Family Program
Our Family Program: The Best Way to Help.
We know how desperate family members are to help their loved one.
The Retreat’s Family program gives families and friends tools to effectively support their loved one in the face of the confusion and chaos of addiction.
If you have a loved one struggling with drugs and alcohol, we can educate you on how to respond to the addiction and to support in ways that really help.
But here is the most important thing you should know:
- Alcoholism is a disease that affects the entire family. It is a family problem that requires a family solution.
- Our Family Program allows family members and friends to become part of the solution.
How Can I Help My Loved One?
Program Offerings
Here is what you will get from participating in our Program:
- Hope
- Tools for dealing constructively and effectively with someone else’s addiction
- Strategies for responding to your loved ones in ways that are caring and helpful
The Retreat Family Program is built on the belief that each family member has been impacted by their loved one’s use. Our Family Program gives participants the opportunity to better understand addiction, family dynamics and the process of recovery embodied in the Twelve Steps of Al-Anon.
*Please note: you do not have to have a loved one connected to The Retreat to attend.The Family Program is open to anyone. All family events require pre-registration. Please Contact Sherry at sgaugler-stewart@theretreat.org or Jen at jsamet@theretreat.org or call us at 952.476.0566.
Thank You!
Participation will also include:
- Group Discussions
- Educational sessions on the Twelve Steps and related topics, including all program materials
- Al-Anon & AA meetings
- Family Conferences
- Personal Reflection
- Meditation
- Meals prepared by our award-winning chef (for those attending our Residential Family Program)
Alateen
Chance for Change ALATEEN
Tuesdays | 7PM – 8 PM
The Cottage at The Retreat
1221 Wayzata Blvd. E., Wayzata 55391
The Cottage is located to the far-left side of the main building, between the Women’s Center and the garage.
It has its own separate entrance.
This meeting is not affiliated with The Retreat.
This meeting is for kids aged 10 – 19 who are impacted by someone else’s drinking. All are warmly welcome!
The Pathfinder’s Al-Anon meeting happens at the same time in the Lower Level Meeting Room of The Retreat’s Men’s Center!
ALATEEN IS PART OF AL-ANON
McIver Family Center Amenities
- Meditation Room
- Room for 18 guests
- Lounge area with fireplace
- Library
- Access to the Wayzata Big Woods and nature trails
- Wireless service is available for laptop computers
- Fitness center at main campus
A Family Problem Requires a Family Solution
Upcoming Family Program Dates
We are currently offering Virtual and Residential Family Programs. Please see below for dates and category.
2026
Thursday, January 1st – Sunday, January 4th – Residential
Thursday, January 15th – Sunday, January 18th – Virtual
Thursday, January 29th – Sunday, February 1st – Residential
Thursday, February 5th – Sunday, February 8th – Virtual
Thursday, February 19th – Sunday, February 22nd – Residential
The Family Program is offered a minimum of twice a month, typically Thursday through Sunday. Check-in for our Residential Family Program is from 4 – 5:30 PM on Thursday, with a program conclusion of 2 PM on Sunday.
*Note: All Family Events Require Pre-Registration. Please Contact Sherry at sgaugler-stewart@theretreat.org or Jen at jsamet@theretreat.org or call us at 952.476.0566. Thank You!
Costs and Admissions
Family Program Agenda & Cost
Our Family Program is offered a minimum of twice a month, in a virtual format and as a residential program at the McIver Center. Each Family Program starts on Thursday evening (check-in time is from 4 – 5:30 PM for the Residential program) and concludes mid-day on Sunday. Participants will need to register to attend, and be available to participate in all scheduled Zoom sessions, as each session’s topic throughout the weekend are different, and each builds on the prior topic.
When someone is in our 30-day program in our Men’s or Women’s Centers, one family member is invited to participate in our Family Program at no additional charge. The fee for additional participants to attend our Virtual Family Program is $495 per person, and the fee for additional participants for the Residential Family Program is $650 per person (which includes lodging and meals). In order to attend you must call to register.
Families do not need to have a loved one connected to The Retreat to attend the Family Program.
