In the right hands, change feels less daunting.
Private couples therapy intensives in Maryland.
Personal. Profound. Worth the step.
Our Retreat
When You’re Doing All the Right Things—But Still Feel Disconnected.
You’ve read the books. You’ve tried the conversations. You may even have done couples therapy before.
But it’s still hard.
You still misread each other.
You still feel misunderstood—like the closeness you crave keeps slipping through your fingers.
That’s when a retreat makes all the difference.
Not more sessions.
More depth. Time. Privacy.
Our Maryland couples therapy intensives help you move past circular arguments into new territory—honest, structured, emotionally focused.
This is the work that creates not just better communication—but a different kind of relationship.
Why a Retreat?
Because one hour a week can’t always carry the weight.
Traditional therapy often moves too slowly for couples in pain.
You spend half the session recapping and the rest running out of time.
A retreat offers uninterrupted time with a highly trained therapist—
space to unravel, understand, and rebuild without pressure.
This isn’t just therapy with more hours.
It’s a reset for how you show up with each other.
Love is work.
So is healing.
More time = deeper work.
More focus = faster insight.
More privacy = fewer defenses.
This isn’t therapy as usual. It’s a reset.
One designed for couples who are ready to stop spiraling—and start rebuilding.
Meet Your Maryland Therapists
Angela Voegele, LCSW-C
Rockville, MD
Globally experienced and emotionally attuned, Angela Voegele helps couples navigate transition, trauma, and sexual health with clarity and compassion.
A board-certified sex therapist, Angela brings calm wisdom and rich perspective to her work, supporting diverse couples with warmth, structure, and depth.
Dr. Nancy Garcia-Ruffin, PsyD
Bethesda, MD
Direct, grounded, and full of heart, Dr. Nancy Garcia-Ruffin brings over 20 years of clinical experience and lived relational insight.
Also a board-certified sex therapist, she specializes in infertility, cross-cultural partnerships, and high-stress transitions, offering therapy that is evidence-based and emotionally brave. Whether you’re stuck, separating, or starting over—Nancy helps couples move forward with clarity and care.
Bethesda & Rockville, MD.
Ease of access. Depth of experience.
Just outside Washington, D.C., our Maryland intensives combine professional depth with the calm of walkable, tree-lined neighborhoods. Whether you’re arriving from across the Potomac or across the country, these locations offer ease and intimacy.
Take a quiet walk through Glen Echo. Share a meal at a neighborhood bistro. Or simply let your session settle as you reconnect in a calm, grounded space.
Stay at The Bethesdan or a boutique Airbnb nearby—comfortably private, with everything you need to focus on what matters most.
The Unseen Cost of Relationship Distress
When connection breaks down, the impact isn’t just emotional.
It spills into your sleep, your health, your parenting, your performance at work.
Even joy starts to feel like effort.
And when you’ve already tried to fix it—when you’ve put in the effort and it still feels like you’re missing each other—the exhaustion runs deep.
You don’t need more effort.
You need guidance. Focus. A therapist who can help you hear what’s really being said.
“Couples don’t fail for lack of love. They fail from a lack of clarity. That’s what this retreat gives you—space to see clearly, speak honestly, and rebuild with purpose.”
— Dr. Kathy McMahon, Founder, Couples Therapy Inc.
Is an Intensive Retreat Right for You?
Our retreats are designed for couples who are:
If you’re coping with untreated mental illness, active addiction, or domestic violence, those concerns deserve specialized care—and we’re happy to refer you to professionals who can help.
We are not a fit for every couple.
Healing takes courage. We work best with couples ready to show up with heart, honesty, and effort.
Still angry?
That means you still care.
After the Retreat
Your retreat may be over, but the shift doesn’t stop there.
You’ll leave your intensive with clarity—and a plan. We offer structured follow-up options to help you maintain momentum:
This isn’t a one-time fix. It’s the beginning of something stronger.
How is all of this done?
You’re not supposed to know.
That’s why we’ve mapped the path—step by step, human to human.
No guessing. No “choose from a list of strangers.”
Just a clear, guided process that starts with listening—really listening—and ends with a match that actually fits.
We’ll walk you through what working with us looks like, how we choose your therapist, and what to expect every step of the way. Whether you’re arriving with doubt, hope, or just a deep sense that something needs to change—we’ll help you take the first real step.
Let’s Begin
What if this time you opened up instead of shutting down?