Retrouvaille: Help for Troubled Marriages

A married couple who worships at St. Luke in Whitestone encouraged me to write about a program called Retrouvaille (pronounced RET-TRO-VI). It is a word that comes from the French language and is means “to return.” The program is Christian, Catholic in origin, but open to people of all faiths. Basically, it is geared to help married couples who are experiencing difficulties in their relationships to get a chance to put things back together again. Couples who go into the program may or may not have already tried marriage counseling to repair their relationship. But no matter what they have tried to do, giving this program a chance to work can be quite beneficial. I have had some personal experience with Retrouvaille in the past. I referred a couple to attend. They had a great experience, and it saved their marriage. They were hesitant, but once they experienced it, they were ever grateful for the opportunity to participate. After they were back to a very good point in their relationship, they asked me if there was anything they could do to help me get the word out about the program’s existence. At the same time, another couple came to visit me with marriage issues. The Holy Spirit prompted me to ask couple number one to speak to couple number two in order to encourage the second couple to give Retrouvaille a chance. They did attend, and with the grace of God and their determination, they also saved their relationship. As far as I know, both of these marriages are still intact.

What makes Retrouvaille unique is that personal issues are never shared with others; presenters are trained and experienced in delivering the program effectively; and ongoing support and continuing education are part of the package. Basically, the program consists of a weekend away, usually at a retreat house or other facility that can provide meeting space, sleeping quarters, and food for the entire weekend. It may seem like a great investment of time when you first hear about a full weekend away, but it’s worth the time spent if the results are productive. After the weekend is completed, the program provides six follow-up sessions. The purpose of these sessions is to unpack what was shared at the weekend and to process the findings of the couple in regard to implementing what they have gained from the weekend’s presentations.

The cost of the program is definitely worth it! You cannot put a price on the benefits to be gained! I would like to encourage any married couple who is in need of help to give this program a try. You can only do so much on your own. Sometimes, you need help from outside sources. NO judgments are made; confidentiality is respected; results are proven since the program began in 1977.

Any couple in the Long Island, NY Metropolitan area who might wish to avail themselves of a Retrouvaille weekend is encouraged to call 516-405-0323 or email 3028r@helpyourmarriage.org for more information. There is an upcoming weekend scheduled for Jan 23-25, 2026. Please join in prayer for the married couples who will attend.