Valentines Day is just around the corner, and the Clinic of Individual and Family Counseling is putting on a couples retreat.

“Lack of communication is the number one reason that couples cannot flourish and resolve conflict. Without communication they are not going to have an open forum,” said Rebecca Boyle, director for the Clinic of Individual and Family Counseling.

UA first introduced this program when the clinic noticed that a lot of couples did not want to come to formal counseling. The retreat offers a great way to get a one-stop-shop of all issues. It will cost $35 per couple and will cover all types of issues that are hard to tackle in day-to-day relationships.

Because it does not have the same feel as formal counseling, but is more relaxed, the couples retreat has received positive responses in the past.

This will be the third year for this event, but it is the first year that they will be using Couples Check Up from Prepare Enrich, the most popular nationwide premarital assessment. This assessment addresses a number of different areas in order to see where each couple sits in their relationship, including communication, finance, family, children, religion, and conflict resolution.

The couples retreat will see all different types of couples: married, premarital, married with kids, same-sex, and so on. Boyle feels that all couples can benefit from this event.

The clinic will take place on Feb. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 27 S. Forge St. and is free to all The University of Akron students and faculty. Couples must register by Feb. 12 and can do so by calling 330-972-6822.