Where clarity begins, and connection deepens.
Private couples therapy retreat in the South Downs of Hampshires
Bold work in the quietest corner.
Our Retreat
For Couples Who Get On — But Feel Miles Apart
You’ve kept things ticking over.
Stayed civil. Carried on.
You manage the diary, the kids, the conversation.
But the closeness? That’s gone quiet.
Maybe you don’t argue much—just orbit around each other, polite but distant. Or maybe you’re stuck in the same row, too worn down to bring it up again.
And yet, something in you still hopes.
Our South Downs couples therapy intensives are for thoughtful, capable partners who want more than a functional life.
You don’t just want to “get on.” You want to feel close again.
This isn’t a quick fix or a box to tick.
It’s time set aside for real work—guided by someone who knows how to help you get unstuck.
A calm setting. A clear structure.
And space to speak the truths that don’t come out in an hour a week.
That’s what our Hampshire relationship therapy retreats offer:
Time. Space. Privacy.
A quiet setting to do the work—together.
These private intensives aren’t about having better conversations.
They’re about building a different way of being—while you’re still in the thick of it.
You’ll unpack long-standing patterns, name what’s gone unsaid, and begin practising a different kind of connection—right there in the room.
It’s focused, evidence-based, and designed for couples who can’t wait for “some other time.”
Less circling. More clarity.
And the kind of support that doesn’t miss the mark.
“All we needed was a quiet place to stop bracing…”
Why a Private Intensive Retreat?
Because some things can’t be sorted in fifty minutes, once a week.
In standard therapy, just as you start to open up, time runs out. You leave holding the heavy bits, waiting until next time—if there is a next time.
But with a private intensive, there’s no clock ticking.
You’re not squeezing in change between errands or emails.
Instead, you step away. Slow down.
And give yourselves the space to go deeper—with someone who knows how to help.
This isn’t a spa break or a last resort.
It’s structured, focused therapeutic work.
Held gently. Carried through with care.
The kind of time couples rarely get—but often need most.
You don’t have to shout to be unheard.
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 South Downs Couples Therapist
Fiona Herbert
Fiona Herbert is a seasoned couples and family therapist with over 20 years of experience in the health and social care sector. Her approach is grounded in systemic psychotherapy, enriched by her international experience in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Fiona believes that no issue is too small or too big to be discussed in therapy if it impacts the quality of the intimate relationship. She is known for her warm, welcoming nature and her ability to create a safe space where clients feel at ease. Fiona’s practice is characterised by her use of creativity and humour to balance the intensity of therapy sessions, helping couples move forward with comfort.
“I find that generally speaking, there is no issue too small or too big that cannot be discussed in couples therapy if it impacts the quality of the intimate relationship. I especially love to work with those therapy cynics out there and win them over.”
— Fiona Herbert, conducting intensives with Couples Therapy Inc.
Learn more about Fiona Herbert →
Liphook, Hampshire
Set in the gentle folds of the South Downs, Liphook offers quietude and charm—just over an hour from London by car or direct train from Waterloo.
Once a coaching stop between the capital and Portsmouth, this historic village now serves as a quiet haven for couples ready to do meaningful, restorative work.
Sessions take place at Chiltlee Manor, a Grade II listed estate set amidst beautifully tended gardens. The setting is calm, private, and rich in natural beauty—ideal for reflection, reconnection, and emotional repair.
Just five minutes from the estate, Woolmer Mist B&B offers a peaceful, well-kept stay—thoughtful hosts, garden views, and the kind of quiet that lets the work settle in.
The Unseen Cost of Relationship Distress
Even in the calm of the countryside—or the quiet corners of a bustling city—relationships can fray in slow, silent ways.
It’s not always shouting.
Sometimes it’s the long pauses.
The late nights lost in scrolling.
The careful choreography of not touching in bed.
You may be living under the same roof, but feeling continents apart.
The truth is, relationship strain seeps into every part of life—your wellbeing, your work, your sleep, even your sense of who you are. And while time may blur the edges, it rarely heals the root.
That’s why we don’t just offer more talking.
We offer a turning point.
“Relationships don’t collapse in a moment.
They fade in the spaces where we stop reaching.
That’s where our work begins.”
— Dr. Kathy McMahon, Founder, Couples Therapy Inc.
Is a Relationship Retreat Right for You?
You’ve likely had just enough good moments to keep trying.
And just enough heartbreak to wonder why you do.
Maybe you’ve sat on a therapist’s couch before, watching the clock while circling the same old arguments.
Maybe you haven’t—but you’re tired of waiting for things to magically mend on their own.
In the South Downs, there’s no magic.
Just time. Privacy. Stillness.
And someone trained to help you cut through the noise.
Here, you get more than a place to talk.
You get space to feel.
To finally name the things you’ve been tiptoeing around.
And to start making your way back—not to how it was, but to what it could be.
It’s not for everyone.
It’s for couples who are ready to stop dancing around the truth—and start moving through it.
If you’re facing addiction, untreated mental illness, or abuse, that’s sacred ground.
And it deserves a different kind of care.
We’ll help you find it.
When the world quiets down,
what matters finds its voice.
After the Retreat
Your retreat may be over, but the shift doesn’t stop there.
We offer structured support to help you maintain the gains you’ve made:
We’re here for your growth.
We’re not just here for your crisis.
How is all of this done?
You’re not expected to have it all figured out.
That’s why we’ve shaped a clear, human-led process—step by step, person to person.
No guesswork. No scrolling through a sea of faces.
Just thoughtful guidance that begins with real listening—and leads to working with someone who genuinely fits.
We’ll walk you through:
Whether you arrive uncertain, hopeful, or simply weary of going in circles—this is a steadier way forward.
Let’s Begin
Even quiet places hold echoes.
Let’s listen for what still matters.