Family Program Agenda
Below are scheduled sessions for both the Residential and Virtual Family Programs. All programming sessions are the same, although additional items (meals/visiting time) are listed on the Residential Schedule.
To participate in our Residential Family Program we ask for a willingness to follow CDC safety guidelines for upper respiratory illnesses during the length of the program. If you develop flu-like symptoms prior to your arrival, or have been exposed to someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19, we ask that you reschedule your Family Program for another time.
Notes specific to the Virtual Program are listed at the end of this schedule.
Day One |
||||
| Residential Family Program | Virtual Family Program | |||
| 4PM | Check-in and registration | |||
| 6PM | Dinner | |||
| 7PM | Orientation/Family Recovery | 7PM | Orientation/Family Recovery | |
Day Two |
||||
| Residential Family Program | Virtual Family Program | |||
| 7:30AM | Meditation | |||
| 8:15AM | Breakfast | |||
| 9AM | The Disease Concept | 9AM | The Disease Concept | |
| Noon | Lunch | |||
| 1PM | Relationship Dynamics | 1PM | Relationship Dynamics | |
| 3:15PM | Free time/visiting time* | |||
| 6PM | Dinner | |||
| 7PM | Challenges of Early Recovery | 7PM | Challenges of Early Recovery | |
| 8:45PM | Nightly Inventory | 8:45PM | Nightly Inventory | |
Day Three |
||||
| Residential Family Program | Virtual Family Program | |||
| 7:30AM | Meditation | |||
| 8:15AM | Breakfast | |||
| 9AM | What does Powerless mean? | 9AM | What does Powerless mean? | |
| Noon | Lunch | |||
| 1PM | Finding a conception of a Higher Power that works for you | 1PM | Finding a conception of a Higher Power that works for you | |
| 3:15PM | Free time/visiting time* | |||
| 6PM | Dinner | |||
| 7PM | AA Speaker Meeting* | |||
| 8:45PM | Nightly Inventory | |||
Day Four |
||||
| Residential Family Program | Virtual Family Program | |||
| 7:30AM | Meditation | |||
| 8:15AM | Breakfast | |||
| 9AM | Making a Decision | 9AM | Making a Decision | |
| 11AM | Closing Activity | 11AM | Closing Activity | |
| Noon | Lunch | |||
| 1PM | Al-Anon Speaker Meeting* | |||
| 2-5PM | Visiting Time* | |||
*indicates a joint activity with Retreat Guests for the Residential Family Program.
Virtual Family Program Notes:
- The Zoom room will open 15 minutes prior to the start of all Virtual Family Program Sessions. Sessions will be about 2.25 hours long with a break midway through (a few sessions may run 2.5 hours – depending on participant questions).
- Daily Meditation Sessions have been pre-recorded for our Virtual Family Program for you to access during the program at a time that works best for you.
- All Virtual Family Program participants will receive a link to be able to access other AA and Al-Anon speakers electronically.
FAQs about The Retreat Family Program
My loved one has the problem, why do I need to come?
Alcohol and drug addiction are a family problem that requires a family solution. Everyone is impacted. When this is happening in our lives, we can become angry, confused and scared – sometimes without knowing it. Support and information allow for healing and movement toward a solution.
What will I get from participating in the Family Program?
- A break from the day to day struggles of living with addiction (when attending in person);
- An opportunity to talk with others who understand what you’ve been experiencing;
- Tools for dealing constructively with addiction;
- Strategies for responding to your loved ones in ways that are caring and helpful; and
- Ultimately, hope.
How can I best support my loved one?
If you have a loved one struggling with drugs and alcohol, we can educate you on how to respond to the addiction, and to support them in ways that really help. To get you started, here are:
6 Things You Can Do to Help a Loved One.
I have been to other family programs. What makes this program different?
The Retreat Programs all focus on the solution to moving forward from the impact of alcoholism and addiction on relationships. Participants will learn skills that allow them to respond differently and begin the process of healing. Participants are introduced to a process for change that has sufficient power to move family members from hopelessness to hope, for themselves and their loved ones.
I already attend Al-Anon. Would it still be useful for me to attend the Family Program?
Past participants with Al-Anon experience have reported that attending our Family Program gave them the opportunity to deepen their recovery programs.
