

This workshop is welcoming to couples/ partnerships 18+ of all identities & expressions. The workshop is limited to a total of 10 partnerships and will be held in-person in Pasadena, CA.
Saturday, March 14, 2026- Sunday, March 15, 2026
In-person in Pasadena, CA
Early Enrollment: $999
** (before January 1, 2026)
After January 1, 2026: $1200
Hold Me Tight® is a transformative weekend couples retreat designed to help partners reconnect, communicate better, and strengthen emotional intimacy. Based on the internationally acclaimed book Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson, this workshop uses the principles of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), one of the most research-supported, effective approaches to relationship healing
Whether you’re feeling emotionally distant, stuck in the same old arguments, or simply want to grow closer, this retreat gives you the structure, tools, and support to move forward together.

This weekend retreat is designed for couples in the Pasadena and Los Angeles area who are ready to reconnect, deepen their emotional bond, and move past stuck patterns.
It’s a great fit for:
Whether you’re looking to reignite connection or address long-standing challenges, this Pasadena-based Hold Me Tight® workshop offers a focused, supportive space to do the work together.
Over two days, you’ll experience a mix of:
Understand the science of attachment, bonding, and emotional patterns.
You won’t be sharing personal details with the group — you’ll be supported in having meaningful, structured conversations with each other.
These exercises are based on decades of research showing how couples form and maintain secure bonds.
Perfect for couples who are in therapy, starting therapy, or simply wanting to deepen connection.

Tsoline Kouyoumjian (she/her) has been a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist since 2013. She has worked in most levels of care including residential and outpatient programs where she served in different capacities including primary therapist and interim director. Her experience includes working with clients struggling with substance abuse, eating disorders, and mood disorders. In 2020, Tsoline pursued her interest in providing more evidenced based relationship therapy and began her education and training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. In 2024, Tsoline was certified as an EFT therapist and is providing care to individuals and couples throughout CA. Tsoline can provide therapy in both English and Armenian.
A Hold Me Tight® workshop is a structured, two-day relationship retreat based on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), one of the most research-supported approaches for couples. Through short teaching segments, guided private conversations, and structured exercises, couples learn how to identify negative cycles, express deeper emotional needs, and strengthen secure attachment — the foundation of lasting closeness.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) typically unfolds across weekly sessions, allowing space to integrate insights over time. A Hold Me Tight® weekend condenses the core components of the EFCT change process into a structured, experiential format. For couples who are new to EFCT, the workshop provides foundational psychoeducation about attachment, negative cycles, emotional safety, and core relational needs. For couples who are actively engaged in EFCT, the weekend offers an intensive opportunity to reinforce themes from therapy, deepen emotional conversations, and complete guided exercises that may take longer to reach in weekly work. All personal work happens privately with your partner, not in a group format. Many couples find the combination of therapy + workshop to be particularly powerful.
This retreat is ideal for couples/ relationships who:
Feel stuck in recurring arguments or communication patterns
Want a deeper emotional connection
Are longing for more closeness, trust, and understanding
Are in couples therapy and want to enhance the work
Are interested in beginning EFT but haven’t started therapy yet
Have been feeling like “roommates” and want to reconnect
Whether your relationship is strong but longing for deeper intimacy or struggling and needing a path forward, this workshop meets you where you are.
Many couples who attend are experiencing significant disconnection, high conflict, or painful cycles that feel hard to break. The Hold Me Tight® model is specifically designed to help repair emotional injuries, reduce reactivity, and increase safety. If your relationship is in acute crisis (e.g., ongoing affairs, recent separation, active violence, or untreated severe mental health concerns), we encourage you to reach out so we can help determine whether this workshop or a different form of support is the best next step.
Not at all. This workshop is helpful both for:
Couples currently in therapy, who want to accelerate progress
Couples new to therapy, who want a powerful introduction to EFT
Many partners attend as a way of strengthening connection before beginning regular therapy—while others attend mid-therapy as a transformative reset.
No. The workshop includes group teaching, but all emotional conversations and vulnerable work happen privately between you and your partner. You can relax knowing you will not be asked to disclose anything personal with others in the room.
It’s extremely common for one partner to feel unsure, overwhelmed, or anxious. This workshop is gentle, structured, supportive, and not confrontational. There’s no public sharing, no forced vulnerability, and no surprises. Many hesitant partners end up reporting that the workshop felt safer, calmer, and more grounding than they expected. If helpful, we can provide a short call or written overview to help your partner feel more comfortable.
Yes. The workshop is fully inclusive of LGBTQ+, queer, non-monogomous, poly, and gender-diverse partners. EFT is an attachment-based model relevant to all relationships, and our approach is affirming, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive.
Not necessarily, they’re just different! Both have their own benefits, and they can even work beautifully together.
This Hold Me Tight® couples retreat offers a focused, immersive experience designed to help you and your partner reconnect, understand each other more deeply, and begin shifting unhelpful patterns. It can be a powerful catalyst, especially if you’re feeling stuck or need a jumpstart.
However, lasting relationship change often takes time. Weekly therapy allows for ongoing support, integration, and the kind of consistent emotional rewiring that helps new patterns really stick. Many couples use the retreat to complement their therapy, to gain momentum, or to reconnect after hitting a rough patch. It’s not a replacement, but it can absolutely be a turning point.
Cancellations made up to 21 days prior to the date of the workshop are subject to a $75 admin fee. Cancellations made between14-20 days prior to the date of the workshop will be refunded at 50%. No refunds given 14 days or less from the workshop (March 1st or later).