That is a good question. I don't know how to answer it. Somehow it is the aura of the entire event. The obvious truthfulness of the presenting couples who reveal their pain to you, the use of notebooks instead of speaking to express yourself, the time alone to clarify what you are feeling, the focus on feelings not thoughts. All of that comes together to bring out a deeper truth than you are used to dealing with. There are plenty of tears at Retrouvaille. There are tissue boxes everywhere. I guess I would have to say that the truth, and knowing that you are dealing with the truth, brings you closer together.
That being said, it is also possible to understand the truth about your relationship, and realize that the marriage is not what you want for the rest of your life. That was the experience that PonyGirl had. But it saved her years of fighting for something that may have existed only in her mind. I don't want to put words in her mouth. You can find her threads by searching under her name.
Good luck. I hope you get her there. Just the fact that she didn't agree to go six months ago, and the sitch is no better now, is a good reason to give this a try.
And I agree whole-heartedly, Retrouvaille is a bargain. They can do it because they have the support of the Catholic Church, and all the presenters are volunteers. People who have been through Retrouvaille are so thankful for the experience that they give very generously of their time to help others.
