Hold Me Close
A reflective retreat for couples who want to understand the deeper patterns shaping their relationship.
Our Approach
Love is something we can work on and get better at. Using a blend of attachment-based and emotionally focused approaches, this retreat helps you better understand relationships in a way that is accessible and practical. You can learn to give and receive love more fully, and to connect more deeply with yourself and the person who matters most.
Who is this for?
If your relationship is still important to you, but you feel increasingly discouraged by recurring conflict or misalignment that never seems to fully resolve, then this retreat is almost certainly for you.
The openness of the Karoo slows the nervous system.
The Accommodation
Meet the Team
Charles Clark runs a private practice and is registered as a counsellor with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. He specializes in couples therapy and relationship-focused work.
Where does the retreat take place?
Set on a 4,500-hectare working cattle farm in the Karoo, bordering the Anysberg Nature Reserve, the wide, open landscape brings a sense of space and stillness that is difficult to find elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is often the very reason couples attend. You don’t need to arrive with clarity or certainty.
In many cases, part of the work involves creating the space to better understand what is happening in the relationship, and what each partner is feeling and needing. Rather than pushing toward a specific outcome, the focus is on helping couples gain a clearer understanding of themselves, each other, and the patterns that shape their interactions.
When relationships feel uncertain, it is natural to focus on decisions — whether to stay, change, or move on. Often, however, the difficulty lies a step before that. It is not always a lack of answers, but a lack of clarity about what one is feeling, needing, or trying to express.
The work of the retreat is to help reconnect with that inner experience. As this becomes clearer, conversations tend to realign, and a greater sense of direction begins to emerge more naturally.
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It is a combination of both. The retreat is grounded in established therapeutic approaches, but takes place in a more immersive and reflective environment. This allows for deeper engagement than is often possible in weekly sessions, while still being structured and professionally guided.
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The retreat primarily involves guided group processes and structured couple exercises. There may be opportunities for brief individual or couple check-ins where needed, but the focus is on helping couples engage directly with one another within a supported environment.
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At times, it may. Meaningful work in relationships often involves engaging with thoughts and feelings that are not always easy to express. The process is carefully guided to ensure that this happens in a way that is manageable and constructive. You are never required to share more than you feel able to, and the emphasis is always on creating safety and respect.
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In many cases, yes. Couples who are experiencing distance, conflict, or repeated patterns often benefit from stepping outside of their usual environment and engaging in a more structured process. However, the retreat may not be suitable in situations involving ongoing abuse, active affairs that have not been disclosed, or where one partner is unwilling to participate. If you are unsure, you are welcome to make contact to discuss your situation.
What Couples Are Saying
“Thank you — I didn’t realise how much we needed this. I have learned so much about myself and my husband, and am excited to start implementing what we have learned in our relationship. We both feel like we have a better sense of what it will take to grow and draw closer together.”
— Auriel & Kushan“I appreciate the careful conversations and the sensitivity you both brought to the facilitation. I can see more clearly the dance we move into — it is both scary and empowering to finally get a clear view of our interactions.”
— Joseph & Claire“The weekend has given me a clearer view of myself — there are deeper nuances to our conflict which we can now see more clearly and identify. The weekend was well set up; you set a tone that allowed not only for the content to be well received, but also a safe environment for confronting the more emotional aspects of our relationship.”
— Carl & Monique“It was awesome. I am so grateful for the insights and experience — I think it will definitely help me going forward.”
— Shane