Authentic Marriages

Marriage Retreat in Atlanta, GA

Two Day, Intensive Couples Therapy for Lasting Change

A private, in-person, immersive marriage intensive near Atlanta, GA designed for couples who need more than weekly therapy. Over two intentional days, we'll help you uncover the patterns keeping you stuck, have the conversations you've been avoiding, rebuild emotional safety, and begin creating new ways of relating.

Couple at a couples intensive
Married couple husband kissing wife at intensive counseling

transform your relationship in a few days instead of several months?

What if you could

Couples therapy can boost your marriage, but lasting change often comes from 6-12 months of weekly couples therapy. If you still feel stuck or need momentum now, marriage intensives can jumpstart your journey, offering hope and tools for immediate progress. They complement ongoing couples therapy, aiming for a monumental shift. Fill out the inquiry form to learn more.

When Your Relationship Needs More Than an Hour a Week!

Some relationships can't afford to wait months for meaningful progress.

When communication has broken down, trust has been damaged, or the same painful patterns continue despite your best efforts, weekly therapy may no longer feel like enough.

A Marriage Intensive provides dedicated, uninterrupted time to step away from everyday distractions and focus completely on your relationship. Through a personalized, private experience, we'll help you uncover what's keeping you stuck, strengthen emotional connection, and create a practical path toward lasting change.

black couple at a couples intensive
You’ve been feeling

stuck in the same patterns

having the same arguments, and wondering how on earth you’ll ever get back to the love that brought you together. Maybe you’re both exhausted from the cycle, and the idea of another hour of therapy each week feels like barely a dent in the deep work you know you need. Or maybe you’re looking at your partner, thinking, "I love you, but how do we make this stop?"

We get it. This feeling of being stuck in a holding pattern is all too familiar for many couples we’ve worked with. It’s like you can see the mountain in front of you but can’t get the momentum to make it over to the other side. And it’s frustrating and defeating. The good news? You can make it over that mountain with our in-person couples intensive.

marriage intensive counseling black couple
Our Framework

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy: Therapy that works!

We combine Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), EMDR, and experiential therapy because relationship struggles are rarely caused by communication alone. Together, these approaches help couples understand the deeper patterns beneath conflict, process unresolved emotional wounds, and begin building new ways of connecting.

Together, we’ll help you understand the moves you’re both making in the relationship and why they’re not working. Then, we’ll create a plan to help you move forward, united and stronger than before.

what is a couples intensive?

When one hour of couples therapy a week is not enough…

A Couples Intensive is an immersive therapy experience designed for couples who want to make significant progress in a shorter period of time than traditional weekly counseling typically allows.

Instead of spreading conversations across months, you'll spend one, two, or three focused days working through the issues that matter most—with the time and space to move beyond surface-level conversations and into meaningful healing.

Every Marriage Intensive is customized to your relationship. There are no predetermined scripts or one-size-fits-all programs because every couple brings a unique story, history, and set of challenges.

black couples therapist coaching wife

Two-Day In-Person Couples Intensive

What’s Included

Pre-Intensive Session: A 90 minute virtual couples assessment

Post Intensive Sessions: Three 90 minute virtual group coaching calls

Course Suite: Access to our online courses to continue to continue your relationship growth

Private Community: Growing in community is guaranteed to fast track results!

Experience the Power of Healing Together

Marriage Intensive Retreats

There's something profoundly encouraging about realizing you're not the only couple facing challenges.

In our Marriage Intensive Retreat, you'll receive expert teaching, guided exercises, and dedicated time to reconnect with your spouse while sharing the experience with a small community of couples who are equally committed to strengthening their marriages.

Unlike traditional workshops where you simply listen to presentations, our group intensives are intentionally designed to combine meaningful teaching with private couple conversations, experiential exercises, and opportunities to practice new ways of connecting in a supportive environment.

Many couples discover that hearing the stories of others reduces shame, builds hope, and reminds them that lasting change is possible.

This is our signature experience!

Dr. Kiddoe coaching husband

spending two whole days diving into your relationship

We know the idea of

Might sound exhausting…and it is! But it’s also deeply transformational. You’ll come out the other side with:

Understand the negative communication patterns keeping you stuck and pulling you apart.

A deeper emotional connection and the feeling of being seen, heard and understood by your partner

A plan to continue the work at home or with your therapist

Dedicated, uninterrupted time to make meaningful progress that often feels difficult to achieve in traditional weekly therapy.

Process unresolved hurt that continue affecting your relationship

Practice new conversations with real-time coaching

marriage intensive black couple embracing
emotionally

What to expect

Nearly every couple arrives feeling a little nervous…

Some haven't had an honest conversation in months. Others worry they'll spend two days arguing. Many wonder if this is their last chance to save their marriage.

