What?

Intimacy is not an end goal but rather it’s a journey that lasts throughout in this bonding we call ‘family’. We know at times it’s hard to develop emotional intimacy. First, there’s the fear of rejection. (If I share the essence of who I really am, you might criticize or reject the real me.) Second, there’s unfamiliarity with our own feelings, needs, or wants. (If I am not sure what I feel or need, how can I share it with you?) Third, there’s a lack of vocabulary to communicate our feelings accurately or to verbalize exactly what we want or need. (If I don’t know the words to describe what I am feeling or needing, then it’s easier to just keep my thoughts to myself.) Fourth, we expect our loved ones to just know. (You can read my mind, can’t you?). The question we need to ask is, “Do we have to live this way all of our lives?” And the answer to that is “Absolutely not!” And this retreat is all about discovering this beautiful wisdom of life.

Why?

Our retreat is all about the process of self-reflection, self-exploration & self-discovery that takes place in the context of a safe & deeply authentic relationship between the mentor & you. Indeed, our retreat aims for long-term growth. If you are really interested in examining your inner life, this retreat is just for you.

Our retreat can help you identify the behaviors that trigger you & assist in finding the reason for those triggers. Here looking for long held beliefs about yourself, family, & roles can help uncover thoughts & beliefs that are no longer true or helpful for you. Once discovered, those beliefs can be changed to ones that are more effective & powerful for your present situation. So, when you are clear about what you want & what you are actually willing to do, you don’t have to scream, whine, pout, nag or create a chilly silence. You can clearly state your need & ask for what you want. The point here is through this retreat you may then be able to let go of the past & move forward in a way that works for you and your family & perhaps rekindle the affection that has been smothered or dormant.

How?

Here our retreat helps you in becoming familiar with your “inner self. What are the messages that run in your mind throughout the day? Where do you feel you don’t measure up so you fear being vulnerable? How has your pace of life been a false place of safety for you to keep an emotional distance from others because there just isn’t time? This retreat helps you evaluate your past. It actually takes you for a walk back to your childhood, even across generations & consider the emotional connectedness of the family you grew up in. Was it ok to express feelings in our home? Did your family really know one another or were they simply operating as roommates living under one roof? Depending on the person & the circumstances, this retreat might help you develop more fulfilling relationships, and make more effective use of one’s talents & abilities, maintain a realistically based sense of self-esteem, tolerate a wider range of affect, have more satisfying intimate experiences, understand self & others & face life’s challenges with greater freedom & flexibility.