Come on, admit it, you need a little "girlfriend therapy": An intensive treatment involving female bonding, chocolate, and laughter; in other words, a girlfriend getaway! We know you’re dying to make a great escape with your girlfriends…but you’re not sure where to begin. GirlfriendCelebrations.com says, "Just do it!" Our quick guide will give you inspiration and get you started in three easy steps. Read on!

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 1. Give yourself permission. First of all, stop feeling guilty about leaving home for a few nights with your best girlfriends. Girlfriend relationships are essential to your lifelong health and well-being. The benefits you get from female friendships cannot be duplicated by your boyfriend, husband, coworkers, kids, and/or pets. They will survive without you for a night or two (and nurturer that you are, you will leave them well-cared-for). So leave the guilt behind and have fun!

2. Plan the possibilities. The great thing about getting away with your girlfriends is you can try something totally new (like belly dancing) or do something your "significant other" never likes to do (going to the opera, seeing Rick Springfield in concert). The possibilities are endless; but anything that makes you and your girlfriends happy is fair game. These days, it’s easy to find lessons, tours, workshops on any subject you can think of. Brainstorm with your pals and make some plans. Here are a couple of (ok, a couple dozen) theme ideas to get you started. Whether you spend an hour or a weekend, just have fun!

• Cooking classes
• Art lessons
• Decorating seminars
• Drama workshops
• Fashion shows
• Theater
• Opera
• Hiking
• Rock Climbing
• Horseback riding
• Winery tours
• Mystery dinner tours
• Shopping
• Concerts
• Fine dining
• Snorkeling or scuba diving
• Festival hopping
• Flea markets/antiquing
• Museums
• Comedy clubs
• Pottery lessons
• Bowling
• Belly dancing
• Spa weekends
• Yoga retreats
• "Chick" movie marathons

3. Find a great deal. We know from our Girlfriend Survey that many of you have a limited budget. But don’t worry; with careful planning, you can find a getaway to please even the most frugal or frivolous of girlfriends. If your budget’s on the small side, look in the local newspaper for nearby hotels with package deals. Many hotels have romance packages that work well for girlfriends, and some even offer girlfriend getaway specials. Don’t forget to check the hotel’s website for web-only specials. Many bed and breakfasts are offering girlfriend workshops (such as scrapbooking weekends) included in the room and board price. Check airline websites for last-minute fares–it can be fun to book a spontaneous adventure with your gal pals, especially at rock-bottom rates.

For those with a little more in the way of funds: Let the Web be your guide to some great travel ideas. At www.budgettravelonline.com, you can find the content of their special girlfriend getaways issue with tons of travel ideas specifically for women (don’t miss the shoe lover’s guide to travel!). Another excellent travel website that has covered girlfriend getaways is www.independenttraveler.com. For "fun" airline travel with package deals, check out jetBlue or FunJet Vacations.

Get some girlfriend therapy. A rejuvenating getaway with the girls is good for you: It gives you a chance to swap stories, dream, laugh, learn new things, be yourself, reconnect, make new memories and remember who you are. We’re heading off on our own getaway in a few weeks, and we expect it to be very therapeutic We’ll share the details if you will–use the comment form to tell us your stories. And don’t forget, girlfriend getaways are the focus of our contest this fall. Enter here or on our contest page. Start typing!