What most couples discover instead is that when life finally slows down, something unexpected begins to happen. With the constant distractions removed and someone gently guiding the conversation, they begin hearing each other in ways they haven't in a long time.

This work is emotionally demanding, and we won't pretend otherwise.

There will likely be moments of grief as you face the hurt that's been building between you.

Moments of hope as you begin to understand each other differently.

Moments of relief as conversations that once felt impossible become possible again.

Sometimes all three in the same hour.

You won't be expected to navigate those moments on your own. We'll be there with you…helping you slow down, make sense of what's happening, and create the emotional safety needed for honest conversations, meaningful healing, and lasting change.

Our goal isn't to decide who's right or wrong. It's to help both of you feel understood, because lasting change happens when both partners feel emotionally safe enough to be honest.

Why a Husband-Wife Clinical Team?

black couples therapist dr. jared kiddoe and kaara kiddoe

Kaara brings deep expertise in trauma healing, EMDR, and Emotionally Focused Therapy, helping couples move beyond surface-level conflict to the deeper hurts and unmet needs that keep them feeling disconnected.

While one of us is guiding the conversation, the other is observing what isn't being said…the subtle emotional shifts, interaction patterns, and moments that can easily be missed with only one clinician in the room. Together, we're able to notice patterns, ask deeper questions, and help each of you feel seen without losing sight of the relationship as a whole.

We're not on the husband's side or the wife's side…we're on the side of your relationship!

Together, we provide balanced perspectives, compassionate accountability, and a shared commitment to creating the emotional safety needed for honest conversations, meaningful healing, and lasting change.

Most couples work with one therapist.

Your relationship gets two.

When you're trying to untangle years of hurt, misunderstanding, and disconnection, it helps to have two experienced clinicians seeing your relationship from different perspectives at the same time.

As a husband-and-wife team, we also bring something that's difficult to teach in a textbook—a lived understanding that every relationship is experienced through two different lenses. We know firsthand that the very same conversation can feel completely different to each spouse. That perspective shapes how we listen, how we ask questions, and how we help couples move from defensiveness to understanding.

Many couples tell us they feel more at ease knowing both a male and female clinician are in the room. It creates a natural sense of balance and helps each spouse feel heard, understood, and represented throughout the process. We aren't there to decide who's right or wrong. We're there to help each of you understand your own experience, better understand your partner's experience, and work together toward healing.

Jared brings the lens of psychiatry, helping couples understand attachment, emotional regulation, and the family patterns that quietly shape how we love, protect ourselves, and respond under stress.

dr. jared kiddoe and kaara kiddoe

Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a more fulfilling relationship?

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Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you?

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Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you?

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Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a more fulfilling relationship? - Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you? - Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you? -

dr. jared kiddoe and kaara kiddoe couples therapist and marriage coaches
Why Choose Us?

We’re Dr. Jared & Kaara Kiddoe, LCSW

At Authentic Marriages, your intensive is guided by the husband and wife team - Dr. Jared Kiddoe, a double board-certified psychiatrist, and Kaara Kiddoe, an experienced couples & trauma therapist.

Together, we bring complementary perspectives that allow us to understand your relationship from multiple angles—including emotional connection, attachment, trauma, communication patterns, and mental health, while creating a unified plan tailored specifically to your relationship.

Our goal isn't simply to resolve conflict. It's to help you understand the deeper patterns that have been shaping your relationship and create healthier ways of connecting moving forward.

With over 20 years of combined experience, we’ve trained extensively in Emotionally Focused Therapy, EMDR (trauma therapy), and Experiential Therapy to help couples like you. We don’t shy away from the hard stuff, and we promise to walk with you through the challenges to a place of connection and love. We’ve been there ourselves, and we believe restoration is possible.

Black couple holding hands at couples intensive
Who is this

intensive for?

The Marriage Reignite Couples Intensive is designed for couples who are ready to do the deep work, tackle tough conversations, and reignite the connection in their relationship. It’s for you if:

01. Constant conflict that never gets resolved. You’re stuck in negative cycles – You and your partner keep repeating the same arguments without resolution.

02. You feel emotionally disconnected. Feel more like roommates than partners – You love your partner but feel like there’s a wall between you. You feel like roommates living parallel lives.

03. Your relationship is at a crossroads and you are thinking about divorce – You’re considering whether to stay together or part ways and need clarity.

04. You love each other and you’re committed to change – You’re both willing to invest time, energy, and vulnerability into rebuilding your relationship.

05. You’ve tried traditional therapy – You’ve done couples counseling or individual therapy but feel like progress has been slow or incomplete.

