Bring back the happy.

MarriageWorks is a two-day, private couples retreat infused with the wisdom of Internal Family Systems to help empty-nesters repair their relationship and restore their connection.

Fight less.

Feel loved.

Laugh more.

It's just the two of you now.

And that's kind of a problem, because you don't even like each other anymore.  It feels like you only talk about the kids and somewhere along the way stopped having anything in common.

So what do you do?

Blow up everything you've worked so hard for and start all over again? (The kids will be devastated.) Grin and bear it for the next few decades? (That sounds freaking terrible.)

Escape the binary choices of divorce or despair. Our intensive is a third way – a path to rejuvenation. Reconnect with the essence of who you are and who you want to become as a couple.

Launch your kids.
Keep your partner.

MarriageWorks is a completely personalized marriage retreat to help you find your way forward—together to a renewed and resilient relationship.

It's like doing a year's worth of couples therapy in just two days.

  • Learn how to talk about hard things without arguing or disconnecting.

  • Feel loved, seen, and heard by one another.

  • Actually enjoy each other's company again.

  • Guided by Internal Family Systems (IFS) principles, get big "aha" moments that unlock a more hopeful future.

  • Know true intimacy by understanding your different facets and have the safety to share them. (And enjoy better sex, too, if that's what you're after.)

  • Model a healthy relationship for your kids.

Turnaround is possible

  • Tami’s MarriageWorks intensive changed our lives. We now know what keeps us arguing and have tools to stop it. Even after almost 10 years together, working with Tami allowed us to finally hear one another and effectively communicate. She gave us the resources and support to do the work that would help restore our connection, rekindle our relationship, and keep our marriage on track. We got more out of two days than we had in years of traditional therapy, and we are growing stronger, together, every day.

    LAURA, California

  • The decision to invest in the MarriageWorks intensive was absolutely needed to make our marriage what we both longed for. I love my partner and wanted to do the work to make our relationship successful and fulfilling. Tami took the time to learn about us and customized the intensive to respond to our specific needs and concerns. Coming to Tucson helped us get away, focus and make a transformation I thought was impossible. She guided us through material and practice sessions, bringing the concepts to life. The hurt I held for years took just minutes to resolve, and as a result, our relationship has never been stronger.

    SHANE, California

  • “Before MarriageWorks, our relationship was tense and argumentative. Tami helped us see where we were getting stuck and gave us tools we can use to understand one another better and communicate in healthier, more productive ways.”

    — NIKKI & HENRY, Northern California

Especially for, and only for, the two of you.

When you think “marriage retreat” you might picture a room full of couples listening to a bunch of pie-in-the-sky ideas that may or may not apply to your relationship. This is not that.

MarriageWorks is:

→ PERSONALIZED

I gather information about each of you and your relationship ahead of time, so I can tailor the sessions to your exact challenges.

→ PRODUCTIVE

Other retreats tend to bring the heat in the moment then leave you cold a week later. Embrace self-compassion and mutual understanding, and leave with proven skills you will learn and practice to use for the long haul.

→ PRIVATE

Working through your sh*t is hard enough alone, let alone in front of a dozen other couples. That’s why MarriageWorks is just for you two.

→ TRANSFORMATIVE

Experience the transformative approach of IFS that acknowledges and honors the diverse facets within each of you. Allow self-compassion and mutual understanding to bring life to your relationship.

Marriage doesn't have to be—shouldn't be— miserable.

I've met a lot of empty-nesters who are all the way fed up with their marriage—or what's left of it.
Although many have kicked around the idea of splitting up, they have so much skin in the game that divorce feels like an impossible move.
So they stay stuck in "should-we-or-shouldn't-we?" (And I probably don't have to tell you that's not a healthy environment for people to spend the last half of their life.)

You and your partner deserve better.

I am passionate about working with couples going through the empty nest transition to help them find their way back to each other again. 
In my long time marriage, I have seen the power of reconnecting during this transition and how it can bring you closer than you could ever imagine.

I've helped dozens of couples step back from the ledge and into a happy future together. I'd be honored to help you, too.

Tami Zak

Certified Relationship Coach
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist

TAMI HAS BEEN FEATURED IN…

Your MarriageWorks Experience

    • Settle into your accommodations at the Hacienda del Sol - a 4 star resort in Tucson

    • Take a relaxing nature walk.

