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Newsroom
News, resources and content about The Retreat, its programs, community and life in recovery. As a part of our commitment to offering continual support for those in need, we are dedicated to providing helpful resources, in depth information, and unique opportunities to experience during your recovery path. Check here for the most up to date news and media regarding The Retreat and our mission of sobriety.
Trey Anastasio Plays Moving Solo Acoustic Set At Addiction Recovery Gala In Minnesota
At the heart of the gala was The Retreat’s mission: “To improve the quality of life for individuals, families, and communities affected by alcohol and drug dependency by providing affordable, effective educational services grounded in the Twelve Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.” This mission has guided The Retreat for the past 26 years, and its unique community-based approach has helped over 32,000 guests find hope and healing through both residential and non-residential services.
John Curtiss Discusses the Importance of Abstinence-Based Sober Living Being Preserved for Future Generations
“It was three men and two women and a couple of kids and dogs,” Curtiss recalled. “We all rented a house in West St. Paul. We went to meetings every day. I volunteered. This was the era of disco; sometimes we went out and learned line dancing. We had fast cars that we liked to take care of. It was like a little sober commune. The neighbors loved us.”
The Nelson Bradley Career Achievement Award is given to John Curtiss
The award recognizes the career achievements of individuals who have made significant contributions to modern addiction treatment over the span of a career. Curtiss's career underscores a steadfast dedication to enhancing addiction treatment services.
Trey Anastasio Shares Personal Update on Divided Sky Foundation Residential Recovery Retreat
Phish’s lead guitarist wrote at length, reflecting on the timeline and steps taken to open a treatment facility while providing context on the vital efforts and fundraising initiatives that assisted in making a fully equipped space sustainable for clients seeking proper healing and recuperation from addiction.
SHE RECOVERS® Foundation & The Retreat Join Forces to Break Barriers For Recovering Women
(Sante Fe, New Mexico) – The SHE RECOVERS® Foundation, a leading organization dedicated to supporting women in recovery or seeking recovery, and The Retreat, a renowned non-profit addiction recovery center, are proud to announce an integrated partnership aimed at breaking down recovery barriers for women seeking help for addiction. This partnership connects them with individualized recovery solutions and empowers them on their healing journeys.
The Retreat celebrates 25 years opening doors to recovery
Innovative center for addiction recovery has served 30,000 individuals and families
June 21, 2023 (WAYZATA, Minn.) – The Retreat, the Wayzata, Minn.-based continuum of care that provides recovery services, programs and community resources to individuals and families dealing with substance use disorder, marks its 25th anniversary on Wednesday, June 21.
The Retreat’s John Curtiss receives Venerable Order of Talbot Award
Every year, The Venerable Order of Talbot Award celebrates leaders in the recovery community, honoring those whose commitment, advocacy and innovation make a real difference in the treatment and recovery services field. Curtiss is a longtime leader in supporting those who struggle with substance use – in addition to founding The Retreat in 1998, he also spent 20 years in leadership roles at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
Human Development Magazine
FAMILIES IN ADDICTION RECOVERY: FINDING OUR WAY BACK TO "WE"
A Family Problem Requires A Family Solution
by Sherry Gaugler-Stewart
Sherry Gaugler-Stewart is the Director of Family and Spiritual Recovery at The Retreat in Wayzata, MN. She has worked with The Retreat's Family Program since its inception in 2005. Sherry is a trained spiritual director, a certified Structured Family Recovery (SRF) Counselor, and has been an active participant in 12 Step family recovery since 1999. In addition to her work with the Family Program, she has led spiritual retreats and workshops internationally, and is a meditation teacher. She speaks on the topic of family recovery regionally and nationally, as well as contributes to blogs and publications. She also oversees Kids CAMP at The Retreat, a program for children aged 7 - 12 years who are growing up in families impacted by someone's addiction.
Love First: 12 Step Immersion with John Curtiss
The Hidden Crisis - COVID and Recovery
Recovery Night - Wild vs Flames
Sobering moment: How is COVID-19 impacting Minnesota’s recovery community?
Social isolation, while an important tool in fighting a pandemic, has been rough on the Minnesota’s recovery movement.
The Retreat: Fact Sheet
Key trends and statistics for women and substance use.
The Retreat opens The National Center for Women’s Recovery
$10.5 million project provides space, services geared to women in recovery
John Curtiss, our founder and CEO, discussing the opioid epidemic!
Sun Sailor featured The Retreat in its latest issue!
Exciting news at The Retreat!
We have been selected as a Minnesota Recovery Core site for the 2017-18 year.
See below to learn more about this NEW opportunity and how you could work at The Retreat!
Experience life-changing growth. Become a Minnesota Recovery Corps Navigator.
Interested in helping others in recovery reach their goals and build on their success? Become a Recovery Navigator! Minnesota Recovery Corps is now accepting applications for full-time positions, starting in September.
