An intensive workshop is a great investment of time and money. Most professionals estimate someone needs a minimum of 2-3 years in therapy to adequately address the issues related to addiction. Attending a workshop provides a huge jumpstart for recovery and lessens the time spent in counseling. Significant research validates the proven effectiveness of a group setting. You’ll be with leaders who understand your pain, and you’ll find that you’re not alone!
About the IN-PERSON Workshop
The Healing for Partners workshop is a four-day, intensive setting that provides the equivalent of 8-12 months of weekly counseling for Partners that are 21 years of age and older. The group environment forges deep connections with other partners who have experienced betrayal, which is healing in and of itself.
The workshop is clinical, meaning all the leaders are at least master’s level, licensed counselors who are specifically trained in treating sex addicts and partners of addicts. We use a comprehensive approach that addresses both the trauma of betrayal and specific steps toward personal healing. Each person develops an individualized recovery plan to guide her or his process after the workshop.
Participation is limited to a maximum of 18 people. The majority of attendees are female, but male partners are encouraged to attend select workshops when a male leader is present. For group processing, participants are divided into small groups of no more than six and work with the same leader throughout the workshop. Individual counseling is not part of the workshop.
All participants, including Middle Tennessee area residents, stay at a nearby hotel. All participants have a roommate, and Bethesda Workshops staff are onsite to provide overnight support, if needed.
Participants may be referred by a therapist or clergy person, or they may self-refer, which means you simply sign up on your own. You don’t have to be working with a counselor before attending the workshop.
Bethesda Workshops comes from a Christian perspective that emphasizes grace and God’s unconditional love. Everyone is welcome and will find an accepting, non-pressuring environment.
Topics
- Grief and loss
- Trauma of betrayal
- Family of origin dynamics
- Childhood abuse
- Partner’s coping
- Boundaries
- Tools of recovery
- Disclosure and when to extend trust
- Couple and family issues
- Spiritual concerns and growth
Dates & Times
Upcoming Workshop Dates & Times
Space is available for the dates shown unless the workshop is indicated as waitlist.
PARALLEL WORKSHOP STRUCTURE
Healing for Partners workshops are held simultaneously with Healing for Women workshops. All participants meet jointly for devotionals and some core teaching, but the majority of a workshop experience is segregated into the two groups. All small group work is separate, and your roommate will be from your own workshop.
STANDARD WORKSHOP COST
The therapeutic in-person workshop fee of $3,800 includes all lodging and meals. A non-refundable deposit of $950 is required at registration. See Financial Information for details.
Additional Workshop Information
The workshop is a group experience, and individual counseling sessions are not part of the intensive. During the small group breakouts, though, each participant has extensive time to share personally. Sessions normally begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue until around 8:00 p.m.
The workshop format is intense and specifically designed to maximize time and investment. This is not a retreat. Participants move between educational segments, individual work, and small groups. The approach consists of a combination of instruction, writing or drawing, small groups, interactive exercises, and activities.
Must be at least 21 years old to attend a workshop.
The workshop is a technology-free setting that we call the “Bethesda Bubble.” Participants take a total time-out from contact with the outside world, including family and friends, by turning in all electronic devices – cell phones, laptops, smart watches, tablets, iPads, etc. – for the duration of the workshop. Participants refrain from watching tv in their hotel rooms and are not allowed to make or receive calls or use the business center at the hotel.
The workshops are held in Nashville, Tennessee. All participants (including Nashville area residents) stay together in a nearby hotel. This total time-out from normal responsibilities and distractions is an important “container” for the intensive work.
It’s critically important that you be present for the entire workshop. As a group intensive, everyone needs to begin and end together. You WILL NOT be admitted to the workshop if you plan your travel in such a way that you arrive late or leave early, even if that means you get to Nashville the day before the workshop starts or leave the day after it ends. You shortchange yourself and disrupt the workshop process if you arrive late or leave early.
Workshops are staffed by licensed clinicians who hold at least a master’s degree. Many have earned the CSAT designation, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, which is the highest certification recognized in our field. Workshops are primarily led by same-gender therapists, though most workshops also have at least one opposite-gender therapist. All workshop leaders are committed Christians with specific clinical training in treating sexual addiction and related issues. The majority of the workshop leaders are in some form of personal recovery as an addict or a partner.
Bring clothes for four days, personal toiletries, medicine, and any other essentials you’ll need. Plan to dress in layers and bring a light jacket or sweater even during warm weather, because some find the meeting rooms cold. If you like, feel free to bring a Bible, a journal, recovery related reading or personal devotional materials. It’s helpful to bring a watch since you won’t have your cell phone. We’ll provide everything you’ll need during the workshop itself, including a workbook, paper and pen.
Participants are not permitted to use cell phones, laptops, tablets and similar items at the workshop. Please do travel with a cell phone so you can communicate with us in case there are travel difficulties. Staff will collect all cell phones and other electronics and keep them until the workshop ends. No weapons are allowed at the workshop site, at the conference hotel, or in participant vehicles.
Attending a Bethesda Healing Workshop is best viewed as a huge jumpstart for recovery. A specific aftercare plan is crucial. The intensive workshop often identifies core family and trauma issues which need further healing. Each participant – whether an individual, couple, or family – is helped to outline a personalized aftercare program before leaving the workshop. In general, a recommended aftercare plan consists of four main components: