From Pause to Progress: Why I’m Hosting a One-Day EMBRACE Retreat This Fall

I've been thinking about this for a long time.

Not just the logistics - the venue, the schedule, who to invite. But the feeling I want people to walk away with. That moment when something shifts inside you, and you realize: I'm not stuck. I was just standing still long enough to finally see clearly.

That's what this retreat is about.

What Is "From Pause to Progress"?

It's a one-day, in-person retreat built entirely around the 6 P's of Personal Growth - the framework that runs underneath every module of the EMBRACE Model.

Pause. Pinpoint. Process. Plan. Practice. Progress.

In the workbook, you move through the 6 P's at your own pace, in your own space. At the retreat, you'll walk through them together - in a room full of people who are also choosing to stop, look inward, and take their next honest step.

There's something that happens when you do that work alongside others. A kind of courage that's contagious. A kind of permission that's hard to give yourself alone.

What the Day Looks Like

We'll gather in the morning and close at the end of the afternoon. In between, the day flows through all six P's - not as a lecture, not as a workshop you sit through passively, but as a lived experience.

You'll also receive a mini retreat workbook - a beautiful, personal companion for the day. It includes the 6 P's framework, guided exercises for each session, space for reflection, and a closing True Grit Manifesto that you'll write yourself by the end of the day.

Why a Retreat? Why Now?

When I lost my mother to dementia in 2018, I was already a grief specialist. I'd helped hundreds of people through loss. But my own grief didn't follow the textbook. It didn't stay in the therapy room. It showed up everywhere - at the grocery store, in the middle of conversations, at 3 AM when the house was quiet.

I needed something simpler. Something I could carry with me. That's where the EMBRACE Model was born, and the 6 P's became the engine that powered it.

"I've watched people read the workbook alone and have breakthroughs. But I've also seen what happens when people walk through this work in community - and it's different. It's deeper. It's the kind of thing you don't forget."

This retreat is the next step in that vision. Not just a book. Not just a course. A day where you give yourself permission to pause, be honest, and take your next step - surrounded by people doing the same thing.

Who Is This For?

You don't need to be in crisis to come. You don't need a diagnosis or a therapist's referral. This retreat is for anyone who:

• Feels stuck but can't quite name why
• Is navigating grief, anxiety, self-doubt, or a life transition
• Knows they need to slow down but doesn't know how
• Wants to work on themselves in a supportive, guided environment
• Is curious about the EMBRACE Model and wants to experience it firsthand
• Is a therapist, coach, or counselor who wants to see the framework in action

The EMBRACE Model was designed for everyone - men, women, all ages, all backgrounds. Your story matters. Your challenge matters. And there's room for you in this circle.

The Details

How to Stay in the Loop

We're finalizing the date and venue now. If you want to be the first to know when registration opens - and get early access before it fills - sign up for early access on the retreat page.

I'm building this retreat to be something I'd want to attend myself. Warm, real, grounded in science, and full of moments that actually change something. Not a seminar. Not a performance. Just honest work, done together.

I hope you'll join me.