Transitions Retreats
Transitions and New Beginnings Retreat
NEXT YEAR: April 4-6, 2025 / In residence at St. Anthony's Spirituality Center, Marathon, Wisconsin / Led by Sandy Salvo and Barb Bickford
Change happens. We change jobs or careers, we retire, we move. We experience illness, empty nests, deaths of loved ones. and changed relationships.
Change can disorient us, and we may wish for a place to get away for a few days with people who care and understand.
Join us as we explore ways to move through transitions toward new beginnings with meaningful conversations, gentle restorative movement, intuitive art (no talent needed) and more.
This retreat will be held in the lovely St. Anthony Spirituality Center near Wausau, Wisconsin, which is less than 3 hours from major cities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. (see map below)
Registration for our next Transitions event isn't open yet. If you'd like be notified when registration opens, go to our Topic Sign up page and check the box for "TOPIC: Transitions / Grief."
We also offer a shorter version (7 hours including lunch). If you know of a group that would like to sponsor a Transitions Retreat, contact me.
I became aware of the need
to approach transitions with calm, openness, non-judgement and the support of good people.
I returned home with much more patience and insight during a process of change.
My heart opened to the walks shared by others,
Our experiences resonated even though the specifics differed.
I was looking for greater fulfillment in my work life, with time to reflect and to open my mind to new possibilities.
Each session built on the others, allowing me to explore ideas more deeply.
I realized that it's OK to play and not to worry about perfection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who is this retreat for?
A. Anyone in transition who is open to reflecting about it, sharing their journey with others, and listening to the intuition that is arising from within regarding what the transition is providing for them and what their next steps could be.
And thanks to the feedback of past participants like you, we'll be adjusting a few things. For example, we'll have a bit more gentle movement and time to just talk with one another. We also moved the event to April to make it more likely we can spend time outdoors on St. Anthony's lovely hiking trails and labyrinth.
Yes, of course! People of any faith tradition – or none – are welcome to continue or begin their search for spiritual growth, self-knowledge, and inner peace at St. Anthony’s Spirituality Center.
In the Franciscan tradition of reverence for all, your retreat leaders and St. Anthony's staff strive to provide an environment of hospitality to all who come seeking to deepen their spirituality and awaken everyday encounters with the Divine.
For those who do want to attend mass during the weekend, a Catholic church very near to the retreat center welcomes you. We'll schedule a morning reflective time at St. Anthony's at the same time as mass. You can go to one or the other or neither, as you wish.
A. Rooms at St. Anthony’s are furnished simply, in the Franciscan tradition: a desk, a chair, a bed, a lamp. Some rooms include a sink and mirror, and some rooms – referred to as suites – include a full bathroom. Suites are limited and are assigned on a first come / first served basis. Suites may not be available during very busy times. Both single and double rooms are available. See the rooms by scrolling down this web page. Guest rooms are on the second floor and there is an elevator to access them. If you have questions about accommodations, please call St. Anthony's Spirituality Center at 715-443-2236.
Q. What other things might I need or want to know?
Registration for our next Transitions event isn't open yet
If you'd like be notified when registration opens, go to our Topic Sign up page
and check the box for "TOPIC: Transitions / Grief."
I want to thank both of you, Sandy and Barb, for the opportunity to participate in your Transitions workshop in March. I really wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew it would be top shelf with you both creating and facilitating it.
I also wasn’t totally sure what my transition was, but I definitely felt stuck, still grieving the loss of my husband and having writers block for writing a book intended to honor him and help others. My unfinished book manuscript had been untouched for months.
Your workshop got me unstuck and moving forward. It was the combination of physical movement, your insightful questions, talking sincerely with others, painting just for fun, and the different experiences inside and outside of the group that helped me identify what I had been struggling with.
I left with a game plan and I want you to know that I have written every day since the workshop and I can see the end in sight for submitting my book to a publisher. It would not have happened without my weekend with you and our group. Thank you sincerely! -- -- ---Kathleen A. Paris
Kathleen's book, Gentle Comforts: For Women Grieving the Loss of a Beloved Life Companion, was published a year after attending our retreat.
Photos from past Transitions and New Beginnings retreats
Registration for our next Transitions event isn't open yet
If you'd like be notified when registration opens, go to our Topic Sign up page
and check the box for "TOPIC: Transitions / Grief."
