4th Annual Serenity Now: A Special Pre-Mother’s Day VIRTUAL Retreat
For Moms impacted by kids who have struggled with
substance use disorder
A day of self-care, self-compassion, loving kindness, and self-love
Saturday, May 1, 2021
10 AM - 4:00 PM EDT
from the comfort of your own space through the magic of Zoom
a peaceful respite with others who've walked this path...
This retreat is for you if you have loved a child with these challenges,
no matter where you are on this journey, no matter where your child is now on this journey, whether your child is doing well right now, or whether your child has died. While we cannot change the past or current situation, we CAN change our perspective and therefore our experience as we move forward. While we cannot change our child's journey, we can choose to live ours. This retreat is for you because you have known the unique experience of loving this child – the powerlessness, the hope, the fear, the loss… that others may never know. And because you have a desire to live with both the pain and the possibility. This retreat is to honor you as the loving woman and mother that you are. This retreat is to offer you a little peace, and to help you reclaim and live your life fully. You have lived a life that you never imagined, never planned for and certainly were not prepared for. You deserve some time to soak in self-care, self-compassion, and bask in loving kindness. My wish for you is to live your life as fully as possible, knowing that peace, joy, and laughter can still be part of your life, no matter what your child's path may be – and to know that that is ok for you to live fully. "Restful, safe, powerful, emotional, enduring… Barb’s Mothers Day retreat was so much more than expected! The power and connection of spending time with other moms of shared experience was immeasurable. I laughed, I cried, I bonded and I healed. I will always have the Serenity Sisters I made that weekend! I was surprised what I learned about myself, and continue the practice of coming home to myself. I am so looking forward to the next retreat I am able to attend!" Rhonda B. Can you relate? As moms impacted by a child's substance use disorder… We live in a world that our own family and friends may not understand. We, at times, feel isolated, alone, ashamed, scared, angry, or judged (or all of the above). We ride waves of emotion and a roller coaster of experiences that embody everything from hope and joy to plummeting despair. We wonder if it will ever end. We believe there's a better way to live, but we may not know how to get there. My wishes for you this retreat…
that you can rest in an oasis, a sanctuary, where you feel held among others who in some way get it, who have walked a similar path. that you find a space where you are really cared for as you greet yourself with the utmost care, kindness, and compassion. that you give yourself a chance to strengthen the ground you walk upon by learning how to nurture and nourish yourself through practices of self-care that can sustain you in daily life. In this space, you have permission to let down, to let your nervous system relax, to breathe, to luxuriate in time and space that we will create together – just for you! This is not a support group or a 12-step meeting. This is not a time to focus on your child's experience, although that is our common thread. We will not be sharing our war stories... phew! (there are plenty of other places to do that) This is a time for you to find a new way... to open to new possibilities. I have been on this journey with addiction in my family, in my life, since 2009. I have lived through the falling apart moments, all the "firsts" that I never could have imagined surviving, through daring to hope and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
On this journey I have had tearing my hair out, screaming, crying, heart shattering times. I have been consumed by it, feeling like it was the only thing that mattered. And, I have also learned to accept this part of my life for what it is, to let go of any delusion of control I believed I possessed, and to find a way to cultivate peace and joy for my own life. I have discovered that this is only one thread in the tapestry of my life - I do not have to carry it in shame or silence, and it does not define me or my family. I have realized that my son and I will always be bound by love, but my life experience does not hinge upon his. I have freed us both by honoring the independence of our life journeys. I want to support you in freeing yourself to live your life fully. We will… have a spacious schedule that allows for rest, movement, reflection, and down time, as you’d like to spend it. have opportunities for creative expression, enjoy time outdoors, time to be with nature laugh, cry, be silent, and talk – there will be room for it all, lay the stones for the foundation of the lives you’d like to live, honor you as the special mothers and beautiful women that you are, remember that your lives are about more than your child, and know that it is, indeed, possible to be happier than your unhappiest child. You will come home to yourselves. This is your time and space – use it as you will. This retreat is yours. It is all about you and all for you. Aaaahhhh…. breathe that in. Refresh – Rejuvenate – Celebrate… the Wonder of You! Wear your PJ’s all day if you like, forget the makeup… just BE! Join us from your backyard or deck. Sleep, dream, eat, read, write, draw, paint, dance, deepen your loving relationship with yourself... enjoy time to tune into what you really want and need, moment by moment. Let this be a day of fun and relaxation, a time of healing and rejuvenation. A time just for you! This feels particularly important as we navigate not only our own life's uncertainty, but the unknown all around us. Schedule
We will be in retreat together for the day, from the opening session until the close, so please plan to block out this time to be in retreat mode/retreat mindset, even if you are in a space that includes other people (as you likely are! It's not a problem). I will support you in creating your own retreat space and holding this time as special and sacred so that between our calls, you will be able to choose mindfully how to spend your time and energy. **You do not need to be isolated away in your own space or try to not interact with others for the entire weekend. It simply means that together we will create a collective energy of retreat and within the group, you will create what works for you within your current reality.** You will receive a short guide with suggestions to support you in setting yourself up for a nourishing retreat prior to retreat. For planning purposes, here is a tentative schedule... within this framework, we may make slight adjustments in real-time based on the needs of the group. Morning session 10:00 - 12:00 Personal Integration Time 12:00 - 2:00 Afternoon Session 2:30 - 4:00 |
Investment
$125 - includes all retreat sessions and materials!
Special Offer - Two for One pricing
bring a friend - or gift the extra spot back to me to offer up as a scholarship spot!
For ease in record-keeping on my end, I ask that one friend pay, both friends register
and then work out the finances between yourselves on how to split that fee.
Thank you!!
If you would like to apply for scholarship spot, please email me and let me know what you're looking for in this retreat
and whether you are requesting a full or partial scholarship. If partial, please let me know what amount is doable for you.
Register below
Registration will remain open until 12 PM on Friday, April 30
Cancellations and Refunds
Registration is non-refundable.
$125 - includes all retreat sessions and materials!
Special Offer - Two for One pricing
bring a friend - or gift the extra spot back to me to offer up as a scholarship spot!
For ease in record-keeping on my end, I ask that one friend pay, both friends register
and then work out the finances between yourselves on how to split that fee.
Thank you!!
If you would like to apply for scholarship spot, please email me and let me know what you're looking for in this retreat
and whether you are requesting a full or partial scholarship. If partial, please let me know what amount is doable for you.
Register below
Registration will remain open until 12 PM on Friday, April 30
Cancellations and Refunds
Registration is non-refundable.
Location: We will be meeting virtually from the comfort of your own space.
All you need is a space where you can create a retreat mindset - comfortable, as peaceful as possible - and the ability to connect via Zoom ideally with video and a headset that includes a microphone since it does help to strengthen connection when we can see and hear one another.
All you need is a space where you can create a retreat mindset - comfortable, as peaceful as possible - and the ability to connect via Zoom ideally with video and a headset that includes a microphone since it does help to strengthen connection when we can see and hear one another.