Weekend Workshops for Couples
Laura and Michael Silverstein are Now Offering Couples Retreats and Workshops in the Pocono Mountains, PA
We Have Two (Very Different) Options For You
1. Luxury Valentine’s Day Weekend Excursion
February 9th and 10th, 2024 at the Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley, PA (Approximately 2 hours from New York, NY, 3 hours from Philadelphia)
April 5th-7th Weekend Getaway Couples Retreat at the Himalayan Institute, Honesdale, PA (Approximately 2.5 hours from New York, NY, 3 hours from Philadelphia)
Why a Couples Retreat?
Michael and Laura have found that couples who love each other deeply are frustrated by the countless demands for their time. They want a way to unplug, carve out time to prioritize each other, and revive their relationships.
A couples retreat is a weekend workshop except that takes place in a remote romantic location. You can learn new skills and practice self-growth strategies gently, amidst spa treatments and walks in the woods.
We have two different options for coming up in 2024.
The first is a luxury Valentine’s Day Weekend Excursion on February 9th, and the second is a Holistic Weekend Getaway Retreat. Both are based on the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy, and Love Is an Action Verb by Laura Silverstein.
Luxury Valentine's Day Weekend Excursion
Valentine’s Day Weekend Retreat at the Lodge at Woodloch
The Lodge at Woodloch is a luxurious destination spa in the Pocono Mountains. It wins countless awards including the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award and the Travelers’ Choice Award by TripAdvisor.
The romantic environment is perfect for a couples retreat for couples who want to pamper themselves while also tending to relationship health.
Laura will host a group discussion Friday and Saturday Night, and there are extremely limited opportunities for a 1:1 skills training with Michael and Laura.
You can sign up for private sessions focusing on one of the following two topics: Conflict Management or Empathy Building.
Friday, February 9th, 8:30 PM
Finding Happiness with Your Valentine
Make every day Valentine’s Day! This class will explore what relational psychology can teach us about long-lasting love (and how it’s easier than you might think).
Saturday, February 10th, 8:30 PM
Courageous Conversations: How to Feel More Understood in Your Relationship
No one wants to argue, so couples often avoid difficult conversations. Sometimes this is the best strategy, but other times it can lead to “dumb” arguments or even resentment.
At this event, Laura will give you easy strategies and ground rules to address challenging topics efficiently and productively.
Holistic Weekend Getaway
For those who prefer simplicity over luxury, the Himalayan Institute might be a better choice. This couples retreat in the Poconos is the ultimate way to unplug and revive your relationship. It includes skill-building seminars with private coaching from Michael and Laura, group hikes, nourishing vegetarian buffet, yoga classes and even a bonfire s’mores party 🔥.
Weekend Getaway Couples Retreat
Friday April 5th - Sunday April 7th
The Himalayan Institute is a destination retreat center in the Pocono Mountains. A world leader in the field of yoga, meditation, spirituality, and holistic health, the Himalayan Institute is a non-profit international organization dedicated to serving humanity through educational, spiritual, and humanitarian programs.
The consciously simple environment is perfect for a couples retreat for couples who want an escape from distractions and routine.
Laura and Michael will host interactive seminars throughout the weekend with ample free time for spa treatments, rest and relaxation and physical movement.
Registration for this weekend workshop includes access to yoga and meditation classes and three daily vegetarian meals per day.
Friday, April 5th
4:00 Meet and Greet Chai and Cookie Party
5:00 Hatha Yoga (Optional)
7:00 How to Actually Be Happy in Your Relationship Seminar
Saturday, April 6th
7:00 Hatha Yoga (Optional)
8:30 Communicating With Kindness Seminar
11:00 Hike with Laura or Q&A with Michael
1:30 Managing Stress and Increasing Understanding Seminar
3:30 Mindfulness Walk to Sound of Music Hill
5:00 Hatha Yoga (Optional)
7:00 Bonfire S’More Party
Sunday, April 7th
7:00 Hatha Yoga (Optional)
9:00 Back to Reality Seminar
11:30 Free Time for Spa Treatments or Exploring the Grounds
1:30 Chocolate Factory Tour & Tasting
Take Charge of your Relationship
Laura Silverstein, LCSW, Certified Gottman Couples Therapist has been a Gottman scholar since 2009 and has helped thousands of couples find happiness and revive thier relationships.
Prior to Covid, she assisted John and Julie Gottman with Art and Science of Love workshops in Seattle. Their world renown weekend workshops for couples have been shown to achieve results similar to 6 months of couples therapy.
These workshops were very powerful, but they were immense (upwards of 1,000 people in a hotel ballroom). She and her partner are inspired to create their own, more relaxed and intimate version of a workshop for couples; a weekend getaway retreat.
What is the difference between a couples workshop and a couples retreat?
A workshop is a large, lecture-heavy conference-style event.
A couples retreat includes everything you get at a workshop, but in a beautiful, remote location.
Laura is now teaming up with her husband, Dr. Michael Silverstein (who is also Gottman-trained), to present a holistic retreat experience in the Pocono Mountains.
You will learn the skills you need, while also enjoying spa treatments, great food and lots of time for rest, relaxation and fun.
Meet the Presenters
Ms. Laura Silverstein, LCSW, Certified Couples Therapist, and author of the Love Is an Action Verb Series, is a relationship expert with over 30 years of experience helping committed couples revive their relationships and find more happiness.
You can find her action-oriented advice in places like the New York Times, Real Simple Magazine, and Cosmopolitan. As a seasoned couples therapist, speaker, and trainer, she knows how to help people build connections, manage conflict, and have more fun. Silverstein is the founder and co-owner (together with her husband of 21 years) of Main Line Counseling Partners, a private practice outside of Philadelphia specializing in couples therapy. Silverstein writes and educates with an energetic, humorous, and relatable style. She inspires people to be the best partners they can be.
Dr. Michael Silverstein is a licensed psychologist and Level 3 Gottman Method Couples Therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience. He strongly believes that his clients are the experts in their own lives and works with them to set specific, achievable goals.
Silverstein has a unique interest in Systems Theory and is passionate about helping couples feel more loved. He has a BA from Brown University, MA in Counseling from New York University, and MA and Ph.D degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!). He co-owns Main Line Counseling Partners with his life partner in crime, Laura Silverstein.
Michael Silverstein, Ph.D.
Level 3 Gottman-trained Couples Therapist