Retreats have become a booming industry, full of promises to change and transform lives. According to Statista, wellness tourism—including health and wellness retreats—was valued at over $650 billion in 2022. Experts forecast it will climb to $1.4 trillion by 2027, growing at 16.6% annually as more people seek holistic getaways. I’m a firm believer in investing in yourself and carving out time away from everyday life to think, expand, heal, and grow. But how do you weed out the fad retreats from those that will change your life? Having spent countless hours (and $$) on attending retreats myself, I’ve learned how to create the most enriching environment for my clients.
When designing my own retreats, I know my clients are investing not just money but also precious, negotiated time away from their families and work. While group retreats can be a great avenue for fostering community, I didn’t want to begin my practice obsessing over large-scale logistics. Instead, I asked myself: What is the highest level of support I can provide that cannot be duplicated anywhere else?
The answer: Me.
For two full days I give my undivided, uninterrupted time and space. Our setting—nature, and my office in nature—becomes the backdrop for what my clients choose to create. Most of my clients use their first retreat with me to craft their personal “vows.”
Vows emerge from a deep examination of our darkest self-judgments—about ourselves, our circumstances, and others. Together, we dismantle each judgment one by one, with the precision of a neurosurgeon. There is no anesthesia—because true mindfulness comes from confronting these limitations head-on.
Once we’ve blown up these judgments—because they are all ultimately false and fragile—we create new, loving truths to replace them. One new truth for every judgment. (Shoutout to Byron Katie for the inspiration!) Then comes the refining, consolidating, and polishing—the magical touches that turn these truths into vows to live by. You learn to embody these beautiful truths that were within you all along and create a personal manifesto you can call on for support, inspiration, and focus.
I created my own vows with my coach, who in turn, created hers with her coach, Steve Hardison, author of The Ultimate Coach. While weekly coaching can absolutely spark wonderful transformations, the depth, intensity, and immediate impact of crafting your personal scripture in a retreat setting is unmatched.
So, if you’ve made it this far, you understand that my retreats are not your average retreats. They are hyper-customized to you. With a set of vows, you have a foundation for unlimited growth and possibility. I believe in you. And more importantly, you will believe in yourself. It’s a gift to witness your transformation… when you are ready.
