I wanted to give you a glimpse into Racheal’s Rest’s week-long recovery retreats. The information provided below is specific to the retreat we just held in Cherry Log, GA. This retreat was designed with 2 hours of class time in the mornings and two hours in the evenings with an hour of personal time immediately following to process the information.
Below is a very basic outline for our time together. It is much more comprehensive than the outline implies because of each participant’s contributions, sharing time and interaction. The topics are beginning points for each group time but we may expand the conversation and topics according to the needs of each group.
Monday
- 8:00-9:00 Breakfast
- 9:00-11:00 Group teaching time
Topic: Impact of Abuse on its Victims: Immediate Symptoms and Long-Term Consequences.
How children and adults cope with the trauma. - 11:00-12:00 Personal time
- 12:00-1:00 Lunch
- 1:00-5:00
Recreational therapy to build confidence and trust, relax, sightseeing or challenge yourself. This may include tubing down the Toccoa River, hiking to waterfalls, hiking to the Toccoa River Suspension Bridge, or other outdoor activities. - 5:00-6:30 Dinner
- 6:30-8:30 Group Sharing Time
Topic/Activity: Watch an inspirational video and draw our own body outlines that we will work on all week to help us understand our own life story. One of the leaders will share her life story. - 8:30-10:00
Personal time or we will show a movie each night with snacks for those who are interested. - 10:00 Sleeping/quiet time each night
Each day’s time schedule was the same, but the topics will change
Examples below:
- What Healthy Relationships Look Like and How to Build Them. Learning to trust appropriately.
- Begin to fill in “My Life Story” map. This will help us understand the messages we have been given by society, our abuser and co-perpetrator(s), our own body, and others in our lives. The other leader will tell her life story.
- Anger: It’s purpose, how to process it, tame it, and use it constructively
- Begin to fill in “My Life Now” map. This will clarify and motivate us to reach the goals we want to achieve. “Life Story” sharing time by whoever is ready.
- The Process of Forgiveness… What does forgiveness mean anyway? Do I have to forgive in order to heal?… why should I?… and how do !?
- Discovering our life-giving rhythms/patterns. Another member of the group will share her story.
Our Closing Ceremony
During our closing ceremony we will do two activities: One to let go of things we don’t want to hold onto any longer through a balloon release ceremony and/or fire pit ceremony. We will do another activity to make a tangible reminder of what positive things we want to replace the negative traits with.
Please consider donating to our scholarship fund. Your generosity will help bring hope and
healing to abuse victims though retreats, individual and group counseling. It is only through the support of people like you that we can provide the care our clients need and deserve.
Thank you,
Dr. Karen
