Beyond Roses and Chocolates: Unconventional Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, we often go to fancy dinners, buy heart-shaped chocolates, and buy bouquets of roses. But what if you want to break away from tradition and celebrate love in a way that feels more unique and meaningful? Whether you’re in a relationship, single, or celebrating with friends, here are some fresh and unconventional ideas to make this Valentine’s Day truly special.
1. Take a Relationship Retreat (Even at Home)
Instead of the usual dinner date, plan a mini retreat for you and your partner. Spend the day engaging in activities that deepen your bond, like guided meditation, couples’ journaling, or even creating a vision board for your relationship. You don’t need to travel—set up a cozy space at home with candles, relaxing music, and intentional conversations.
One awesome free app I recommend is the Gottman Card Deck. This is a great way to rebuild the emotional closeness and spark new conversations.
2. Reflect on Your Relationship Growth
Take time to look back at your journey as a couple. Discuss:
What challenges you’ve overcome together
The happiest memories you’ve shared
The ways you’ve both changed and grown
Goals you want to set for your relationship moving forward
Set up a cozy environment with warm lighting, soft music, and a notebook. Write down or verbally share reflections, then celebrate how far you’ve come together.
2. Write a Future Love Letter
Instead of exchanging traditional cards, write a letter to your partner (or yourself!) to be opened a year from now.
What to write in the letter:
Reflect on what you appreciate, your hopes for the future, and the love you want to cultivate
Store it in a special place or set a reminder to open it next Valentine’s Day.
3. Create a Couples’ Gratitude Journal
Gratitude is a powerful tool in relationships. Studies show that expressing appreciation strengthens emotional bonds. Gratitude and giving appreciation is also one of the hardest thing to do in relationships. We tend to take out partner for granted. This is a good time to engage in gratitude!
How to do it:
Buy a journal or create a shared digital document.
Every day (or once a week), write one thing you appreciate about your partner.
Read past entries when you need a reminder of the love between you.
You can also use this as a daily ritual where you say one thing you love about each other before bed.
4. Do a Digital Detox Date
In today’s screen-heavy world, one of the greatest gifts you can give is your full attention. Commit to a tech-free evening—no phones, no TV, no distractions. Play board games, have deep conversations, or simply enjoy each other’s presence without digital interruptions.
How to do it:
Turn off phones and put them in another room.
Light candles, play soft music, and enjoy an old-fashioned evening of board games, storytelling, or simply sitting together without distractions.
Try “eye-gazing”—stare into each other’s eyes for a few minutes and notice how it deepens your connection.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your partner is your undivided attention. Commit to a tech-free evening.
5. Have a “First Date” Re-Do
Recreate your first date, but with a twist. Dress up as you did, go to the same place (or improvise if it’s not possible), and reminisce about how far you’ve come. Add a fun element by pretending you’re strangers meeting for the first time and reintroduce yourselves in new, playful ways
Bonus challenge: Pretend you’re meeting for the first time and reintroduce yourselves! Ask playful, flirty questions like:
“What’s your dream adventure?”
“What’s a little-known fact about you?”
“What do you look for in a life partner?”
This brings a sense of excitement and novelty back into the relationship.
6. Try a Sensory Date Night
Engage all five senses with an immersive date night experience. Blindfold taste tests, listening to love songs, trying different scents, and exploring touch with massage or textured objects can create a unique and intimate way to celebrate.
How to do it:
Choose a quiet, cozy space with dim lighting, soft music, and sensory props (textures, scents, foods, etc.). One partner closes their eyes while the other guides the experience.
Explore touch (soft fabrics, light caresses), taste (sweet, salty, spicy bites), smell (essential oils, flowers), sound (whispers, music), and sight (eye contact, candlelight).
After one partner experiences the sensations, switch roles and repeat to explore each other’s preferences.
Share your favorite sensations, discuss what felt most enjoyable, and explore ways to incorporate sensory play into daily connection.
7. Take a Class on Love & Relationships
Use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to invest in your relationship skills.
Options to explore:
A workshop on love languages, attachment styles, or conflict resolution.
A couples’ therapy session focused on communication skills.
A podcast or audiobook on relationships—listen together and discuss afterward.
