The Assist the Officer Foundation partnered with the Spouses Group to host a Couple’s Retreat at Mill Creek Ranch Resort this past November. The purpose of this weekend was to tackle issues commonly associated within a relationship between a police officer and their partner and offer ways to address those issues. About 10-12 first responder couples attended this three-day weekend getaway. 

On the first day, a Thursday, the couples simply checked into the Resort and got comfortable in their cabins. That evening, the Assist the Officer Cook Team hosted a dinner to give everyone the opportunity to meet informally before the next day’s sessions began.

Throughout the next two days, the couples sat through classic “couple’s therapy” topics ranging from Love Languages to connection techniques to warning signs. Each presentation was led by an ATO counselor. As the weekend progressed, the sessions included more challenges specifically faced by law enforcement officers and other first responders. ATO Chairman Ed Lujan, for example, spoke about his traumatic injury and what the recovery process looked like for himself as well as for his family. The DPD Wellness Unit presented the different ways and resources that could help officers in need of therapeutic and medical assistance. One of the last sessions of the weekend was the “Ask Me Anything” Panel, which consisted of three couples with at least one first responder in each relationship. Everyone then had the opportunity to ask questions that may not have been addressed earlier in the weekend and the board would answer based on their personal experience and relationship.