Love addicts assign too much value, time, and attention to another person, while neglecting to care for or value themselves. Focus on the partner is obsessive, and fear of abandonment drives the obsession. Love addicts can be addicted to anyone: lover, spouse, friend, parent, or child. It is a painful process that negatively impacts not only the love addict, but also the individuals with whom he or she is in relationships.

Conversely, the love avoidant systematically uses relational walls during intimate contact in order to prevent feeling overwhelmed by the other person, associating “love” with duty or work. The love avoidant’s greatest fear is that of vulnerability, which is explored throughout the workshop. During this process, authenticity is encouraged, and an overdeveloped sense of responsibility is released.

In this workshop, based on Pia Mellody’s groundbreaking book Facing Love Addiction, self-love and self-care are enhanced while a tolerance for feeling is instilled. The focus is on interrupting the destructive cycles of both the love addict and the love avoidant, helping them learn to find intimacy with healthy boundaries.

Cost: $3,450, which includes

• meals
• evening activities (yoga, tai chi, auricular acupuncture, live music)
• 12-Step meeting
• Brain Spa access
• gym access