The more you invest in your relationship skills, the stronger your connection will become.
Love, Your Way.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to follow the script of flowers and candlelit dinners. The best way to celebrate is by choosing something that aligns with your values, relationship, and interests. Whether you spend the day deepening your connection, giving back, or going on an adventure, make it a day that truly reflects what love means to you.
Shikha is a therapist/owner of The Therapeutic Way, Counselling and Psychotherapy Services. Her and her team are relationship and relational trauma therapists who works with individuals, couples, and families who have been on the receiving end of narcissistic abuse, gone through trauma, experiencing relationship issues, and experienced attachment wounds as a child or adult. Her team uses a trauma-informed and holistic approaches to help their clients.
Thinking of therapy? Schedule your free 20 mins consultation call to see how we can help.
For more information reach us at info@thetherapeuticway.ca or call/text (289) 635-4660.
Therapy services: Online Anywhere in Ontario; Hamilton, ON; Burlington, ON, Oakville, ON; Mississauga, ON; Milton, ON.
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Online therapy is as effective as in person therapy. What is most important with any format of therapy is the strong therapeutic relationship between you and your therapist. Online therapy is a good option when coming in-person is not feasible, when you have dependents at home, and it is also more convenient.
At The Therapeutic Way, we offer online therapy and therapy by phone from the convenience of your home. Click here to learn more about our online therapy.
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Not necessarily. Online therapy and in-person therapy are usually the same cost as their effectiveness are the same. Online therapy can also be most cost effective for the client as transportation is not involved. Now, there are therapy apps or programs that area available to clients that are cheaper than traditional therapy. However, the effectiveness of those programs are questionable, and they are most likely not covered by insurance.
At The Therapeutic Way, we offer online therapy with a registered psychotherapist that is covered by most insurance providers and helps you save the cost of transportation.
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There are many different types of therapist that you can choose from. Before reaching out to a therapist, it’s important to know what issue you would like to work on. A tip is to seek out a therapist who specializes the issue and problem you are facing with. For example, if you would like to work on trauma, a therapist who focuses on eating disorders may not be the best fit.
It is also important to decide what type of therapist you are looking for, such as gender, experience, their approaches to therapy, etc. It’s also a good idea to check with your insurance provider which type of therapist they cover. A lot of therapists offer free consultation calls for you to decide they are a right fit.
At The Therapeutic Way, we specializes in relationship issues, relational trauma, narcissistic abuse recovery, and attachment wounds. We work with adults, couples, and families over the age of 16.
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The type of therapy that is best for you, depends on you as a person and the reason you are seeking therapy. There are different types of therapy, such as somatic-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, trauma-informed therapies, holistic therapy, existential therapy, and more. The type of therapy that is right for you will depend what you are looking for. While you may have an input in this, majority of the time the therapist will know what is best suited for you and will let you know.
At The Therapeutic Way, we work with clients using an integrative approach to therapy, meaning using different modalities to suit your needs. We use a trauma-informed, holistic, and relational approach to working with you. Click here to learn more.
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The term psychotherapy and counselling are often used interchangeably with some slight differences. Psychotherapy refers to the treatment based for psychological disorders and mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. Counselling refers to wellness support and providing insights and clarity which leads to growth or personal betterment. At The Therapeutic Way, we provide both psychotherapy and counselling.
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The difference between psychotherapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist, depends on education and scope of practice.
Psychotherapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist can provide therapy called talk therapy.
A psychotherapist can provide therapy under the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario, a psychologist can provide therapy under the College of Psychologists of Ontario, and a psychiatrist can provide therapy under College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Difference:
Psychotherapist Education: Master’s Degree or higher
Psychologist Education: PhD or PsyD.
Psychiatrist: MD
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Psychotherapist: Can’t diagnose
Psychologist: Can do assessment and diagnose
Psychiatrist: Can do assessment, diagnose, and prescribe medication
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Psychotherapist Training: Counselling and focus on therapy techniques
Psychologist: Focus on clinical research and assessment
Psychiatrist: Use medical treatment such as prescribing medications for mental health conditions
Before seeking help, it’s important to know what you need and are seeking. A consultation call can help you decide.
At The Therapeutic Way, we are registered psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario.