Awakening the spirit is at the heart of STAR's work, and is the underlying goal of our program. STAR provides an opportunity to discover and deepen authentic spirituality. In the course of STAR, many participants find themselves strengthening their spiritual orientation as they go deeper into their own inner experience. Those for whom the realm of the spirit or soul has seemed vague, remote, or nonexistent often experience a profound rekindling of this aspect of their lives. 

While matters of the soul and spirit are central to the work of STAR, we neither advocate nor prescribe specific religious beliefs or spiritual practices. Rather, STAR supports a personal search for authenticity in these and other issues, while taking great care to honor the reality and validity of each experience. 

Barbara Findeisen, MA, MFT, developed the STAR process in the 1970's while continuing her work as a therapist in private practice. Barbara is the Past President of the Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health, (APPAH), and is internationally recognized for her work in the field of pre- and perinatal psychology and regressive psychotherapy. 

Over the years, the STAR Foundation has been instrumental in facilitating positive change in the lives of people from all over the world using the best techniques from a a wide variety of of well-established approaches integrated into a comprehensive, multi-layered program. Our program safely addresses sources of early developmental trauma and other clinical conditions in a way that is not easily accomplished through traditional therapies alone. 

Our wonderful and caring staff is all comprised of all former STAR participants, many of whom are highly skilled and professionally recognized psychotherapists using both cognitive and experiential methods, involving physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of the human experience. 

A STAR Retreat is a ten day intensive healing retreat designed to help you move from dissatisfaction with your life to an experience of your true and vital self – one rejuvenated with the confidence, satisfaction, and skills to create the life you want to live. Our program offers a variety of the most effective psychological processes available today. It is firmly grounded in established developmental models and professional therapeutic approaches.

The theoretical framework for STAR’s healing process incorporates the latest in neuroscience, attachment theory, trauma research, anger management, and mindfulness practices. Modalities include clinically proven methods of conquering depression and anxiety, and specifically addresses early developmental trauma. The STAR Retreat uses a balanced approach to heal the whole person. Although it occurs in a group context, participants find their experience to be highly individualized.

Our program is suitable for a wide range of issues including low self-esteem and relationship problems, professional or personal burnout, or feelings of simply being “stuck.” STAR is ideal for those experiencing a loss of meaning and purpose, significant life transitions, blocked creativity, grief and loss, and/or anxiety or depression. We are also very successful in working with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, stress-related symptoms, adult attachment disorder, anger management, and addictive behaviors.

Throughout your STAR Retreat our experienced staff members, all trained graduates themselves, will be available to work with you. In addition, you will be matched with a facilitator who works closely with you to assure that the program is personalized to meet your needs. Our staff-to-participant ratio is unprecedented; about one staff member to two participants. This insures that you receive daily individual support to heal and reach your personal goals.

STAR Retreats are designed to assist each individual in uncovering the root cause of their challenges, while uncovering debilitating patterns at their source. Our emphasis is on helping you experience deep caring, find new direction, and become your authentic self – the person you want to be. Each STAR participant explores the beliefs that led to strategies that may have served them in their family of origin, but are no longer effective in living the life they desire. STAR graduates emerge with new tools for living, greater clarity in decision-making, and heightened skills in listening and communicating. When you are ready to redesign your life, we are here to support you.

Working as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or counselor is a highly gratifying yet demanding career. While the impulse to serve is a commendable one, sometimes the balance of care for self and others gets skewed. Personal needs may not be addressed. Additionally, working with clients frequently becomes very evocative and unrevealed aspects of the therapist may be stimulated. Unresolved issues may create limitations in working with clients as well as compromise the quality of one’s own life.

STAR Retreats offer skillful help and support in a safe and confidential setting. Away from busy schedules and responsibilities, the professional can deeply focus on their own issues. In an environment of nurturing and personalized attention, the discovery, healing, and transcendence of personal and professional issues becomes possible.

With or without pressing symptoms, therapists and other health-care professionals have reported STAR Retreats to be beyond compare as a personal growth experience and as professional development.

Over the years, STAR Retreats have come to be known as a unique and powerful process, one that often provides the “missing link” in psychotherapy. Many participants say, “A STAR Retreat is like doing several years of therapy!” Surrounded by knowledgeable and deeply caring staff, participants are able to release old hurts, beliefs, and patterns that have inhibited their full potential. Over ten days, they have an experience of who they really are and go home with tools to create the life they have longed for. Upon returning home, participants are encouraged work with their therapist to help them integrate and strengthen their STAR Retreat experience.