The ImmersionGrow. Connect. Excel.

Next cohort starts in January 2026 – limited seats available.

2000+

people transformed

40+

years of development

84 years of Harvard Research shows:

"Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period."

Robert Waldinger

Robert Waldinger

Author, Professor, Zen Priest

Develop your mind.Improve your relationships.Transform your life.

Develop your mind.

Improve your relationships.

Transform your life.

The Immersion is our flagship program and our most transformative experience. Enrollment is limited to small, closed groups so each participant receives the individual attention essential for meaningful change.

This course was born from four decades of guiding seekers, couples, therapists, and leaders — and recognizing the misconceptions about what it means to be human that keep us stuck, disconnected, and unable to thrive.

Over the years, we’ve developed Real Dialogue™, an approach to break through, connect well, and live with meaning and fulfillment. The Immersion provides the essential foundation and support to bring it into every part of your life.

I look forward to sharing this experience with you.

Polly

How It Works

Not more content

Not another tool

A new way of being.

Our greatest superpower is self-awareness.

And it only arises through relationship.

Without self-awareness, you’ll keep repeating the same patterns — within yourself, in love, and at work. No amount of knowledge — not even self-knowledge — will lead to true transformation; only self-awareness can.

Real Dialogue™ is one of the rare methods that builds skills in self-awareness through relationship, and shifts these deeply stuck patterns in real time.

Grow, transform, connect, and discover a new way of being with The Immersion.

What people say about Real Dialogue™

Susan L.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Robin J.

Pastor

Kristina V.

Executive Director

Raymond C.

Clinical Psychologist

What's Included In The Immersion?

The Immersion is a 3 Month crash course into Real Dialogue™.

Over 40+ years of clinical experience, we've distilled what's most essential and effective to transform conflict and relationships into an engine for growth, connection, and fruitful collaboration.

We've helped over 2000 people experience real results.

Videos

Weekly videos covering essential insights to shift the way you experience and engage with reality, relationship, and projects

Personal Exploration

Get clarity and strengthen your awareness with The Immersion Workbook, exercises, and challenges

Partner Practice

Weekly 60-minute live call with a partner from your cohort to practice Real Dialogue™

Small Group

Weekly 90-minute Zoom meeting with your 10-person cohort - and led by your expert facilitator - to practice Real Dialogue™, reflect on the week's lessons, plus Q&A

Mastery Classes

Weekly 90-minute live calls with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath introducing innovative exercises and explorations that will push you to experience direct insight and learning

Community & Bonuses

Access to the Real Dialogue™ Community and valuable resources from Real Dialogue™ and our partners

Course Curriculum

Week 1: Diving In

In Week One, we'll introduce you to your cohort and facilitator, The Immersion, and Real Dialogue™. We'll give you a clear map of the program and guide you on how to make the most of this experience.

Week 2: Emotions & Self

In Week Two, we'll look at how emotions, self-consciousness, preferences, and the urge to control others and life arise in development. We'll look at how these work against us and how we can approach them to improve our connections, relationships, and get more of what we want in life.

Week 3: Why We Fight

In Week Three, we will look at why we fight and how emotions and self give rise to "taking things personally", emotional threat, and cycles of humiliation and rage.

Week 4: Living in a Snow Globe

In Week Four, we will explore how we each live in our own internal world and how this can lead to confusion, emotional threat, and disconnection on the one hand, or clarity, connection, and wonder on the other.

Week 5: Why We Get Stuck

In Week Five, we will look at how we each live in our own movie, have a "reality distortion field", push other people's buttons and pull their strings, and have our own buttons pushed and strings pulled, in a dance of what we call emotional entanglement.

Week 6: Stopping the Fight

In Week Six, we will look closely at how to stop destructive fights, stop blaming, and stop telling stories that reproduce hatred. We'll also look at how this leads to a sense of personal empowerment and a sense of mystery about the other.

Week 7: The Muscle of Containment

In Week Seven, we will explore the muscle of containment – the ability to stop emotional reactivity and respond optimally. We'll look at what it is and isn't with nuance, how to develop it, and how it can transform your self, relationships, and life.

