240 Davis Rd Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X1 Canada
May 22 - 26, 2025
About this Retreat
Jennifer Roger BAppSc(PT), MD, CCFP and Blair Stanley BSc, MD, FCFP are rural family physicians and clinical faculty with the University of British Columbia. They bring a passionate interest in promoting personal development to their work, as they see it as fundamental to an individual’s wellness. As seasoned facilitators, they draw from a wealth of learnings and experience. Personally, Jen and Blair have each been through separation and divorce and lived as single people in their 40s before coming together as life partners. Together they lead Life after Separation and Relationships Skills for Singles, offering compassion, support and opportunity for growth through some of life’s most challenging phases.
Details of this retreat
“ I want to love you without clutching,
Appreciate you without judging,
Join you without invading,
Invite you without demanding,
Leave you without guilt,
Criticize you without blaming,
and
Help you without insulting.
If I can have the same from you, then we can truly meet and enrich each other ”.
- Virginia Satir
Intimate relationship presents a wonderful opportunity for growth and healing...
Virginia Satir has created practical processes for personal transformation. “Journey Together” is a transformative workshop for couples. Based on Satir methods and principles the intention of this workshop is to help couples grow as individuals and together.
Couples will gain a deeper understanding of themselves and each other in a safe and guided framework. They will explore together and witness family of origin issues that they bring into their relationship. They will learn about their ‘couples dance’ especially in conflict. They will learn practical tools to break down defensive patterns that will lead to deeper intimacy and healing.
Dr. Jen Roger and Dr. Blair Stanley were trained in Satir Family Therapy by Maria Gomori from 2013 until her death in 2021. They have been in a conscious intimate relationship for the past 10 years. They have created a life committed to learning and growing together. Intimate relationship by nature creates power struggle which is the perfect landscape for growth…”we get together on the basis of our similarities; we grow on the basis of our differences”…Virginia Satir.
The Haven is an affiliate with The Virginia Satir Global Network.
This course is for you if:
You would like to deepen your emotional connection with your partner
You want to develop skills for a more congruent and fulfilling intimate relationship
You are curious about what you bring into intimate relationship and how it impacts the relationship
You recognize that you sometimes feel ”stuck” in unhealthy patterns and want tools the two of you can use to help you to get “unstuck”
Virginia Satir, affectionately known as the Mother of Family Therapy, developed a series of experiential processes that help people begin to relate to themselves and others from a place of high self value. Her methods are positively directional and based on human validation.
After 9 years of studying the Satir Method under Dr Maria Gomori PhD, Dr Roger and Dr Stanley, have “lived experience” applying her methods themselves in intimate relationship. They have designed ways to help couples deepen emotional intimacy.
Format:
Using Satir experiential exercises ( Family mapping, Sculpting, Exploration of the Personal Icebergs and the Self Mandala…and many others) participants will work together with their partner to develop increased clarity about where their relationship patterns come from. They will learn healthy ways to transform these patterns and deepen the emotional connection with their loved one.
Investment:
The Earlybird tuition price of $2000 per couple is available up to one month prior to the program start. Regular tuition is $2160 per couple. All tuition must be paid in full one month prior to the program start date.
You can find our cancellation policy here
Schedule:
Your program begins with dinner at 6pm and your first session at 7:30pm
Daily schedule:
Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00am
Morning session 9:15am to noon
Lunch noon to 1:00pm
Afternoon session 3:00 - 6:00pm
Dinner 6:00 - 7:00pm
Evening session 7:30 - 9:30pm
Your program finishes at 11:30am on the last day followed by lunch.
Transportation:
If you are travelling to Gabriola as a foot passenger on the Gabriola Ferry a shuttle to The Haven can be requested. Information on this option will be included in your pre-arrival email.
Admission requirements: The student must have the desire and ability to learn. Must demonstrate a capacity for responsible self care, responsible self organization and sound mental health. The student must understand and speak English.
This program does not require approval by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. As such, the registrar did not review this program. What does this mean? Click here to learn more.
