5 intimate retreats that will improve your sex life

Fifteen years ago, seeking reconnection and stoking the fire in the bedroom, my husband and I abandoned our three children for a weekend couples retreat called “Better Communication, Better Sex” at the center Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona There were separate workshops for men and women, a detailed review of anatomy, exercises encouraging the display of feelings and expression, and evening “homework” with accessories provided (e.g. a feather and a bit of massage oil). End result: the fire still burns.

It turns out we’re at the forefront of the latest trend in wellness retreats, where relationship experts, bodywork and spa therapists offer programs focused on intimacy and desire, as well as treatments to improve sexual well-being. Tests suggests that the need is real – even in long-term relationships, people are aware of only 60 percent of their partner’s sexual preferences and only 25 percent of what they dislike.

A range of retreats are emerging and the experience can vary, with an emphasis on experiential exercises, group discussion or bodywork – or a combination of all three. But all of them aim to assist participants find comfort in their bodies; enhance intimacy and communication about safety, desires and boundaries; heal past wounds; and build confidence to cultivate deeper sexual connections.

“Retreats take on a completely up-to-date meaning because they take people outside their home and towards nature, which awakens the senses,” he says Esther Perelpsychotherapist and authorMating in captivity: unlocking erotic intelligence” “People bring the same problems to therapy as they bring to retreat, but they experience them completely differently. They come to the therapist’s office to talk about their problems; they go on a retreat to improve something or experience something up-to-date.”

Here are five all-inclusive destinations and retreats offering wellness programs and treatments. Most of these workshops are open to individuals, couples and LGBTQ participants, but a few are gender-specific. It’s best to confirm before booking.

Nosara, Costa Rica

From February 15 to 22 Mrs. Perel — together with a team of therapists and teachers Afro Flow Yoga (which combines yoga with African-inspired dance moves) – will guide guests through “Erotic Intelligence: Cultivating Desire and Vitality in Relationships”, an immersive sexual wellness experience at the Blue Spirit Retreat Resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Through workshops, discussions and exercises in groups and on the yoga mat, as many as 140 participants will discover how to establish contact, listen and understand their erotic self.

The search for intimacy and desire (why is great sex disappearing for couples still in love?), the need for safety, deep listening and courageous conversations, as well as infidelity, are the starting points for this workshop that explores the importance of erotic intelligence – the cornerstone of sexual well-being, according to Mrs. Perel’s philosophy.

“Everyone knows you can have sex and not feel anything,” Ms. Perel said. “That’s not what this is about.”

The price for the seven-day retreat starts at $2,880.

The Esalen Institute, located on the rugged coast, is famed for its natural scorching springs and center for holistic learning. Three- to five-day programs cover sexual well-being topics including personal empowerment, partner massage, erotic communication and intimate healing.

IN “Rewilding Eros: taming the erotic body and reclaiming erotic sovereignty” (May 30–June 1), sex educator and trainer Victor Warring uses exercises such as movement, consensual touching and group interaction to explore and develop an understanding of what it means to liberate the erotic body.

In another workshop “Authentic Consent: An intimate weekend of fun, exploration and clarity combined” (July 11-13) sexologist and intimacy coach Amina Peterson provides guests with a unthreatening space to explore intimacy, pleasure and connection, covering communication strategies; somatic or body-focused tools such as breathing and muscle relaxation; and practices around embodied consent, or listening to body signals to determine whether consent has been given.

Standard dorm rooms start at $930.

Kripalu, a yoga and wellness center in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, offers a variety of expert-led weekend retreats. Offers include “Yoga of Intimacy: The Spiritual Path of an Intimate Relationship,” from August 1 to 3, with the possibility of a private intensive stay after the group retreat and “Finding the Love You Want: Couples Retreat“, from August 1 to 3, focused on Imago relationship therapywho uses workshops and exercise sessions to encourage effective communication, support emotional healing and recreate passion.

“Sexual fulfillment is a huge issue for many, so we create a unthreatening environment where you can speak openly and boldly about what you want,” she said Linda Bloomsocial worker and relationship advisor who conducts “Love, sex and intimacy” retreat, which took place October 24–26, with her husband, Charlie Bloom, who holds the same credentials. The retreat offers experiential exercises designed to explore intimacy and sensual pleasure. “We define sexual happiness in a very broad way – it can be so much more if you harness the power of intentional sensual connection to bring joy to each other.”

Retreat prices vary by program and start at $299; accommodations start at $149 per night and include three meals a day.

Joshua Tree, California.

Founded and run by wellness educator Pamela Madsen, Back to the Body offers monthly women’s retreats based on sexological bodywhich includes breathwork, mind-body exercises, body exploration, erotic touch techniques and therapy to reduce tension and restore alignment in the pelvic area. The high desert retreat center accommodates up to 12 women and includes a private chef, swimming pool, scorching tub and access to hiking trails.

“Women come for regeneration – to understand who they are as erotic beings,” Ms. Madsen said. “Through voice, dance, breath, touch and movement, they embody themselves in every way, becoming more and more sovereign as they learn to trust their bodies.”

Several participants reported that they experienced significant improvements in their sexual self-image, body image, and sexual assertiveness after the retreat. “I needed to experience my eroticism and appreciate my body as a gift to me and my partner,” said Juliana Cheng, 46, of Torrance, California, and Debra Foster, 62, of Milliken, Colorado. , explained that the retreat helped her develop a robust body image, and the mix of individual, group and bodywork sessions ranged from experiences that ranged from “relaxing to erotic to spiritual.”

The eight-day immersion includes practical, expert-led bodywork sessions, exercises for overcoming body shame and discovering desires, one-on-one coaching sessions and group discussions on topics such as power dynamics and boundaries, naming your desires and obstacles to pleasure.

For those looking for a similar male-oriented retreat, two Back to the Body staff members offer men-only retreats: Cosmo Meens, through Himeros Projectand Court Vox, aimed at the queer community, via BodyVoxa.

Prices for the eight-day Back to the Body retreat start at $10,500.

Costa Mujeres in Mexico and Alicante in Spain

As we live longer, our sex lives also raise, according to the philosophy of SHA Wellness, a medical and wellness clinic located on the Mediterranean coast in Spain and on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Both locations recently opened sexual health unitsoffering guests an additional option to the existing range of ongoing wellness programs that focus on areas such as longevity, burnout, menopause and physical fitness.

Those interested in improving their sexual well-being can try treatment for erectile dysfunction for men and physiotherapy sessions to assist strengthen their pelvic floor muscles for women. Each wellness program is a combination of Western medicine—doctors specializing in areas such as urology, gynecology, psychology, and endocrinology—and old healing practices such as yoga and meditation. “We address all aspects of sexual well-being, including functioning, desire and self-esteem,” said Cinthya Molina, a psychologist who heads the sexual health unit at SHA Wellness in Spain.

Prices for a four-day retreat that includes a sexual wellness package start at €5,900, or about $6,065 at SHA Spain and $7,000 at SHA Mexico.

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