LEARN THE ESSENTIALS TO TRANSFORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP

An intensive two-day workshop from The Relational Life Institute

“Intimacy isn’t something you have, it’s something you do. And you can learn to do it better.” — Terry Real

Contact to Register
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You’ll gain a wealth of practical skills you can use immediately to build healthier, more meaningful relationships, including:

❋  What gets in your way of the deeply satisfying relationship you want.
❋  How your self-esteem & boundaries intersect to create repeated patterns in your relationships.
❋  How to ground yourself so you can effectively engage in challenging conversations.
❋  How to assert your wants & desires in a way that empowers your partner to meet them.
❋  Healthy listening & responding skills to improve communication & de-escalate conflict.
❋  Winning strategies to nurture your connection and cherish your partner.

LET'S BUILD A RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON COMPASSION AND COLLABORATION FOR LIFELONG INTIMACY

Couples therapy session space in Gold Canyon Arizona with two leather chairs for Relational Life Therapy and intensive work with Christie Ashbeck, RLT Therapist

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM THE RELATIONSHIP BOOTCAMP?

The Relationship Bootcamp takes place in person for two full days.

You will learn essential skills from Relational Life Therapy (RLT)—the radically effective approach to relationship therapy created by internationally-recognized therapist and bestselling author, Terry Real. RLT is known for its ability to spark profound, lasting change in individuals and their relationships, and these skills will help you build and sustain meaningful connections.

You will learn through a combination of lecture, small group exercises, and personal reflections "guided by Christie Ashbeck (Certified RLT therapist trained by Terry Real.)

Partners in couples therapy with Christie Ashbeck at Whole Heart Connection near Phoenix, working through relational trauma and rebuilding trust

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

The Relationship Bootcamp is suitable for:

  • Couples looking to strengthen their connection, improve communication, and sustain intimacy.

  • Individuals looking to overcome their barriers to intimacy and cultivate more meaningful relationships.

  • Mental health professionals looking to deepen their understanding of the RLT model.


Equine-assisted trauma therapy Superstition Mountains with Christie Ashbeck

DISCOVER THE REAL WORK OF RELATIONSHIPS

We know that relationships take work, but few of us know what that work actually is…

The real work of relationships isn’t occasional, it’s minute-to-minute, moment-to-moment, This is relational mindfulness. You can only recover from relational trauma in a relationship - not alone.

And this workshop will teach you those critical minute-to-minute skills that build and sustain true intimacy.

By the end of the two days, you’ll have the skills to:

  • Override your knee-jerk reactions in heated moments to navigate conflict calmly.

  • Break free from the losing strategies that block you from enjoying true intimacy.

  • Move from complain and blame to request and appreciation.

  • Become champions of relational recovery as a team.

  • Encourage, not discourage, your partner’s efforts, and celebrate progress.

  • Let go of the battle of who’s right and work together to find a solution.

Join us for this transformative workshop to learn the powerful relational skills you need to create the deeply connected relationship you yearn for.

When you are not your authentic self, no relationship can truly reach you." — John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame That Binds You

NEXT IN-PERSON RLT BOOTCAMP: 

October 10 & 11, 2026

AZ Whole Heart Connection

Gold Canyon, AZ 85118

Equine-assisted therapy session in Gold Canyon AZ using the Masterson Method for trauma recovery and emotional regulation

Next RLT Virtual 2-Day Intensive BOOTCAMP:

July 18 & 19, 2026 

Individual

 $550

No refunds given 5 days prior to this event, as venue has been booked with number of participants confirmed.

Couples

$850

No refunds given 5 days prior to this event, as venue has been booked with number of participants confirmed.

Contact To Register
Two-day couples intensive with Christie Ashbeck at Whole Heart Connection in Gold Canyon AZ for partners seeking deep relational change

Individual

 $300

Cancellation Policy: We are not able to issue refunds past 5 days prior to this event as electronic resources have already been delivered.

Couples

$550

Cancellation Policy: We are not able to issue refunds past 5 days prior to this event as electronic resources have already been delivered.

