Transforming Lives Through Evidence-Informed Retreats – Exclusive Interview With Martina Magnery
- Jan 7, 2025
- 4 min read
Brainz Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with Martina Magnery, a passionate and dedicated psychotherapist and relationship coach with over 15 years of experience. Her deeply personalized retreats and intensives have reimagined how individuals and couples approach healing and transformation. Through her company, Clarityfor, Martina collaborates with some of the best coaches in their fields, creating a powerful platform for transformative growth and personal development.
Martina Magnery, Relationship Coach & CEO
Martina, what inspired you to design bespoke retreats?
Over the years, I’ve witnessed the extraordinary impact that stepping outside one’s daily environment can have on personal growth. Weekly therapy is great, but for some, real breakthroughs happen in immersive, uninterrupted spaces. Bespoke retreats provide an opportunity to pause, reflect, and dive deep into healing while nourishing the mind, body, and soul. It’s an evidence-informed transformational experience.
What makes your retreats truly unique?
The key lies in personalization and the seamless integration of evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, Gottman principles, and personality insights through the Enneagram.
For individuals, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a transformative tool for resolving emotional blocks tied to trauma, anxiety, or limiting beliefs. Paired with guided exercises, it helps clients access and process subconscious patterns, leading to profound emotional clarity. The Enneagram deepens this work by offering insights into personality archetypes that enhance self-awareness and compassion.
For couples, understanding each partner’s Enneagram archetype cultivates empathy and mutual understanding. When combined with evidence-based Gottman principles, this approach creates a powerful foundation for relational growth.
How do you incorporate experiential elements into the retreats?
Our retreats are designed to balance therapeutic depth with engaging, hands-on experiences.
For individuals, EMDR sessions are paired with reflective exercises that solidify emotional breakthroughs and encourage a growth mindset.
For couples, we begin with the Gottman Relationship Check-up, followed by customized exercises tailored to their unique needs. These may include conflict resolution strategies, collaborative goal-setting, or interactive activities designed to rebuild trust and strengthen their connection. The Enneagram adds a new layer, helping couples understand their relational dynamics and how to better support one another. If limiting beliefs hinder progress, EMDR therapy ensures measurable, lasting results.
By combining these approaches, participants leave not only with emotional clarity but also with actionable tools to sustain their growth well beyond the retreat.
Why do you offer both three-star and five-star retreat options?
Martina: Accessibility is important to me. Our three-star retreats focus on creating meaningful, impactful transformations without the frills, making them perfect for those who prioritize substance over luxury. Meanwhile, our five-star retreats provide a luxurious escape with high-end accommodations and premium amenities for those seeking a more indulgent experience.
Regardless of the setting, the depth of the experience remains the same. Whether you’re working through past pain with EMDR, strengthening your relationship using Gottman principles, or gaining self-awareness through the Enneagram, every retreat is a transformative journey tailored to your needs.
What outcomes can participants expect from your retreats?
Individuals often leave with emotional breakthroughs, greater self-awareness, and the clarity to move forward in their personal or professional lives. One participant described their EMDR-focused retreat as resolving “years of emotional pain in just a few days.”
Couples frequently experience renewed connections, deeper trust, and practical tools to navigate challenges. Our comprehensive process offers insights that allow couples to address long-standing issues and rekindle their intimacy. One couple shared that their retreat felt like “a complete reset,” giving them a new way to communicate and support each other. The Gottman Method is currently the most robust evidence-informed assessment based on forty years of solid research, and EMDR also has more clinical trials supporting it than any other therapy to this day, with results that are measurable.
The Enneagram adds another layer of depth to both individual and couple retreats. For individuals, it shines a light on subconscious motivations and patterns, creating clarity and empowering change. For couples, it provides a framework for understanding and navigating differences with compassion and connection. In between, everyone will get to experience a range of fun and relaxing activities such as massages, cooking classes, and various physical activities that add to the recalibration process.
Many retreats offer transformative experiences, but what sets your retreats apart is the ongoing support you provide. Can you tell us about your relapse prevention catch-up sessions?
Absolutely! One of the things that truly sets our retreats apart is the focus on long-term success. After participants leave, we offer relapse prevention catch-up sessions on Zoom to ensure they’re staying on track with their new habits and goals. These follow-up sessions are a unique offering that most retreats don’t provide. We check in to see how clients are navigating their transformation, discuss any challenges they’re facing, and provide guidance to help them stay accountable. It’s about making sure the change they experienced during the retreat continues to unfold and solidify in their daily lives. This ongoing support creates a sense of partnership and ensures that the breakthroughs made during the retreat are sustained over time.
What’s next for you and your team?
We’re expanding into new locations and refining our offerings to integrate even more therapeutic depth. There are many retreats out there, but many of them don’t offer the evidence-based modalities that we offer. Bringing transformational change out of the therapy room and into the world is my ongoing vision for all of us at Clarityfor. Therapeutic gains that come with experiencing both the restorative and memorable benefits of escaping from domestic life. Offering evidence-informed modalities via a more enjoyable, immersive experience with ongoing post-retreat support is the true north star as far as the Clarityfor retreat vision goes.
Martina Magnery’s bespoke retreats are more than just a getaway; they’re an opportunity to rewrite your story. By integrating evidence-based methods, personalized insights, and holistic growth, her retreats empower individuals and couples to achieve deep and lasting transformation.
For more information, visit here.
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