The Scoop: On Retreat Finder, you simply input the location, theme, and structure of your ideal retreat to find a bevy of options. Couples and singles alike can find socializing opportunities and personal growth on a therapist-led retreat. Retreat Finder’s co-owners, Amir Jafari and Lindsey Weissert, told us about how healing these retreats can actually be. 

You wake up at the crack of dawn, but not to your screeching alarm clock. In fact, you’re not quite sure what woke you up. It was either your husband’s deafening snores, your toddler’s feet in your face (the only way they can sleep these days), or the weight of your impending responsibilities for the day ahead. Everything feels difficult these days, from your work goals to your nonexistent private time with your spouse to your child-rearing responsibilities. And whatever happened to your own hopes and dreams? 

We all deal with a version of this scenario. Visions of cocktails and beaches may dance through your head, but consider taking a more proactive approach to your relaxation. 

Photo from Retreat Finder website that says When It's Time To Return To You, Find Your Next Retreat On RetreatFinder.com
You can use Retreat Finder to choose your next self-improvement, relationship-building, socializing, or relaxation destination.

A retreat gives you a chance to recharge and assess your goals, either solo or with your partner. Finding the right retreat for you and/or your relationship can be tricky. You have to balance cost, travel, and an abundance of options with your individual needs and desires. Retreat Finder, a comprehensive online retreat directory, makes it easier. 

We spoke to Retreat Finder’s co-owners, Amir Jafari and Lindsey Weissert, about the benefits of a retreat versus a vacation, and why Retreat Finder is a unique tool to help you choose your ideal retreat destination. “We are now one of the leading hubs for retreat information,” Amir told us. 

The sooner you narrow down your parameters, the sooner you can finally enjoy some much-needed R&R. 

Retreat Finder Emphasizes Your Options 

Retreats come in all shapes and sizes. There are retreats for Christians, people in the LGBTQ+ community, foodies, and luxury-seekers. Most retreats are designed to help the participant achieve something, whether it’s professional development, weight loss, sobriety, mindfulness, or conflict resolution. 

Expect a retreat to have a more structured format than a standard vacation. This is especially true if your retreat is run by a licensed therapist, or if it has daily schedules or activities. As far as couples’ retreats go, “The facilitator is there to guide you, and to work on your relationship in different workshops,” Lindsey told us. 

Photo from Retreat Finder of a group of smiling women that says Calling All High-Achieving Women
Most retreat-goers are women, which makes retreats great places to socialize and make connections.

Retreats are a unique way to focus on self-improvement or work on your mental health. Instead of partying to relax — a short-term benefit, at best — retreats offer a holistic way to recharge and learn self-improvement skills to help you in the long-term. 

“I think it’s great for singles and couples to view [retreats] as a new way to travel,” Lindsey pointed out. This is where Retreat Finder comes in handy. Retreat-seekers simply choose the type of retreat they want, and the Retreat Finder database uses this information to provide the user with relevant options. “We only send [the user] content based on the interests they’ve explicitly told us they care about,” Amir said. 

You can find group retreats and solo retreats on Retreat Finder. It all comes down to whichever type of retreat will most meet your needs. “A group program has a start date and an end date, and 10 or 20 people go through this as a cohort together,” Amir explained. “A personal retreat is more self paced.” 

“I think it’s great for singles and couples to view [retreats] as a new way to travel.”

Personal retreats give couples time to reconnect on their own terms. Of course, solo retreats can be just as beneficial, especially when it comes to socializing. “The vast majority of people going on retreats are women,” Amir shared. In fact, nearly 70% of Retreat Finder’s demographic is made up of women. Men, take this as a reminder to be your most relaxed, authentic self on a singles’ retreat (or any type of retreat, really). Amir pointed out how retreats can be “a great way for men to show they’re investing in their personal growth, a quality many women find attractive.”

An Ideal Setting For Romance 

There’s a reason why so many couples choose tropical or exotic locales for their honeymoons. The warm, inviting atmosphere is as relaxing as it is romantic, and is a far cry from the bustling life you both left behind. 

