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Hurricanes Happen

I live on Florida's Gulf coast, where hurricanes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are worse than others, but they are never welcome or pleasant. And, while much about them is beyond our control, when a storm is brewing, the name of the game is preparation. Emergency supplies (and a plan for using them) can make a world of difference. 

Back in 2017, Debbie and I had just moved to Florida from Virginia. We were newly settling in when Hurricane Irma set her sights on us...I mean, we were in the crosshairs. To be on the safe side, we evacuated. Before leaving, I prepared our property as best I could. However (I'm embarrassed to admit this) in all the turmoil of moving and resettling, I had forgotten to purchase renter's insurance. It had just slipped my mind until two days before Irma arrived and, by then, no insurance carrier would dare write a new policy for anyone in harm's way. I wasn't just embarrassed; I was ashamed. We could have lost everything because I failed to prepare.  

Thank God, Irma swerved at the last minute and we dodged a bullet. But, I very nearly learned the hard way that preparation is priceless and I swore to do my best never to be in that position again.

Be Prepared

Preparation is priceless in lots of cases. It's especially true when it comes to relationships. When we first fall in love, we bask in the glow of what feels perfect and permanent. We can't imagine our partner hurting us or letting us down. And when that happens (and it always does) we're totally unprepared. Ready or not, conflict with the one we love is not a matter of if, but when. It's as inevitable as it is inconceivable. 


And too many couples don't know what to do when it happens. They fall into negative patterns of conflict that become automatic, repetitious and destructive. These patterns seem to take us over. When you and your partner cross wires and the sparks fly, do you ever think to yourself, "Here we go again..."? and there's almost nothing you can do to prevent it. It's discouraging and depressing. You feel like a failure at the most important thing in life--love. When everything you do to fix it fails or only makes things worse, you begin to feel hopeless. Some couples throw in the towel. 

It Happens to Us All

If that's you, at least know that you aren't alone. But, there's hope. It's possible to break those negative cycles. Conflict (and how we manage it) may be painful, but we can learn not only to understand it; we can change it. We can make sense of what so often doesn't. And that is what couples learn at a Hold Me Tight®️ couples retreat. They learn from attachment science and the tenets of Emotionally Focused Therapy, the gold standard for healthy relationships. 

Hold Me Tight Will Prepare You

At Hold Me Tight®️, you will learn what both you and your partner truly need and how to give it. You will learn how to heal old wounds and connect in ways that perhaps you never imagined. Hold Me Tight®️ is a low key group experience. Couples go at their own pace. Hold Me Tight®️ is not therapy. No one is put on the spot. Hold Me Tight®️ is safe. You will find how much you have in common with other couples facing the same challenges and struggles. 


And most of all, you'll gain the confidence that you are equipped and prepared for the unexpected. You'll learn that you can grow closer and stronger as a couple even (especially) when you hit those inevitable bumps in the road. You'll know what to do and how to do it. 

Have a Plan That You Know How to Use

The storms of life are inevitable, even in love. It's never fun. But, it doesn't have to blow you away. Preparation is priceless. Safeguard your love at Hold Me Tight®️. In just two days, you can truly change the most important relationship in your world. 


But, don't take my word for it. Come see for yourself. Our next workshop is just a few weeks away in beautiful Orlando, FL. All the details are on this website. 


  • Learn more about Mark and Vicki.
  • Sign up for our contact list.
  • Prepare for a transformational experience. 

Have a Safety Plan

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A Real Learning Experience

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A Hold Me Tight®️ retreat is a transformational learning experience for couples. Two words there are key: learning and experience. First, what do you learn? You learn fascinating insights from attachment science. You learn that emotions are what drive us. Think about it: the word “emotion” contains the word “motion.” Emotions move us, motivate us. Emotions incite behaviors, actions and reactions. Emotions inform every level of our existence. And our most powerful, most vulnerable emotions are beneath the surface.
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Preparation is Priceless

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I Gotta Get in Shape

By Mark Beck • August 28, 2024
I recently decided I need to get in shape. I've "let myself go" for too long. Fortunately, there is no shortage of good home based video programs for resistance training, flexibility or cardio health. So, I perused the internet and found one of each. (I’m going for the total makeover!) I ordered them and when they arrived, I was excited to start my fitness journey. Some of them told me I could get in shape in “just a few minutes a day.” How hard could that be? I was all in. Let’s do this! So, I turned on the TV, queued the video, sat down on the couch and hit “Play.” I even popped some popcorn and got my favorite soda. I watched the first episode and, because I was really into it, watched a second session just for good measure. The next day, I did the same thing…sat right there on the couch and watched my fitness video. In fact, I watched every day for the next two weeks. I sat there faithfully and never missed an episode. After all, consistency is key, right? I couldn’t wait to look like those incredible people on the videos: slim, tight, perfectly toned—man, what bodies! But, something didn’t work. So far, I haven’t lost a pound. My waistline is just as big (maybe even a little bigger). I’m just as puffy and lumpy as ever. I’ll never get in shape. I don’t get it. I watched, I listened, I paid attention. What the heck? I want my money back! Okay, back to reality.

Reflections on a Hold Me Tight Couples Retreat

By Mark Beck • August 21, 2024
In this blog, I’d just like to share a few reflections on our most recent Hold Me Tight®️ couples retreat. As always, it was nothing sort of amazing. No two retreats are the same, but they never fail to amaze Vicki and me. Last weekend, we welcomed eight couples to our Winter Park (Orlando) FL venue. That is a little smaller group than usual, but it only makes for a warmer experience. It’s always exciting to meet new couples for the first time, to hear their stories and what brought them our way. The couples in this retreat varied in age and number of years together, from 4 years to about 40 years. It was clear that some were very stuck, unsure that they could figure out their relationship, but willing to try. Others were happy together, but wanted to make their good thing even better. Later, we learned that at least one couple saw the Hold Me Tight®️ retreat as sort of a “last best hope” before throwing in the towel on their marriage. You wouldn’t have guessed it to look at them, but they weren’t the first such couple to come to a Hold Me Tight®️ retreat as a last resort.
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