Optimal Couple Workshops
Hold Me Tight® + Optimal Intimacy™
Three Days. Two Proven Frameworks.
One Transformational Experience for Your Relationship.
You’re close… but not quite connected. Maybe your emotional bond feels a little frayed. Maybe desire has faded or feels hard to talk about.This powerful 3-day workshop helps couples rebuild trust, rekindle intimacy, and create a relationship that feels both secure and alive.Based on Dr. Sue Johnson’s Hold Me Tight® and our science-backed Optimal Intimacy™ model, this science-based workshop series helps couples enhance meaning, desire, and sexual connection.
Day 1 & 2
Hold Me Tight®
Emotional Bonding & Communication1. Understand Attachment Bonds
Learn how adult attachment shapes your relationship and reconnect with what brought you together.2. Enhance Emotional Connection
Develop skills to express and validate emotions effectively and understand each other’s emotional needs.3. Improve Communication Dynamics
Identify your negative cycle, enhance active listening, and break reactive patterns.4. Build a Secure Foundation
Strengthen emotional safety, trust, and responsiveness.5. Navigate Conflict Constructively
Develop strategies to repair, respond, and reconnect through difficult moments.
Day 3
Optimal Intimacy™
Optimal Intimacy™ is a science-based Relationship Longevity Workshop designed for couples who desire more than simply staying together—they want a relationship that continues to grow, flourish, and thrive throughout a lifetime. Integrating the latest research in relationship science, attachment, and sexual science, the workshop equips couples with practical, evidence-based skills to strengthen emotional and physical connection, deepen trust, cultivate secure attachment, and sustain intimacy across the lifespan.Through five engaging conversations, couples learn how to intentionally nurture the habits, mindsets, and relationship practices that foster enduring love, resilience, and sexual connection. Rather than focusing solely on preventing relationship distress, Optimal Intimacy™ provides a proactive roadmap for creating a secure, passionate, and deeply fulfilling partnership—one that is built not only to last, but to flourish for decades to come.
5 Pillars of Healthy Couple Sexuality1. Safety
“I feel emotionally secure with you.”2. Desire
“I look forward to intimacy with you.”3. Pleasure
“We enjoy giving and receiving touch.”4. Eroticism
“We cultivate playfulness, novelty, and passion.”5. Meaning
“Our sexual relationship reflects our friendship, love, and commitment.”
Workshop Feedback
Reviews
Hold Me Tight Couples Workshop
Facilitator: Karen Naegel, Ph.d, LMFT"Excellent sharing of real life examples. Let us know that we are not on an isolated island and that we are together. Reinforced that commitment and willingness to make it work is key to the success". - Male Participant"Thank you! This experience surpassed my expectations. The guidance and information have been and will be useful for a lifetime." - Female Participant"Yes! The framework & exercises in breakout sessions were so helpful!" - Female Participant"Very pleased with the program, and I would recommend to other couples" -
Male Participant"I absolutely would. I am willing to admit that I was nervous that it would be things we already heard or tried (we will use tried loosely) but really this has given us a much better framework to understand why and how these steps are effective!" - Female Participant"Yes, I would recommend to others on the verge of separation, or even want to build a stronger connection" - Male Participant"Learning about the facts & science was very impactful for me. It took some subjectivity out and replaced uncertainties with knowledge to build expectations around". - Female Participant"Great workshop! Fantastic" - Male ParticipantOptimal Intimacy Portion of Reviews"The breakout sessions where the two of us talked and answered questions was extremely helpful! Love the science backed info. This workshop has been very worthwhile!" - Female Participant"Exceeded my expectations and would recommend it to others! - I was anxious about participating in this but it felt very good to have done this together. I was also anxious to see the .....exercise on the agenda - But that led to more open communication about our relationship than I could've not thought possible." - Male Participant"The couple's conversations were very helpful. It provided the opportunity to apply and discuss what had been shared. The workshop did help us identify focus areas and discuss topics previously avoided." - Male Participant"These conversations brought up areas that needed improvement & there were misconceptions, this workshop has been a great motivator for seeking/longevity in a relationship. Absolutely would recommend it to anyone in a committed relationship." - Female Participant"I would recommend it! It definitely started us down a path of asking more probing questions of each other. I think that it helped us identify some conversations that we hadn't explored for a long time." - Male Participant"The concepts were very actionable. I like the discussion on different types of ....and all the research regarding longevity in relationships. One key area that gave me a lot of useful insight was the ....that I need to work on. Thank you!" - Female Participant
About your facilitator, Dr. Karen Naegel
PhD (Clinical Sexology), LMFT, EFCT, CSTDr. Karen Naegel created the Optimal Intimacy™ and combined Hold Me Tight® + Optimal Intimacy™ workshops based on her specialized training in couples therapy, attachment science, and sex therapy.Her doctoral research integrated Hold Me Tight® and Optimal Intimacy™ into a unified model for strengthening emotional and sexual connection. Her dissertation, Hold Me Tight and Enhancing Sexual Intimacy: An Integrated Workshop for Couples Pilot Study, led to a peer-reviewed manuscript, Integrating Attachment and Sexuality, accepted for publication in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy and currently in production.Dr. Naegel has facilitated more than 25 couples workshops, continually refining her approach to help partners deepen closeness, improve communication, and cultivate lasting desire.Outside of her work with couples, she enjoys spending time with her husband of over 24 years and their two young adult children and son in law. She also loves weightlifting and outdoor activities that keep her grounded and energized.Published Research
Naegel, K. (2026). Integrating Attachment and Sexuality: A Pilot Study of a Combined Hold Me Tight and Enhancing Sexual Intimacy Workshop. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2025.2608662
