About the EVENT
Coupleship Retreat: Recenter & Reconnect
October 2–4, 2026
Barefoot Republic Retreat Center | Fountain Run, Kentucky
Somewhere along the way, many couples stop feeling like a team.
Conversations get stuck. Tension builds. Life gets busy. And even when you care deeply for one another, you don’t always feel connected.
The Coupleship Retreat is a Christ-centered, experiential weekend designed to help couples step away from the demands and distractions of everyday life and reconnect emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.
Through guided discussions, experiential coupleship work, practical relationship tools, small-group experiences, and a supportive equine-assisted component, couples will have opportunities to better understand relational patterns, strengthen emotional connection, practice healthier communication and conflict repair, and reconnect with a shared sense of partnership and purpose.
The retreat setting itself is an important part of the experience. Couples are invited to unplug from phones and everyday distractions, slow down, enjoy the natural beauty of the retreat grounds, and create space to reconnect—with themselves and with one another. This more organic, unhurried environment offers room for rest, reflection, meaningful conversation, and simply being present together.
What You’ll Experience
* Opportunities to deepen emotional attunement and connection
* Practical tools for communication, conflict resolution, and repair
* Christ-centered reflection and guidance for strengthening your relationship
* Experiential exercises designed to increase awareness of relational patterns, boundaries, and needs
* Equine-assisted experience that supports and complements the broader coupleship work
* Dedicated time and space to recenter, reconnect, and restore your relationship
* A phone-free retreat environment designed to encourage greater presence with yourself and your partner
* Time to rest, explore the grounds, enjoy the natural surroundings, and reconnect outside the pace and pressures of everyday life
The Equine Experience
As one component of the retreat weekend, couples will participate in guided an equine-assisted experience led by a certified equine therapist. These sessions are designed to complement and support the broader coupleship work by offering couples another experiential way to notice patterns of connection, attunement, communication, trust, and boundaries.
Interactions with the horses may provide opportunities for reflection and insight that can then be explored and integrated into the couple’s larger relational work throughout the weekend. The equine component is supportive and experiential in nature and is woven into the retreat alongside guided discussions, relationship tools, and other coupleship-focused experiences.
No prior horse experience is necessary.
Tentative Retreat Schedule
The schedule below reflects the current plan for the weekend. Because this is an experiential retreat designed to respond thoughtfully to the needs and natural flow of the group, specific session times, activities, and sequencing may be adjusted as the weekend unfolds.
Friday, October 2
* Check-in begins at 3:30 PM
* Welcome and Opening Session
* Coupleship Connection Experiences
Saturday, October 3
* Morning Session & Experiential Coupleship Experience
* Guided Relationship Work and Practical Tools
*Experiential Group Experiences (Break out Groups)
* Equine-Assisted Experience (Break out Groups)
* Opportunities for Reflection, Rest, and Integration
Sunday, October 4
* Integration Session and Next Steps
* Closing Experience & Session
* Check-out by 11:00 AM
ALL Meals and lodging are included.
Facilitators
Julie Mangus, LPC-MHSP – Director of Barefoot Counseling and Coaching Services
Lori Burns, LPC-MHSP – Licensed Professional Counselor
Certified Equine Therapist
📧 Email Julie@barefootrepublic.org for more information or go to register for the Coupleship Retreat at
https://www.barefootrepublic.org/event-details-registration/coupleship-equine-retreat-recenter-reconnect-1
Practice Website:
www.barefootrcc.org
https://www.barefootrepublic.org/event-details-registration/coupleship-equine-retreat-recenter-reconnect-1
