Retreats, Classes & Workshops Calendar
The calendar below lists all events supporting spiritual development which are held at The Retreat. We believe the development of the human spirit is critical to a successful and fulfilling life. All overnight retreats are held at The McIver Center for Family and Spiritual Development, which provides a nourishing and reflective environment that is designed to supports one’s spiritual journey.
Retreats, Classes, and Workshops sponsored by The Retreat are all lead by Retreat staff and volunteers, who have extensive experience creating and facilitating programming that allows others to deepen their spirituality. All presenters are actively engaged in 12 Step recovery.
Events are lead by the following:
- Sherry Gaugler-Stewart, Director of Family and Spiritual Recovery
- Roger B., Volunteer for the Family Program, and the Men and Women’s Programs
- Sandy Swenson, Author and Volunteer for the Men and Women’s Programs
- Jake Klisivitch, Men’s Program Coordinator
- DeAnna Loux, 200RYT, Trauma-informed certified Yoga Teacher
- John MacDougall, Spiritual Care Coordinator
Upcoming Events
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May 30 - June 1, 2025
Writing Your Recovery
A weekend retreat with Jake Klisivitch
Find your story with the help of an editor with over twenty years, and millions of words, of experience.
In recovery, we are asked to share “What we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now.” We will explore your story over the course of the weekend beginning with these guidelines, and from a variety of different angles using journaling, writing prompts, and other exercises. This retreat will point the way towards a richer memoir, one that can provide experience, strength and hope not just to you, but to others as well. At the end of the weekend, you will have the backbone of a larger story or a stand-alone account of your journey to who you are today.
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July 25 - 27, 2025
Dandelion Mama Camp
A weekend retreat with Sandy Swenson
Full with a waitlist!
As mothers of children suffering with addiction, we do battle with a disease that oozes misunderstanding and shame. Alone and afraid, we try to do the right thing—even when we're not sure what that right thing is. We try to hold our families and ourselves together, even when it feels like we're falling apart. We feel every pain our child feels, no matter the distance (in miles or years). We try to carry on, even when our heart is breaking in two. But, as tired and tattered as we may be, like the deceptively delicate dandelion, we moms are made to persevere.
Together, we will explore the topic of family, self, and what we actually have control over in this place where love and addiction meet. Together, we will find the power to overpower the destruction that addiction spreads.
We may often feel fragile, but we are Dandelion Mama Strong. We are masters of survival.
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Aug 1 - 3, 2025
Starting Over
A weekend retreat with Roger B.
It feels like a daunting task: starting over. Although there are little ways that we start over each day, there are other experiences that can feel overwhelming, be it a relapse, an illness, the end of a relationship, career losses, or issues with getting older. How do we not get lost in the pain, grief, and loss in our lives? How do we accept life on life's terms, and discover the richness in each experience?
We don't have to do this alone! We can allow our relationship with our Higher Power / God / Truth / Creator to help us along the way, as well as the others surrounding us on this journey. This weekend will be an opportunity to challenge ourselves to be humble, and to learn the lessons that come with starting anew.
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Sep 5 - 7, 2025
Being Sober and Becoming Happy
A weekend retreat with John MacDougall
This retreat is based on five themes from John MacDougall’s book, “Being Sober and Becoming Happy:”
- Staying Sober: A review of what the essentials are for getting and staying sober.
- Spirituality and Recovery: The development of spiritual resilience that can support sobriety over the life span.
- Surrender and Trust: Learning to surrender to a Higher Power, and learning to trust in God, in trustworthy people, and in life itself.
- Spiritual Healing for Abuse and Trauma: Addressing past traumas through spiritual practices.
- Hope: Finding sources of hope regardless of one’s life situation.
We will have a combination of lectures and discussions as we support each other.
