This interactive two-day workshop will teach participants how to build retreats and workshops. Group processes will be explored and there will be the opportunity to develop a personal project for implementation.

As a spiritual retreat facilitator, you design and lead retreats that nurture faith, contemplation, and personal transformation. To do this, you will create sacred spaces for reflection, and prayer, guide participants with structures and processes, manage group dynamics and foster a welcoming, inclusive environment. Balancing structure with the movement of the Spirit, you will also be mindful of your own self-care to maintain a deep listening stance.

In this workshop, you will learn some foundations of spiritual retreat facilitation through the understanding of the purpose and impact of spiritual retreats, the role of a facilitator as a guide, not a teacher and achieving positive outcomes through working with the core spiritual themes of contemplation, discernment, and inner transformation. You will also learn hands-on practices by guiding discussions, leading workshops and sessions, soliciting feedback and providing mentorship to participants. There will also be space for personal reflection on your vocation and calling as a facilitator. These learnings will build upon and strengthen your existing unique talent and skills.

To reinforce the theoretical learnings, you will be invited to design, plan and lead your own retreat and run it before session 2. By the end of both workshops, you will have developed practical skills in facilitation and nurturing communities in their formation and growth.

Facilitators: Therese Carroll & Dean Mason