ROMANCE RENDEZVOUS RETREAT

The romance of the coastal quaint town of Puerto Vallarta was the exotic scene for the Romance Rendezvous Retreat facilitated by Mari Frank. Using our book Fighting for Love: Turn Conflict Into Intimacy as the guide for the deep, yet fun interactive exercises, the seven loving couples had the joy of experiencing deeper intimacy and passion for each other.

This fabulous retreat took place from at the private Villa Las Palmeras, an 18,000 square foot villa with ocean views from all guest rooms, the living and dining area, and the huge deck. There were plenty of romantic areas of the villa to enjoy private time and still connect with the group- whether in the private swimming pool or the living areas.

If you are interested in a future Romance Rendezvous Retreat, contact us.

See the testimonials and the pictures below:

It was so nice to take a break from our everyday lives. Away from the stresses of careers, family members, and chores, to work on the foundation of what supports my relationship with my spouse. We gained a new awareness of why we communicate the way we do and how we can facilitate better communication. We were exposed to tools and strategies and had the time for thoughtful dialogue to tailor newly gained insights to our specific personalities, needs and stage of life.

Mari was a great facilitator and role model, helping us lower emotional walls, identify boundary issues, thoughtfully communicate to defuse conflict and to identify reactionary habits. We came home with a renewed commitment to treasuring and supporting our relationship and some tools to make it happen. Thank you Mari! –

– Colleen Paterson

As a couple who have been married nearly 50 years, we didn’t think there would be much to learn about each other. We were pleasantly surprised that we thoroughly enjoyed the learning exercises and we came away with the feeling that our marriage had been rejuvenated! We also learned some important listening lessons! All in all, it was a very positive experience and we highly recommend it!

– Anne Selikov

The Romance Retreat, put on by Mari Frank, was a most enjoyable experience. Directed interactions between the couples were fun and made the week go by too quickly. My wife and myself have been married almost 50 years and we thought we knew everything about one another. We actually learned some new things that will make our relationship even stronger.

– Joe Selikov

This retreat was hands down was one of the best things my wife and I have done together in a very long time. Not only did it help with our love affair but we better communicators now. I guess it all counts in the end. The overwhelming gift was that everyone was willing share. Enjoyed the painting, games, songs the lessons from the book and of course you and Lloyd, what a team you make.

– Paul Zeek

I thought the Romance Rendezvous Retreat was very well-balanced with deep, but non-threatening, workshops, fun times, social time and time to reflect and be alone with our loved one. Mari coordinates a masterful retreat! It is filled with meaning, fun and deep connection.

– Sandy Moore

: Delicious dinner at La Palapa

: Rest stop along the boardwalk by the beach

: Snorkeling in the warm, clear ocean

: Playing in our pool at our private villa

: Hike and swim near waterfall at Yelapa

: Heaps of fun while learning to fight for love

: View from our private villa of the quaint town of Puerto Vallarta

: Relaxing massage at the villa

: All bedrooms had views of the ocean

: Gorgeous day fishing

: Dave’s catch of the day!

: Sunset in Puerto Vallarta

: Evening view of the villa ready for a night swim

: Dinner at our villa

: The villa’s upper deck for meditation, yoga, and dancing

: Walk along the beach at sunset

What People Are Saying

Praise for Fighting for Love: Turn Conflict into Intimacy—A Couple’s Guide
“Mari Frank and Leonard Szymczak offer a brilliant book for transforming relationships. Mari’s expertise as a mediationattorney and Leonard’s skill as a psychotherapist help shine the light on forgiveness, healing, and intimacy.”

—Marci Shimoff, #1New York Times bestselling author of Happy for No Reason, Love for No Reason, and Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul
“The secret to relationship success is not how deeply you care for a person, but how compassionately you respond to the bumps in the road: the conflicts, disagreements, and disappointments. This excellent book, written by two seasoned experts, shows you how to turn fragile love into lasting love, and how to turn any fight into a win-win story for everyone.”

—Mark Waldman, co-author of Words Can Change Your Brain and How Enlightenment Changes Your Brain
“Countless couples are miserable or break up for two reasons: They gave up on love and increasing conflict drove them apart. Fighting for Love is a book that eloquently, effectively, and sometimes humorously solves this. If you long for intimacy but live in conflict, this book is just what you need.”

— Dr. Lee Jampolsky, psychologist and best selling author of
“Fighting for Love is a roadmap to understanding what it truly means to connect with another on an intimate level of love and harmony. Unmet expectations set the stage for bitterness and conflict in relationships. The authors have presented a “love guide” to teach how acceptance of self opens the door to a future of long-lasting love. Let this book be your guide to the deep intimacy you so desire.”

— Barbara Miller, bestselling author of You Lost Your Marriage Not Your Life
“The ultimate expression of love is forgiveness. I have helped many couples create a more intimate relationship, stronger than the one that brought them almost to a divorce, by practicing both forgiveness of the other and forgiveness of self. This book helps couples forgive and is a must read for every relationship with love challenges.”

— Azim N. Khamisa, author of From Murder to Forgiveness
“Mari and Leonard offer many useful tools to navigate the complexity of transforming conflict into an ongoing, loving relationship. They show it is possible to recognize and heal our early wounds and to give and receive the love we truly desire.”

— Joan Gattuso, bestselling author of A Course in Love
“As you read Fighting for Love, you will easily feel the passion and love that went into writing this book. It’s a thorough, easy to understand book on how to navigate through, and even benefit from, the inevitable relationship conflicts we all go through. The exercises throughout the book will help you apply the wise and clearly written words. I highly recommend this book!”

— Todd Creager, author of The Long Hot Marriage
o “Fighting for Love is, above all, a useful book, as the authors combine the twin insights and methodologies of mediation and psychology. They reveal practical bridges that can easily be crossed by couples seeking to transform their conflicts into insights, intimacy, and improved relationships. They list hundreds of ways couples can end destructive patterns and constructively turn their conflicts into positive directions.”

— Kenneth Cloke, author of The Dance of Opposites