Contact To Register

  • Christie’s Boot Camp was life-changing for me and my husband. We’ve been together 30+ years so it’d be fair to wonder what would we possibly have to work on. My love-avoidant, grandiose man said this shifted our relationship to a deeper, more loving level; his love-dependent, grandiose wife agrees. The Boot Camp weekend opened up new ways to talk, to see ourselves and to love each other.

    SARAH P.

    Portland, OR

  • My wife and I both found RLI’s workshop to be exceptional, and well worth the time and effort to fly to Phoenix. I would recommend it highly, particularly to couples having communication problems. RLI’s approach is unique, but common sense, so it is easy to understand and, hopefully, to apply.

    A.M.

    Toronto, ONT

  • The couples work that you do is so valuable — we are relating now in a wholly new and expansive way. It’s what each of us knew we were missing but could not have found on our own. Thank you so much!

    TOD

    Boston, MA

  • For therapists doing couples work, the Boot Camp is a great chance to see a compilation/distillation of RLT skills in action, plus a great way to do your own relational work. That last part was valuable beyond measure and has shaped my work as a therapist and partner in powerful ways.

    Sarah

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Depending on the number of participants, we usually start at either 9:00 or 10:00am, and end between 4:30 and 5:00pm each day.  This will be confirmed and communicated to you 5 days prior to the Bootcamp.

  • You are welcome to arrive or log on 15 minutes prior to the start of the Bootcamp.

  • Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is Terry Real’s radical approach to couples therapy that breaks many of the rules of traditional couples therapy. Notably, RLT emphasizes the importance of people learning the ongoing skills they need to nurture and cherish their relationships long after their time in therapy is over. It’s these core skills you will learn in the Relationship Bootcamp to help you create meaningful relationships and keep the spark alive.

  • Terry Real, LICSW, is an internationally recognized family therapist, bestselling author, and sought-after speaker.

    A former senior faculty member of the Family Institute of Cambridge in Massachusetts and a retired Clinical Fellow of the Meadows Institute in Arizona, Terry is renowned for his ability to save couples on the brink of divorce using the progressive approach he created, Relational Life Therapy. RLT equips people with the powerful relational skills they need to cultivate meaningful connections—to themselves, each other, and the planet as a whole.

    Via his esteemed training school, the Relational Life Institute, Terry has trained thousands of mental health practitioners in his RLT method to date, including the senior RLT therapists running this workshop.

  • Yes—participation is essential for you to get the maximum knowledge and benefit from the experience. You may come alone or with your partner.  We offer 12 CEU’s for attending this training for licensed professionals

  • The RLT Bootcamps are not considered therapy, and you are not required to share anything with the group unless you want to.  The Bootcamp provides an opportunity to be immersed in RLT principles and skills, and to explore individual and relational dynamics that may be hindering the sense of secure connection in your relationship. Day one will mostly be learning about yourself, day two will be learning about your relationship.

  • I am happy to offer participants four 60-minute sessions at the reduced rate of $130 after completion of the Bootcamp.  This provides an opportunity to keep the momentum going and to more personalize the RLT experience for you.

  • Gold Canyon is a welcoming small-town desert community located right off of HWY 60, just 37 miles east of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and 26 miles east of Mesa. Gold Canyon is one of Arizona’s best kept secrets and offers a uniquely powerful setting for the RLT Bootcamp. Nestled in a quiet community beneath the dramatic Superstition Mountains, Gold Canyon possesses an atmosphere that naturally slows people down and invites reflection and reconnection. Gold Canyon feels restorative; it’s sense of vast spaciousness and desert beauty supports deeper emotional processing and more meaningful relational work. Many Bootcamp attendees have described the area as peaceful, grounding, and emotionally centering.

OUR CLINIC IS NOT A CRISIS CENTER & DOES NOT MANAGE ACUTE CRISIS. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:

If experiencing a life-threatening EMERGENCY, please dial 9-1-1
Central Arizona Crisis Line: (602) 222-9444 or (800) 631-1314
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255 or dial 9-8-8
Teen Lifeline (www.teenlifeline.org): (602) 248-TEEN (8336)
Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233)