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Sep 26 - 28, 2025
Sought Through Prayer & Meditation
An 11th Step retreat with Sherry Gaugler-Stewart
“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”
Step 11 speaks of improving our conscious contact with our Higher Power, which isn’t easy to do if we don’t take time and space to intentionally focus on and strengthen that relationship. This retreat will be an opportunity to renew and deepen our commitment to this Relationship and our program by focusing on Step 11—practicing prayer, meditation, and quiet reflection throughout the weekend.
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Oct 3 - 5, 2025
Dandelion Mama Camp
Masters of Survival - A weekend retreat with Sandy Swenson
As mothers of children suffering with addiction, we do battle with a disease that oozes misunderstanding and shame. Alone and afraid, we try to do the right thing—even when we're not sure what that right thing is. We try to hold our families and ourselves together, even when it feels like we're falling apart. We feel every pain our child feels, no matter the distance (in miles or years). We try to carry on, even when our heart is breaking in two. But, as tired and tattered as we may be, like the deceptively delicate dandelion, we moms are made to persevere.
Together, we will explore the topic of family, self, and what we actually have control over in this place where love and addiction meet. Together, we will find the power to overpower the destruction that addiction spreads.
We may often feel fragile, but we are Dandelion Mama Strong. We are masters of survival.
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Oct 24 - 26, 2025
Decoding The Big Book
A Big Book Study weekend retreat with Roger B.
It’s not a mystery and it’s not magic. It’s a PROCESS! The Big Book is a map, not a miracle. It’s really quite practical! When you boil it down, the 12 Steps are a set of spiritual exercises. When they are practiced as a lifestyle, they will lead us to understanding, awareness, and eventually a Spiritual Awakening. That’s the goal!
The question becomes, “How do I find myself in this book?” This weekend will be an opportunity to find resonance with the ideas and concepts in the Big Book, finding solutions through understanding the emotional landscape described in the first 7 chapters. We won’t necessarily spend time delving into what we already agree with, but, instead, get more clarity on what we don’t, which is the process to help us get to the other side of those things that block us.
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Oct 31 - Nov 2, 2025
Healing Through Movement
A spiritual weekend retreat for Trauma and Recovery with DeAnna Loux
Join us for a transformative weekend designed to guide those navigating traumas, anxiety, and the path of recovery toward deep healing and inner peace. Centered on the experiences of individuals in recovery, this retreat combines yoga, somatic, and mindfulness practices to create a safe space for reflection, growth, and renewal. This weekend is about recovery: reclaiming your wholeness, stepping into a life of balance, joy, and freedom.
Throughout the weekend, you'll explore gentle yet powerful practices that connect the body, mind, and spirit. From trauma-informed yoga sessions to somatic exercises that unlock stored tension, each activity is thoughtfully crafted to support your healing journey. With a focus on self-compassion and resilience, you'll learn tools to manage anxiety, process emotions, and reconnect with your authentic self.
*This retreat is for educational purposes only. DeAnna Loux is not a licensed therapist. These discussions are not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, professional coach, or other qualified professional.
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Dec 26 - 28, 2025
What a Year it has Been!
A weekend retreat with Roger B.
Each year has its blessings, heartaches, and lessons. Although we definitely want to embrace what we have to celebrate, we often want to push mistakes aside, or blame someone or something else for the situation. When we do this, we also push away the “seed” of the answer or learning.
This weekend we will explore the year that was – preparing ourselves for the year that will be. We’ll create space to gain a deeper understanding of how shame and fear often paralyze us – and how our basic instincts can become reliant on fear and shame as a false reality. When this happens, we find ourselves doing the same things over and over again, hoping for a different response (rinse and repeat)!
If we can’t understand the source of our mistakes, we can’t learn. Freedom comes from discovering the answers that reside within our “mistakes”. Together we will embrace all that happened in this past year, and set the stage for freedom to flourish in the New Year.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Jen at jsamet@theretreat.org
Sherry at sgaugler-stewart@theretreat.org
or call us at 952.476.0566.