My loved one doesn’t want to get help, so I don’t have anyone at The Retreat. Can I still attend?
Participation in the Family Program is open to anyone concerned about a loved one’s substance use. You do not need a connection to someone involved in any of our other Retreat Programs to participate.
If my loved one is in the Residential Program at The Retreat, do I need to come while they are there?
Although we feel that it’s extremely beneficial to attend the Family Program as soon as you are able, we know that it’s not always possible to come while your loved one is here in residence. The advantage to participating while they are here is you will have an opportunity to be better prepared for how to support your loved one and yourself when they return from our program. One family member will have up to 90 days to participate at no additional cost.
What does the program cost?
Our residential program fee includes the fee for one participant to attend our Family Program. The fee for additional participants, or for those not affiliated with someone involved in Retreat programs, is $495 per person for our virtual program, and $650 for our residential program
(which includes meals and lodging).
Scholarship money is available for those who may need financial assistance in reducing their fee. Non-Residential Program participants’ family members receive a $245 discount from either program fee.
I live near The Retreat. Do I have to stay overnight?
Yes, the Retreat Family Program is a residential program and it is necessary, to stay at our 18 bed McIver Family Center. An important part of the residential program is the connection that happens between family members in the evening after the sessions are done.
Can I start the program on Saturday? I can't take time off work to arrive on Thursday evening.
We’ve designed our program to begin on Thursday evening and last into the weekend with the intention of being minimally disruptive to people’s work schedules. Our hope is that participants are able to arrive to our Residential Family Program by 5:30 PM on Thursday afternoon to get settled in before we have dinner together as a group at 6 PM. However, we know that sometimes this isn’t possible due to flight schedules and other prior obligations.
We can make an allowance, if needed, for someone to miss dinner on the first night, provided that they are able to arrive by 6:45 PM. If someone is unable to attend the full program by that timeframe, we ask them to choose a different program date to attend that will allow them to attend all scheduled sessions. We require attendance at all sessions for our Virtual Family Program.
How often is the Family Program held?
Our program is held at least twice a month, starting on the first and third Thursdays of the month. The program begins Thursday evening and concludes Sunday afternoon. Occasionally, additional programs are available.
Do I need to register in advance to attend the Family Program?
Yes, advance registration is required, as space is limited.
What do I need to bring to the Residential Family Program?
Please bring your own personal toiletries. You’ll also want to bring casual clothing and comfortable walking shoes. We will provide linens and towels. Laundry facilities are available.
Testimonials
This still is the most profound program we’ve ever attended. It helped us, taught us and focused us so much. As our son works his way through recovery, we can partner along with him due to our attending the Family Program.
I’ve been wondering for the past months how my heart would heal… if it even would. Well, these few days have allowed that to happen. I will never feel alone in the dark again.
I am so grateful to The Retreat’s Family Program. I have learned more in the last 4 days than I ever thought possible. It is so evident The Retreat’s heart is in the right place. Thank you!
Thank you for giving back to me so much of what I lost through the past 5 years of my son’s addiction. I no longer need to carry that heavy burden of guilt of how I was responsible for everything.
This was the best experience I have had & learned a lot about myself and my husband’s disease. Your staff is truly making a difference in touching people’s lives.
I have attended other family programs, and I liked this different approach.
I still can’t decide if you got me there by coercion, persuasion, enticement, or guilt. However you pulled it off, you forever changed my life for the better, and I am eternally grateful.
The Family Program has enabled me to have a better relationship with my brother. The Retreat literally saved his life, if he continues to work the program. It also changed my life.
I came here full of hate and resentment for my mom. I didn’t understand that it really wasn’t my fault. I am leaving here today with a new understanding.
I got to talk about things that I have never talked about before.
Addiction is a Family Problem that Requires a Family Solution.
Did you know that studies have shown significant increased success for long-term sobriety with family involvement?
Our Free Family Brochure Contains Information On:
- The Unique Retreat Approach
- Program Details for Families
- Offered Amenities, Schedule and More…
Alcoholism and addiction can be difficult for the whole family, but you’re not alone. We’re here to help.
