- couples therapy retreats
- RETREAT THEMES
- PRIVATE PRACTICE
- THE LOVERS SOCIETY
- Press
.avif)
.avif)
Our luxury, clinician-led couples therapy retreats in Barbados are designed for couples who need more than just a vacation — they need transformation. Whether you're navigating betrayal, a loss of intimacy, or constant miscommunication, this Caribbean escape offers personalized therapy, emotional reconnection, and space to breathe.
Every retreat is bespoke, beginning the moment you book:
Barbados is more than a destination—it’s a balm for the soul. The island’s calm turquoise waters, lush landscapes, and gentle rhythms create the ideal backdrop for couples doing deep emotional work. Your stay will be at a luxurious, discreet beachfront resort where every detail is handled—so all you have to do is show up for your relationship.
There’s a reason Barbados has become one of our most beloved retreat destinations.
Watch the video below by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. for a glimpse of the island's magic that awaits you.
This Barbados couples counseling retreat is ideal for couples who:
This isn’t therapy in an office or a crowded group retreat. This is an intensive, private couples retreat experience in paradise—with concierge-level care and lasting outcomes:
Marissa Nelson is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT), AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and Sexuality Educator (CSE), TEDx Speaker, Entrepreneur and Relationship Expert.
An internationally recognized expert, she is the creator of IntimacyMoons Couples Retreats, rated by Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel, and Travel Curator Magazines as one of the top luxury couples retreats worldwide. She has also been featured in over 150 national and international media publications including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
She consolidated her expertise into the popular TEDx talk “We all experience sexual rejection - and it’s not about sex”, which has been selected by TED Conference as an editor's pick. In 2023, Marissa was selected as one of INNOVATE Washington’s Top 100 innovators. In 2024, Marissa is the 2024 recipient of the Award for Integrative Approaches to Sex Therapy from the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). She was also award Businesswoman of the Year by G.I.R.L. Inc.
Marissa is the Washington DC facilitator of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Women’s Circle.
Marissa is a proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters in Education Entrepreneurship, and also possesses a Masters in Marriage & Family Therapy from Drexel University. Marissa also pursued post-graduate studies, receiving a Certificate in Sexual Health & Sex Therapy from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Our Barbados retreats are hosted at hand-selected high-end luxury resorts known for discretion and tranquility. While we don’t name the hotel publicly, all accommodations are vetted for privacy, elegance, and comfort — allowing couples to relax, reconnect, and focus fully on their relationship.
SAMPLE AGENDA ONLY.
We will meet daily in group from 9:30am - 12:30pm.
DAY 1
COUPLES ARRIVAL DAY
Couples arrive in Barbados and are fast-tracked through immigration and transported to the selected resort. Welcome reception will includes a special IntimacyMoons dinner with the instructor.
DAY 2
CONFLICT & COMMUNICATION
Couples will be tasked to understand their underlying needs when dealing with conflict and communication. Each couple is given a set of questions that help facilitate conversation about how they believe they handle conflict, and what areas could use growth and attention. Practical tools and guidelines are given to guide couples as to how to communicate their needs more affectively and in a way their partner can hear them.
Our belief is that communication is a lifelong skill that couples always need to work at and fine tune. Elements like building emotional safety, and learning how to effectively get your point across with out shutting down, over shouting or getting defensive really adds to relationship health and satisfaction - tools that everyone will walk away with.
DAY 3
SEXUAL INTIMACY & EROTICISM
Sex is more than just intimacy, and intimacy is more that just the act of sex. It is important to understand the values, beliefs and feelings that may get in the way of physical connection, and transcending those messages to truly embrace sexual agency individually and within the relationship.
This retreat will help couples explore and talk about their own sexual templates, and get the chance to dive deep into their own erotic desires, fantasies, longings and beliefs about different aspects of sexuality. We will also cover sexual communication, and have heart to heart discussions on how to treat the most common sexual concerns couples may have.
DAY 4
LEARNING TO LET GO
Perhaps one of the most powerful experiences couples can have during this retreat. Oftentimes people move into the next stage of their relationship but still bring along baggage and wounds from the past, whether from past relationships, family or previous wounds.
This letting go process has couples confront the issues that are still present for them that may be hard to let go, but that are standing in the way of deeper connection and joy. By starting the process of healing, couples can then move forward in freedom, allowing a renewed version of the relationship to emerge that can promote a healthier and more prosperous union.
DAY 5
COUPLES DEPARTURE DAY
Couples will be transported to the airport where they will be fast-tracked through check-in.
Our private couples retreat in Barbados is an immersive, clinician-led therapeutic experience designed to help high-achieving couples address challenges like disconnection, infidelity, or intimacy struggles. You’ll receive personalized care in a luxurious Caribbean setting, led by Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist, Marissa Nelson.
Unlike weekly therapy sessions, our Barbados couples therapy retreat is an intensive, private getaway where you work closely with your therapist over several days. It offers accelerated breakthroughs in communication, intimacy, and trust in a distraction-free, healing environment.
Our Barbados retreats are hosted at hand-selected high-end luxury resorts known for discretion and tranquility. While we don’t name the hotel publicly, all accommodations are vetted for privacy, elegance, and comfort — allowing couples to relax, reconnect, and focus fully on their relationship.
Your retreat includes:
Absolutely. Every IntimacyMoons retreat is bespoke. Through our confidential intake process, we tailor your therapy sessions and experiences to your unique relational needs — whether it’s rebuilding trust, enhancing sexual intimacy, or improving communication.
This is a fully private couples therapy retreat. You and your partner work exclusively with your therapist, ensuring personalized attention, full discretion, and a safe, judgment-free space to grow together.
Yes. Many couples come to us during a time of emotional disconnection, infidelity, or when facing a make-or-break moment. Our retreat offers a structured, evidence-based path toward healing, clarity, and reconnection.
You can begin by submitting an inquiry through our website. After your application, we’ll schedule an initial consultation to determine fit, answer questions, and walk you through available dates and logistics.
