STAR is intensive therapy done as a personal growth retreat. The idea of therapy in a retreat setting may at first seem contradictory. Therapy is hard work, while going on retreat is supposed to be relaxing. But a retreat provides an ideal environment to address deep personal wounds. The peaceful setting, combined with therapeutic assistance provides a unique and powerful opportunity for healing.

At STAR we have found it is helpful for you to "get away" and immerse yourself in your process. This first step gets you a fresh perspective where you won’t be distracted by the daily routine of electronics, family, job, etc. In a retreat setting, there is no need to put on your “game face” in order to go to meals or walk around the property. The responsibilities that usually require us to repress our feelings are taken away. Instead you are free to immerse yourself in your process. There is no driving to get from one place to another. Meals are cooked and served for you. It is a given that clients may be in their process at any time. Tear-stained faces in the dining room are not judged. There is time and space to simply "be."

We have learned that it can be very helpful to have a witness who will support you through your process—experiencing the effects of stress, going through the grieving process, dealing with repressed anger, or trying to understand the patterns that may no longer serve you. STAR is a place where you can go on "retreat" and have highly skilled help in dealing with your painful issues.

A personal growth retreat offers added dimensions not found in traditional therapy. Psychotherapy, as it is conducted in most professional settings, is limiting in a number of ways. Therapy is usually conducted in an office setting under the strict restrictions of time, space, and noise. When psychotherapy is conducted in a retreat setting, the limitations found in an office are virtually eliminated.

Space is also a limitation in professional offices. Beautiful furnishings, art objects, and the general ambience suggest "this is a grown-up space, behave yourself." It does not encourage a hurt, inner child to cry, or an angry person to freely release his/her anger. Many of our wounds and much of our pain come from childhood, where we were unable to openly express ourselves. What that wounded child does not need is another setting in which to "behave." Safe space is provided on personal growth retreats.

In office settings, there is also a limitation with respect to noise. You may express your anger, but quietly. You may cry, but not too loudly. It is difficult enough to finally express your feelings without being directly or indirectly "shushed." On personal growth retreats, noises of all kinds vibrating from therapy rooms are accepted.

The healing potential of retreats goes beyond the strict guidelines of traditional psychotherapy. At a STAR retreat, there is an opportunity to work with a variety of staff members who all bring different perspectives to the healing process. By being exposed to different experiential modalities such as bodywork, art therapy, breathwork, and guided imagery, there is a unique opportunity to discover which best suit your needs.

The retreat experience also provides time and safety to integrate in many ways. Just having time to walk, watch dogs at play, journal, paint or sculpt are powerful ways to enrich and expand therapeutic gains and strengthen healing.

Whether in an office or in a retreat setting, the commitment to honor your Self is not easy. It involves taking time out and having the courage to address deep feelings that most of us would rather not feel. However, the by-products of this courageous act are power, freedom, and living more fully in the present.

 

Also see:
The STAR Process
What Graduates Say about STAR Retreats
Frequently Asked Questions