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.
transform your relationship in a few days instead of several months?
What if you couldCouples 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.
You’ve been feelingstuck 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.
Our FrameworkEmotionally 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.
Two-Day In-Person Couples Intensive
What’s IncludedPre-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 TogetherMarriage 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!
spending two whole days diving into your relationship
We know the idea ofMight 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
emotionallyWhat 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?
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.
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? -
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.
Who is thisintensive 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.
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!
Next StepsReady 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.
Sample ScheduleDay 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
Day 2Rebuild 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 tostop 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?
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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? -
Success StoriesWhat 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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We understand that investing in your relationship is a significant decision.
To make our Marriage Intensives more accessible, we offer payment plan options for many of our programs. During your consultation, we'll discuss available payment options and help you determine what works best for your situation.
Many couples tell us they view a Marriage Intensive as one of the most meaningful investments they've made—not simply because of the experience itself, but because of the lasting impact it has on their relationship.
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This is one of the most common questions we receive—and one of the biggest reasons couples hesitate to attend.
The answer is no.
Our Marriage Retreat Intensives are not traditional group therapy. You will never be expected to publicly discuss intimate details of your relationship, disclose painful experiences, or participate in anything that feels uncomfortable or exposing.
Most of the meaningful work happens privately between you and your spouse. We'll provide expert teaching, guided exercises, and opportunities for personal reflection, but your conversations remain your own.
Many couples tell us they arrive worried about the group setting and leave saying, "It wasn't anything like we imagined." Instead of feeling exposed, they felt encouraged by being surrounded by other couples who were equally committed to investing in their marriages. You come in feeling alone and leave feeling normal!
Our goal is to create a space that feels safe, respectful, and supportive—where you can focus on your relationship without feeling pressured to share more than you're comfortable sharing.
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Only the two of you can decide what the future of your relationship will be—but if you're both willing to show up with openness, honesty, and a desire to understand one another, meaningful change is possible.
We've worked with couples facing years of disconnection, repeated conflict, betrayal, and hopelessness. While we can't promise a specific outcome, we can promise that you'll receive compassionate guidance, evidence-based care, and a personalized experience designed to help you move toward greater understanding and healing.
Sometimes the hardest step is simply deciding to begin.
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Our goal isn't to solve every problem your relationship has ever faced.
Our goal is to help you make meaningful progress, gain clarity, and develop a practical roadmap for continued growth.
Many couples experience significant breakthroughs during their intensive, and we'll provide personalized recommendations for maintaining that momentum after you leave, whether through follow-up sessions, additional resources, or continued practice at home. The intensive is meant to jump start progress so you can continue to build and grow your relationship.
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Almost every couple wonders this before they arrive.
The truth is that every relationship has its own story. Some couples are recovering from betrayal, others feel emotionally disconnected, while others simply want to strengthen an already healthy marriage.
This isn't a place where couples compare themselves to one another—it's a place where they focus on their own relationship. Again and again, couples tell us how comforting it was to realize they weren't alone and how much hope they gained from seeing that meaningful change is possible.
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It's common for one partner to feel more enthusiastic than the other.
Many couples tell us one spouse initially came because the other encouraged them to attend. Once they experienced the supportive, non-judgmental environment, they were surprised by how comfortable and valuable the experience felt.
We don't believe in assigning blame or choosing sides. Our focus is helping both partners better understand one another and creating a space where each person feels heard, respected, and supported.
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Not at all.
Some couples attend because they're navigating a difficult season, while others come because they want to strengthen an already healthy relationship before small issues become larger ones.
Both our Group and Private Marriage Intensives are designed for couples who are ready to invest intentionally in their relationship, regardless of where they are on their journey.
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We offer both Private and Marriage Retreat Intensives, with different formats available throughout the year.
Our Marriage Retreat Intensives are two-day immersive experiences held on select dates and are ideal for couples who want a structured, transformational retreat alongside other couples.
Our Private Marriage Intensives are available in one-, two-, and three-day formats and are scheduled individually based on your relationship's needs and availability.
During your consultation, we'll help you determine which experience is the best fit for your relationship.
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