06. You are recovering after infidelity or betrayal – The entire foundation of your relationship has been ripped to shreds and you need a safe space to rebuild trust and a strong foundation.

Black couple emotionally disconnected
Who might 

not be a good fit?

While we believe in the power of these intensives, there are some situations where a couples intensive may not be the best option. This program is not appropriate for couples who:

Active addiction: Address substance abuse in individual therapy first.

Ongoing infidelity: Resolve affairs or commitment issues before attending.

Recent affair: Wait until the pain is less raw.

Untreated mental health: Stabilize severe conditions like depression, PTSD, or bipolar disorder first.

Domestic violence: Seek specialized counseling for safety and healing.

We want to ensure the Marriage Reignite Intensive is right for you. Book a couples assessment to discuss your situation.

Ready to Begin?

For couples who are in serious, committed relationships

If your relationship feels stuck, disconnected, or at an important crossroads, you don't have to keep trying to figure it out alone.

Whether you're hoping to rebuild trust, reconnect emotionally, or simply stop repeating the same painful cycle, we're here to help.

Your relationship deserves the time and attention meaningful healing requires.

Schedule Your Marriage Intensive Assessment Today!

happy black couple
Next Steps

Ready to reignite your marriage?

Here’s what you need to do:

01. Complete The Inquiry Form – Let’s make sure this intensive is a good fit for you.

02. Schedule Your Couples Assessment - Prior to your call you will be provide instructions on any additional paperwork needed.

03. Secure Your Spot – Intensives fill up quickly, so book early. A $1,500 non-refundable deposit is required.

04. Prepare for Change – We’ll send you pre-work to help you get ready for our time together.

Investment: $5,000 for the group two-day group intensive, with a $1,500 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. Please contact us for pricing for private intensives.

If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start moving forward, let’s do this. Complete the inquiry form and we will reach out to schedule your consultation to see if an intensive is a good fit.

Dr. Jared Kiddoe coaching couples at marriage intensive
Sample Schedule

Day 1 - Discovery and Breakthrough

Our first day is all about understanding the dynamics of your relationship—what’s happening, why it’s happening, and how you both experience it. We’ll help you recognize your individual patterns and emotions, and then safely guide you through the process of sharing these discoveries with each other to build empathy and emotional connection. This is the first step in breaking the negative conflict cycle.

Sample schedule:

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Session 1

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Session 2

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Break

4:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Session 3

happy black couple who are in love
Day 2

Rebuild and Reignite

Day two builds off the momentum we created on day one. Now that you both understand what’s been happening, it’s time to change those moves. We’ll guide you through powerful exercises to help you see each other with fresh eyes, build empathy, and move toward a place of healing and hope. By the end, you’ll have new tools to stay connected long after the intensive is over.

Sample schedule:

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Session 4

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Session 5

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Break

4:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Session 6

If you’re ready to

stop feeling stuck and
start moving forward

Complete the inquiry form and we will reach out to schedule your assessment to see if an intensive is a good fit for your relationship.

Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a more fulfilling relationship?

-

Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you?

-

Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you?

-

Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a more fulfilling relationship? - Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you? - Are you ready to take the first step ​towards a better you? -

Success Stories

What my clients have to say about working with me

The hearts of Jared and Kaara Kiddoe are revealed in the attention to detail: Each experience was customized and very thoughtful. It was more than I expected…I felt seen. I felt valued. I felt as though this couples retreat was tailored especially for me. Jared and Kaara’s expertise and love of God are evident in the presentations. The content of the presentations provide a framework for normal marital challenges uniquely experienced in each marriage. And, the camaraderie is bar none! 

— D. Laing (Attorney, married for 21 years, with two children)

In all the marriage counseling I have been to in over the last 14 years, everything in these sessions were a first for me. My mind was completely blown by the content. Why isn’t every counselor teaching this?! I left with real and practical tools that I can use that help me grow as an individual and also help grow my marriage. This is literally the hope that I have been looking for for years!!! Everything made sense. These tools can also help me become a better listener and communicator. I plan to teach and help my children to practice some these same principles. I feel like a veil has been torn from my eyes and I see my husband in a whole new light.

— J. John (Pastor’s wife, married with two children)

If you are looking to transform your marriage, reconnect with your spouse or connect with them on a deeper level, learn and grow as a couple, and fellowship with like-minded couples who desire to have happy, healthy, thriving marriages, then you must attend an Authentic Marriages event. I didn’t know what to expect, but what we experienced far exceeded my expectations. This is something that every couple should include as a part of their marriage maintenance. My husband and I look forward to attending the next event! 

— B. Daniels (Wife married with two children)

Still wondering if this is right for you…?

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and apply.

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