For Couples Entering a Second Union, At Any Stage of Life
A blended family is created when a couple enters marriage after a prior marriage or domestic partnership, forming a new family that includes not only the spouses themselves, but their histories, relationships, any minor children or adult children, and the expectations that come with them.
Whether you are:
- Preparing to raise children together
- Blending families with adult children and grandchildren
- Widowed and seeking companionship later in life
- Remarrying with no children in the picture
- Already married, and either spouse has been in a previous union
- Or simply unsure what questions you should be asking…
This retreat is for you.
Our retreat is based on the Smart Stepfamilies program developed by Ron L. Deal, nationally recognized author, therapist, and blended family expert.
His research-based framework addresses:
- Stepfamily dynamics
- Loss and unresolved grief
- Ex-spouse realities & co-parenting
- Spiritual shame after divorce
- Financial integration
- Adult children expectations
- Grandparent dynamics
- And the emotional realities of remarriage
Each of our facilitator couples have personally journeyed through the trials and blessings of forming their own blended families, whether through widowhood or annulment. They do not speak from theory alone, but from lived experience: navigating loss, remarriage, extended family dynamics, and the work of building unity in a second union. With honesty, compassion, and practical wisdom, they create a non-threatening space where couples can ask real questions, explore sensitive topics, and gain insight from those who truly understand the unique challenges and gifts of blended family life.
Retreats typically occur in the late winter, late spring, and autumn, in various locations around the diocese. This is a weekend, commuter retreat that meets on Friday evenings and Saturday morning through afternoon.