    *Only applies to in-person retreats!

    • Discover a revolutionary approach to communication, rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS), that not only honors both of you as unique individuals but also strengthens your connection as partners.

    • Unpack the challenges you're experiencing in a safe and supportive environment.

    • Discover a new way of communicating that honors you both as individuals and as partners.

    • Receive your personalized MarriageWorks guidebook that will be your resource throughout our 2 days together and beyond.

    • Decide, together, what tough topic you want to tackle in the next day's sessions.

    • Enjoy a well-deserved date night with a gourmet dinner at the sumptuous onsite resort restaurant

    • Relax and rest together, or enjoy some of the curated activities shared in your welcome basket. (No homework!)

    • Breakfast and lunch are included!

    • Practice your new skills with me by your side to coach you when parts jump in and you feel stuck.

    • Reference your custom guidebook for specific tips for your one-of-a-kind relationship.

    • Leave for home with a fresh spark—and new tools to keep it burning.

    • Reflect on the investment you've made in your relationship.

    • Breakfast and lunch are included!

    • Two follow-up sessions with Tami to continue practicing your new skills and to troubleshoot challenges.

The Venue & Retreat Dates

2024 Retreats in Tucson, AZ

Friday check-in with Saturday & Sunday as the 2-day intensive

  • June 7-9

  • September 13-15

  • November 1-3

  • November 22-24

2024 Retreats in Carlsbad, CA

Thursday check-in with Friday & Saturday as the 2-day intensive

  • April 18-20

  • May 2-4

“Gray divorce” is on the rise.

And the cost (financial and otherwise) is devastating.

When people leave decades-long marriages, there's more than households and retirement accounts to divide…

MarriageWorks is a $6,497 investment that could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of heartache.

• Relationships with children and grandchildren get strained
• Celebrating holidays gets more complicated
• Social circles get split up
• And attorneys get a huge paycheck

A better marriage is closer than you think.

It took a long time to get here. It'll take only two days to begin finding your way out. And your first step can happen today.

1

CHAT

Complete the MarriageWorks application so I can learn a bit about your relationship and see if you're a good match for the retreat. If so, I'll invite you to a private consultation.

2

COMMIT

Pay your deposit, schedule your personalized retreat, and do your pre-retreat homework so I can best prepare for our time together.

3

CONNECT

Restore your connection and get back to a happy, healthy relationship. (Imagine your kids' reaction!)

How is this different from couples counseling?

And other smart questions.

  • Your investment is $6,497 with a $1000 deposit to hold your spot. In addition to two full days of private coaching with me, your fee includes two nights accommodation at Hacienda del Sol Resort, all meals with the exception of dinner on Friday & Sunday evening, and massages for both of you at the spa onsite. Travel to and transportation around Tucson is not included.

    Your fee also includes two follow-up sessions with me.

  • Yes! MarriageWorks Virtual is $3,500. However, I strongly recommend the in-person experience so your everyday life doesn't compete for your attention.

  • I have a list of recommended, experienced couples coaches and therapists for you to reach out to continue working on your relationship.

  • You're welcome to apply, as this retreat can be personalized to other issues couples experience.

  • Sure thing! I'll collect that information after you've submitted your deposit.

  • Not exactly. In marital therapy, we tend to focus on the past. In MarriageWorks, I assume a coaching role and focus on the future.

  • MarriageWorks is an opportunity to get away from all of life's distractions and focus on just your relationship. Over the two days, you'll have a chance to deescalate big emotions and settle in to do deep, meaningful work together—quickly. In a traditional counseling setting progress tends to be much slower.

  • For some couples, it's a jumpstart into working on their relationship, and for others it's a way to get unstuck when they've hit an impasse in counseling.

  • For most couples, the answer is yes.

    If you and your partner are working through a crisis like domestic violence or infidelity, if either or both of you is processing significant trauma, or if either or both of you has a diagnosed personality disorder, individual and couples therapy will serve you better.

    Otherwise, as long as you have even a tiny sliver of hope that you can find your way back to each other, MarriageWorks is for you.

Remember why you fell in love.