By Dana DeMercurio
Is your marriage stuck in a rut? Are you and your partner recent empty-nesters looking to recommit to your marriage? Can’t find the time or energy to make your partner a priority? Are you sick and tired of all the arguing and other bad relationship habits?
Here’s a better question, ever thought about marriage boot camp?
Yes, it’s a thing. And no, you won’t be bench-pressing each other –at least not yet anyway (wink wink). Instead, you’ll have the opportunity to strengthen your marriage through a series of games, exercises, counseling sessions, and even date nights.
Rather than sitting on a couch in a stuffy shrink’s office (sorry, Dr. Phil), we suggest putting your marriage to the ultimate test with a boot camp designed just for struggling couples who want to save their relationship from the calamity that is divorce.
It’s understandable that parents often lose sight of their partner’s needs when children enter the scene, and with this country’s high divorce rate, it’s easy to tell which marriages suffered due to lack of communication and commitment. Enter marriage boot camp.
These boot camps that are scattered across the globe are designed specifically for those looking to better their lives, whether married, considering divorce or considering marriage. Building self-esteem, acknowledging and forgiving past hurts and gaining the strength to fight for your relationship are tools that boot camp coaches give to every participant.
Rekindling physical intimacy with your partner is also a main focal point for many marriage boot camps. Rediscovering each other in a romantic and sexual sense has the ability to restore trust, alleviate anger, and rebuild bonds that may have been severed years that were thought to be irreversibly broken.
Marriage boot camp is not for the faint of heart, however. Skeletons will come out of the closet and years of bottled-up emotions will be set free. Couples will need to mentally prepare themselves for this experience and be committed to success. Your mantra throughout the experience should be “no pain, no gain.”
If you and your partner are struggling and have thought about marriage boot camp or marriage retreats, start off by making small, reachable goals before heading off. Once there, explore life-changing goals that won’t disintegrate the moment you return home. Be sure to chronicle your experience at boot camp with a journal as a point of reference to be used if you find yourself falling back into old habits.
Here are a few links to get the search started for the right marriage boot camp or retreat:
http://www.lifemarriageretreats.com/marriage-retreat-texas/
http://www.marriagetoday.com/resources/marriage-intensives/
http://www.consciousrelationships.com/workshops.html