A similar thought process explains why couples choose exotic destinations for couples retreats. “If you are pursuing your interest in a personal development context at an exotic location, that’s a powerful combination to create an environment where love can blossom,” he explained. 

Photo from Retreat Finder of a woman holding a mug and looking out the window while smiling and looking peaceful
Couples can work through their issues and grow as a unit on a retreat.

Some of the retreats suggested by Retreat Finder are run by therapists. “If you are in a position where you want to strengthen your relationship [on a retreat], we have those options on the site,” Lindsey told us. In fact, many couples’ retreats headed by therapists are less like a vacation and more like therapy with a tropical backdrop. “People will set aside three or four days solely to work on their relationship.” 

On Retreat Finder, you can even specify the type of therapy you’re looking to receive, and can choose from a selection of relevant options. Do you want to work on your communication skills, or focus on overcoming a betrayal? “There are retreats for when you’re in crisis,” Amir said. Whether you’re dealing with infidelity, grief, or any other kind of trauma, you and your partner can probably find a retreat on Retreat Finder. The filters on the site make it easier to find your preferred retreat destination, too.

“A retreat is a great alternative to just going to a resort in Cancun and drinking pina coladas… It’s a great way to invest in the relationship.”

There are retreats that help you reconnect with your spouse on a physical and emotional basis. “A retreat is a great alternative to just going to a resort in Cancun and drinking pina coladas,” Amir said. Couples retreats with a therapeutic bent are structured in a way that maximizes your time. “It’s a great way to invest in the relationship,” Amir pointed out. 

Signing up for a couples retreat, especially one headed by a licensed therapist, is a unique opportunity to prioritize your relationship and address any points of contention. “It’s like taking your car to the shop,” Amir said. “Retreats tend to be a safe space where you can speak the truth.”

Speaking the truth can occasionally be painful, especially if it leads to a couple’s decision to split up. But it’s only sometimes painful; it’s always freeing. 

Personal Growth Is Just As Important For Singles 

Many retreats have the same goal: to help you open your heart and mind to new experiences, new passions, new ideas, and, if you’re lucky, new people. 

“I think retreats are an amazing opportunity for singles to flex their dating muscles,” Amir said. “There’s a lot of community-based activities where people might do group sharing and open themselves up and develop a deep level of trust with other participants.” 

Photo of a peaceful spa and pool that says Your Path To Growth And Transformation Starts Here
Singles can bond and be their most authentic selves on retreats.

In these open environments, people are more likely to be themselves. There’s no better way to attract someone than with your own authenticity. “It’s not uncommon for people to be their authentic self and then see somebody else doing the same, and have chemistry and attraction arise,” Amir added. 

But you don’t want to be, as Amir put it, “the creepy guy in the corner.” In other words, don’t sign up for a retreat with the end-goal of hooking up with someone. Go into a retreat with the intention of growing as an individual and making meaningful friendships, not necessarily meaningful romances. 

One could argue that the most meaningful relationships are born from real, deep friendships. “When you’re pursuing your interest, you tend to be more fun and open and engaged in that activity,” Amir told us. This is why he emphasized Retreat Finder’s search options, which make it easier to find your exact interests on the site. 

Photo of a group of young people wearing matching shirts and doing a group high-five
You can’t go wrong choosing a retreat that centers on one of your greatest passions.

“People that attend retreats tend to be doing some degree of personal development, [and] tend to be engaged with a topic that they’re passionate about,” Amir pointed out. From active adventure to meditation to yoga, a retreat’s theme should speak to you in a deep, fulfilling way. 

It’s okay to be a little selfish on a solo retreat because that’s the whole point: to reconnect with yourself and your passions. You don’t only have an opportunity to relax, but to open up, Amir told us. You may have signed up for the retreat to reconnect with your passion and heal your inner trauma, which are their own rewards. But simply being in a growth mindset could make you more conducive to social connections — and to love. 

Amir summed it up perfectly: “When you’re letting go of your past … that growth becomes a great conduit for a relationship to emerge.”