Week 8: The Power of Commitment

In Week Eight, we will look at the power of commitment – the ability to show up consistently over a long period of time no matter what. We'll explore how commitment builds self-trust and trust in others, develops character, and leads to mastery and wonderous things.

Week 9: The Gift of Constraint

In Week Nine, we will explore the gift of constraint – the way limits give rise to appreciation, humor, mystery, and peace. We'll look at how coming to terms with limits in ourselves, others, relationships, and life opens the door to radical acceptance, deep satisfaction, and fulfillment.

Week 10: The Tension of Dialogue

In Week Ten, we'll explore dialogue – a process of considerable tension that is not oriented toward agreement or resolution, but is itself a generative force for creativity.

Week 11: Differentiation

In Week Eleven, we'll explore how Real Dialogue™ can help you differentiate: to disentangle from merger and disconnection in relationships, clarify your sense of yourself and your life, increase connection, and help you live into meaning.

Week 12: Creative Collaboration

In Week Twelve, we will explore how to use Real Dialogue™ to sustain creative collaborations that enrich and expand your life.

How to Apply

The Immersion

$6,000

Our most personalized, immersive program designed for meaningful transformation.

Who it’s for:

  • You want to develop your mind
  • You want to improve your relationships
  • You want to be more effective and fulfilled in your life
  • You're ready to turn conflicts into opportunities for growth and connection
  • You want to move beyond shame and develop confidence in love and work
  • You're committed to showing up
  • You're ready to challenge yourself

What You'll Experience:

  • 12 weekly live sessions with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath + practice groups, partner sessions, daily practices, and essential insights videos

  • Transform and develop your mind

  • Learn the art of healthy conflict

  • Awaken vitality in your relationships

  • Become more effective in your work and life

  • Discover the preciousness of human life

  • Develop equanimity, humor, wisdom, and love

Next cohort starts January 2026.

The Immersion For Couples

$20,000

The couples path of The Immersion with additional personalized attention and expert support to bring Real Dialogue™ into your partnership.

Who it’s for:

  • You're in a couple relationship
  • You want your relationship to last
  • You want your relationship to be vital
  • You want to learn skills to use in repetitive conflicts

What You'll Experience:

  • Everything in The Immersion for 2 people PLUS

  • Private lesson with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath

  • 24 hours of private skill-building sessions with a Real Dialogue™ Expert

  • Exclusive Couples Small Group

Next cohort starts January 2026.

The Immersion For Leaders

$20,000

The leaders path of The Immersion with additional personalized attention and expert support to bring Real Dialogue™ into your work.

Who it’s for:

  • You're leading a team, organization, or community
  • You want to turn conflicts into creative collaboration
  • You want to be more effective
  • You're ready for a radically different approach

What You’ll Experience

  • Everything in The Immersion PLUS

  • Private consult with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath

  • 12 one:one sessions with our Executive Leadership Team

  • Exclusive Leaders Small Group

Next cohort starts January 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this therapy?

No. This is not therapy. This is an educational program designed for you to develop skills that help to engage in relationships with clarity and skill. We do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions and this is not marriage or family therapy.

Read the full disclaimer and terms here.

Will I get access to 1:1 support?

1:1 support is only included in The Immersion For Couples and The Immersion For Leaders; however, as part of The Immersion you will get access to: weekly Mastery Classes with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath, a weekly Small Group led by a highly skilled and knowledgable Real Dialogue™ Expert, the Real Dialogue™ Community, and you can connect with our Customer Success Team any time. You will have plenty of opportunities to ask any questions you may have and get individualized support and feedback to help you learn the skills.

Is it possible to pay in installments?

Yes. We offer extended payment plans for all of our programs. You will have an opportunity to choose the payment plan that works for you after your application and interview, at the time of enrollment.

For terms and conditions specifically related to payment plans, click here.

Is this only for couples?

No. This program is designed for anyone who wants to learn relational skills. Many seekers, couples, families, leaders, teams, and more have found our programs valuable.

Can I get a scholarship?

Yes. Every year, we offer a number of partial and full scholarships funded by generous donors to the Center For Real Dialogue. You will have an opportunity to apply for a scholarship when enrollments are open. In the meantime, we suggest that you join the waitlist for early notice as seats and scholarships go quickly.