Victory and Vodka Chugging on RHONJ - Ep 9

In just two episodes of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, we managed to go from this:

To this:

So in this third installment of the Lake Geroge retreat, it's no wonder that everyone needs a stiff drink (or nine).

Praise Jesus!It wasn't exactly an easy road to get to all the fun and vodka drinking however. Seriously, did Teresa and Melissa's session with Dr. V go on for seven hours?

Melissa, Teresa, and Dr. V

Sometimes you just need a professional to sit down and call you a "dumb a--" and tell you to "f--- other people."

In the end, a little tough love from Dr. V conquers all in Jersey.

You might want to watch this hug on loop a few times, since it's kind of incredible that it actually happened.

But wait, there's still one more person to loop in -- Joe Giudice.

The Gorgas, The Giudices, and Dr. V

He ended up apologizing to Joe and Melissa without much coaxing from Dr. V. Get her thoughts on the session with Juicy Joe in this excerpt from her exclusive Q&A:

Bravotv.com: Do you think you managed to get through to Joe Giudice?

Dr. V: Man that's a tough one. He's like a cannoli: there's a softness in there under the hard, tough guy shell. Then again I never had to deal with a brawling cannoli before. He's a smart guy, I think he understands what we were trying to get done when we were all sitting down together, but if he actually buys into it or really internalized it... who knows.”

Hopefully this will be the start of a new chapter in the Joes bromance (which we've tracked in this handy gallery). After Dr. V united the Gorgas and the Giudices, her healing powers must have been tapped out, because she hightailed it out of there leaving Kathy out in the cold. (Literally.)

Guess she's on her own as far as patching things up with Teresa.

Luckily Kathy and Teresa were able to apologize to each other and move forward as well. So basically this happened:

(Just insert Kathy rather than Melissa.)

And with the last relationship repaired, it was time to party!

Melissa may have gotten a little too excited about reconciliation. Exhibit A:

Melissa's the Only One Drunk

As she says in her blog:

I can’t believe the conversation I was having with Rosie at the table! I don’t think I’ll ever look at a peach the same way again.”

And while Melissa probably won the award for most vodka consumed, it looked like everyone else was pretty close to giving her a run for her money.

Who doesn't love a game of Drunken Trust Falls?

Next week Teresa's following through on her promise and meeting with Jacqueline. In lieu of Dr. V, maybe they can just whip out that bottle of vodka again to help smooth over their issues...

Swinging, More Problems, and a Time Bomb