include identity and knowing oneself, and understanding thought processes, communication styles, dynamics of interaction and behavioral responses for both individual and the couple. Other significant aspects that may challenge and impact the couple are also a point for intervention, such that couples may address and resolve issues that have put a strain on their relationship, heal and trust again, and arrive at new perspectives towards making healthier choices and learning the tools that will change dynamics and behaviors of how they formerly handled such situations. Dr. Cannavo believes in therapeutic intervention, experiential learning, and teaching the foundation and various core concepts and methods of how to build and enhance the couple’s attachment and bond in their relationship. Dr. Cannavo’s therapeutic couples retreats are designed to contribute to the growth and development of the individual and couple towards moving forward down an emotionally healthy path and continuing to write their story.
Each couple receives a private couple-counseling session amidst the small group format of the weekend structured for your privacy. The private couple session will enable assessment as well as suggested interventions and techniques that are personally identified for the individual and couple. Privacy and peace are a priority; each weekend is designed to host only up to six couples per retreat. There is not an expectation to share openly as a group with others in attendance towards the goal of maintaining the privacy of participants.
Most meals are included with the retreat. Although lodging is not included, participants may opt to secure accommodations in the Letchworth State Park Conference Center where the retreat is held, or through other arrangements whether in or outside of the park. See ‘Reservations and Accommodations’ for additional information regarding lodging.