Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop

Designed To Transform Your Relationship

The Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop is an intensive, in-person, couples experience created by Dr. Sue Johnson, the developer of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. This workshop is designed to help couples strengthen emotional connection, improve communication, and deepen intimacy by understanding and reshaping attachment patterns and the emotional bond between partners.

An Experiential and Research Based Path to Connection

The Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop follows the process of Dr. Sue Johnson’s Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, the core structure of the curriculum. This program combines teaching, videos, group discussion, and private conversations between partners. Playful and experiential exercises are woven throughout the weekend to nurture emotional accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement.

Couples have ample time to work together privately throughout the workshop and do not share personal details with the group, unless they want to. The focus remains on understanding their bond and strengthening connection in a contained way.

This workshop is designed for all couples who value their relationship and want to care for it intentionally. Some couples are preparing for marriage and want to ensure a strong foundation. Others have been married for decades and want to deepen what they already share. Many couples are experiencing ongoing distance or conflict in their relationship and are seeking an intensive experience and the opportunity for transformation.

2027 Workshop Days and Times

Winter Workshop

February 25–27, 2027 | Thursday–Saturday
Thursday: 1:00–5:00 pm, Friday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am–1:00 pm
Location: Hotel setting in San Diego, TBD
Investment: $1,500 per couple
Register Here

Spring Workshop

April 29–May 1, 2027 | Thursday–Saturday
Thursday: 1:00–5:00 pm, Friday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am–1:00 pm
Location: Hotel setting in San Diego, TBD
Investment: $1,500 per couple
Register Here

Summer Workshop

July 22–24, 2027 | Thursday–Saturday
Thursday: 1:00–5:00 pm, Friday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am–1:00 pm
Location: Hotel setting in San Diego, TBD
Investment: $1,500 per couple
Register Here

The Seven Conversations of Hold Me Tight®

Conversation One: Recognizing the Demon Dialogues

Couples learn to recognize the negative cycle they get pulled into, and begin to see the pattern as the problem, rather than each other, and work together to do things differently.

Conversation Two: Finding the Raw Spots

Couples explore triggers and sensitivities that get activated during conflict, so their reactions make more sense, and they engage in mutual and reciprocal compassion and understanding.

Conversation Three: Revisiting a Rocky Moment

Couples revisit an experience from their past, and have a conversation about it, with developing skills in place, enabling them to offer more grace, empathy, and care.

Conversation Four: Hold Me Tight

Couples engage in a deep conversation, in which they clearly express fears, needs, and wants, giving them the experience of reaching and responding with presence and connection.

Conversation Five: Forgiving Injuries

Couples work through a challenge point in their relationship, or one from their past, by acknowledging the impact, offering reassurance, and committing to rebuilding trust over time.

Conversation Six: Bonding Through Sex and Touch

Couples deepen their understanding of how emotional connection and physical intimacy are interconnected so eroticism can become mutual, playful, and safe.

Conversation Seven: Keeping Your Love Alive

Couples discover how to strengthen ongoing patterns of responsiveness and repair so their connection stays steady and their love remains alive.

Your Facilitator

The workshop is led by Cristina Trette, LMFT and Couples Therapist. Her facilitation style is warm, honest, and up-lifting. She creates a space where couples can engage deeply. You can learn more about Cristina here.

Flying Into San Diego International Airport

The closest airport is San Diego International Airport (SAN), located about 30 minutes south of Encinitas, San Diego International Airport.

About Encinitas

We are located in Encinitas, just a mile from the beach. Encinitas is a relaxed coastal town in North San Diego County known for its beaches, surf culture, and walkable downtown lined with palms and local shops. With a holistic health influence, paths for biking and hiking, yoga studios, and a strong sense of community, it blends laid back coastal living with an active, outdoorsy lifestyle. Many couples, including those living within San Diego County, choose to stay at nearby hotels or Airbnbs to give themselves a few days away from the demand of family and career to focus on their relationship.

How To Register

Advance registration is required to support a small and connected group experience. If you have questions about whether the Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop is right for you, we are happy to help. You can contact Sierra to ask any question you may have at info@integrativecouplestherapy.com or 760-640-0270. If you are ready to register now, click here.