Frequently Asked Questions

Marriage Rediscovery is an independent nonprofit marriage ministry led by couples who came up through the Retrouvaille tradition over decades of volunteer work. We are not affiliated with Retrouvaille International. Our program is a weekend retreat plus six 90-minute follow-up sessions, taught by couples who have done the work in their own marriages. We refreshed the materials in 2023, the first full update in 25 years. The structure is recognizable. The language fits the couples in the room today.

The cost varies by community. There is a registration deposit, and couples are invited to make a donation at the end of the weekend. If money is a problem, say so. No couple has ever been turned away. Contact the Marriage Rediscovery community nearest you for the current figure.

Anonymous and private, by design. You will see other couples in the room. You will not be asked to tell them anything. The presenters share their own stories, not yours.

Couples who finish the program usually see real change in communication, trust, and intimacy. The program was built for couples in serious crisis, including infidelity and separation. Results depend on both spouses showing up and doing the work.

Show up. Bring a willingness to try the exercises. That is the whole prep.

No. The program is not counseling or therapy. No counselor. No therapy. We teach couples how to do the work themselves, by example. The presenters are couples who have used those tools to put their own marriages back together.

Yes. The program is built for two people to do together. The dialogue tools only work if both of you are there. If your spouse is hesitant, see /talk-to-spouse for what other people have said in that situation.

Browse the rest of this site, call the number on /contact, or reach out to the Marriage Rediscovery community nearest you. Real people answer the phone.

A Friday evening to Sunday afternoon weekend, then six follow-up sessions across the next several weeks. The weekend covers communication tools, the things that got you stuck, and how to start putting trust back together. The presenters are couples who have done all of this themselves, not professionals.

Many couples come to us after one spouse has said 'I don't love you anymore' or filed for divorce. The program is built for that. Some of the couples who finish the weekend say they feel something they hadn't felt in years.

Childcare, work schedules, travel: real barriers. Talk to the Marriage Rediscovery community nearest you about what is possible. Most have figured out a solution for these things before.

Catholic in origin, Christian in its principles. Open to couples of any faith or none. The religious portions are optional. The marriage tools are practical.

The program has helped tens of thousands of couples since 1977, in about 30 countries. That includes couples in serious crisis, couples after counseling failed, couples after one spouse filed for divorce. Marriage Rediscovery follows up with couples for years after the weekend. See /retrouvaille-success-rate for the specifics.

Find the next weekend in your region on /locations, or call the number on /contact. Someone will pick up. They will not pressure you. Most regions run multiple weekends a year.

It is common. The /talk-to-spouse page has language that has worked for other people in this exact situation. Often the resisting spouse comes around when they hear that it is not therapy and not counseling. It is three days of sitting next to your partner trying something different.

No. marriagerediscovery.org is the website of Marriage Rediscovery, an independent 501(c)(3) marriage ministry. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or approved by Retrouvaille International. Our presenting couples and clergy came up through the Retrouvaille tradition over decades of volunteer work. The program structure (a weekend retreat plus six 90-minute follow-up sessions) is recognizable, and our materials are refreshed. Whether you typed Retrouvaille or Marriage Rediscovery into your search bar, you are welcome here.

Yes. Most of the volunteers running Marriage Rediscovery are couples who came through the program themselves. After your weekend and the six follow-up sessions, talk to your local community about presenting, serving on a support team, or helping coordinate a future weekend.

A Friday evening to Sunday afternoon retreat with three presenting couples and a clergy member. The pattern is short talks, private writing between you and your spouse, then quiet dialogue. No group sharing, no role-play, no personality test. See /retrouvaille-weekend for the hour-by-hour rhythm.

Six weekly meetings of about ninety minutes each, in a small group with the same presenting couples and other couples from your weekend. The point is not more teaching. It is six weeks of guided practice while the dialogue tool is still new in your hands. See /our-program/follow-up-sessions for what each session covers.

Yes. Marriage Rediscovery is one. We are an independent 501(c)(3) marriage ministry, not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or approved by Retrouvaille International. Our presenting couples and clergy came up through the Retrouvaille tradition over years of volunteer work, and we refreshed the materials in 2023. The weekend-plus-follow-up structure is the same. See /retrouvaille-alternative for the full picture.

Yes. Priests, deacons, pastors, and lay ministers refer couples to Marriage Rediscovery weekends regularly. The program is Catholic in foundation and welcomes couples of any faith or none. See /for-clergy for the referral guide, when to refer, when not to, and how to coordinate with your local community.

Yes. Licensed therapists refer couples to the weekend as a complement to clinical work, often when a couple is stuck on the same conversation in session after session. The weekend is not therapy and does not replace it. See /for-therapists for the referral guide, including the clinical situations where the weekend is not appropriate.

Contact local emergency services or a licensed clinical professional first. The weekend is not a substitute for emergency care. It is not the right next step for situations of physical or emotional abuse where private dialogue is unsafe, coercive control, an active addiction crisis without sobriety, severe untreated mental illness, or active suicidality. See /for-therapists and /for-clergy for the contraindications spelled out in full.