Minnesota Recovery Corps is a new program designed specifically for people with direct or indirect experience in recovery to serve other individuals who are trying to sustain their own recovery. Recovery Corps members will work with both teens and adults in recovery in a variety of locations in the Twin Cities. Recovery Corps members are not sponsors or counselors, but mentors who understand the journey of recovery. They will focus on helping individuals reach their goals that can help build and sustain the great experiences that a life in recovery can bring.
Pass the word on to a friend or family member! Positions for the 2017-18 program year being in September. Learn more and apply today!
Questions before you apply? Contact Alana Stimes, Program Director, at alana.stimes@servetogrow.org.
Click Here For More Information Click Here for a Position Description
The Retreat: An Affordable Solution
Recovery Campus Magazine featured The Retreat in its latest issue!
The Profound Impact of Healthy Human Connection
A presentation by Judge Floerke encouraging us to see ourselves as part of a compassionate presence for those who are struggling and challenging us to grapple with our own need for renewal.
New Scholarship Funding Means More People Can Get Help Fighting Addiction
MinnPost covers The Retreat's philosophies, programs, and scholarship opportunities.
An Interview with John Curtiss: Toward Effective and Affordable Recovery Support
John Curtiss discusses his pursuit of creating an alternative to traditional treatment programs focused on accessibility, affordability and effectiveness in supporting long-term addiction recovery.
Otto Bremer Trust Awards $500,000 to The Retreat to Provide Services for Alcohol and Drug Dependency
SAINT PAUL, July 22, 2016 — The Otto Bremer Trust today announced a $250,000 grant with an additional $250,000 matching grant for the next calendar year to The Retreat, Wayzata, Minnesota, to provide scholarships for those seeking assistance with alcohol and drug dependency in Bremer Bank communities in Minnesota for the 2016 calendar year and North Dakota and western Wisconsin for the 2017 calendar year.
Parents: Doing the Best They Can with What They Have
Sherry Gaugler-Stewart shares insights on the underlying issues of youth substance use on the blog Our Young Addicts.
Andrea Bruner on Differences in Addiction & Recovery
Andrea Bruner discusses gender differences in addiction and recovery with WCCO's Esme Murphy.
Movers & Shakers: John Curtiss, President and CEO, The Retreat
John Curtiss, president of Wayzata-based chemical dependency program The Retreat, said the nonprofit this year is offering at least $260,000 in scholarships to serve additional individuals and families.
The Retreat Addiction Recovery Scholarship Funds
The Retreat has been offering recovery programs for more than 17 years. Programs include residential, non-residential, Older Adult programs, long-term sober living, weekend retreats, family programs and more.
John Curtiss - The Retreat Scholarship Fund
John Curtiss discusses The Retreat's scholarship fund, which allows people to access recovery that is grounded in the traditions of the 12 Steps
The Retreat Provides $260,000 in Scholarship Funds to Those Seeking Addiction Recovery Services
Funds Supplement $250,000 Provided by Otto Bremer Foundation in 2015
Furthering efforts begun last year through a $250,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation, The Retreat, a Twin Cities-based peer-to-peer addiction recovery program, has made $260,000 in scholarship funds available in 2016 to those seeking recovery services.
The Retreat and Otto Bremer Foundation Provide Scholarship Funds to Outstate Minnesota Residents Seeking Addiction Recovery Services
Thanks to a grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation, The Retreat, a Twin Cities-based peer-to-peer addiction recovery program, has made $250,000 in scholarship funds available in 2015 to individuals and families within outstate Minnesota who seek recovery services. Having served 63 individuals thus far using scholarship funds, approx. $50,000 is still available for those who apply by Nov. 12, 2015.
Listen to an exclusive interview with John Curtiss about the Bremer Scholarship.
Watch the Kare11 Segment | Read our Great Review from Renew Magazine!
The Retreat Receives $250,000 From Otto Bremer Foundation
The Retreat received a $250,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation, making residential recovery services more accessible than ever. This grant will be used to provide scholarships to the residents of Greater Minnesota for whom finding traditional addiction recovery treatment can often be challenging. Our mission is to keep addiction recovery affordable, and with this grant we are able to remove yet another barrier between our clients and the help that they need.
It’s never too late to find serenity and sobriety.
Addiction recovery is a lifelong process. Sometimes finding the extra support you need is difficult, especially when you are finding sobriety a challenge or are in need of friend who understands. The Retreat’s Older Adults Program offers this chance for community and encouragement to people over 60 who have been addicted to drugs and alcohol and who are looking start a new chapter in their lives.
A Community Built On Experience
Nestled in Wayzata, MN, The Retreat is a supportive educational center that has been rebuilding lives for over 15 years. Instead of running expensive assessments and offering medical treatments, The Retreat focuses on community and education as ways to create a better future for one’s self.
