This fall, explore your dreams, learn how to make your aspirations come true, and hone your creative writing skills – all while you’re nurturing yourself and reconnecting with nature.
These exciting topics are all part of upcoming weekend group retreats at the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center, a luxurious 5,000-square-foot cabin on 160 wooded acres near the Texas-Oklahoma border.
Counseling and Consulting Associates of North Texas (CCA North Texas), a longtime McKinney Chamber of Commerce member, designed the retreats in response to requests from the public.
"Our fall retreats have a wide public appeal – these are requested topics we're excited to present, and there's really something for everyone," says Dr. Suzanne Hales, CCA North Texas and Crescent Moon owner, who is helping facilitate the retreats.
Space is limited and early registration is advised. "The retreats are small in size by design so that everyone has an opportunity to fully participate and be heard," Dr. Hales says. "Our goal is to foster a personal, meaningful connection with each participant and give them valuable tools so they can use the insight they've gained after the retreat."
Details and How to Register:
Sept. 19-21: Conscious Dreaming Retreat, led by Valley Reed, a level III certified teacher of active dreaming and a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
Participants will explore and discuss their dreams, actively work to have dreams. “Throughout the weekend together, we will call in our dreams on conscious shamanic group dream journeys, guided by the sound of the drum,” Ms. Reed says. “Our shamanic journeys will take us into realms of deeper exploration, where we may connect with spirits of the land, our ancestors, power animals and spiritual guides.”
- Cost: $395 per person for the weekend or $295 Saturday only (includes lodging and meals for the weekend) plus 12.75 percent tax; checks are to made payable to Valley Reed.
- Registration: Contact Valley Reed at 214-554-2840 or visit www.chrysalishealingarts.org; a $50 non-refundable deposit will guarantee your spot and the balance due upon check-in.
Oct. 10-12: People of the Dream Retreat, led by Dr. Suzanne Hales and Dr. James Kitchens, both of whom are licensed professional counselors.
We are all dreamers. Dreamers lead lives of adventure and risk. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they fail. Unfortunately, many people have lost the ability to dream. Is there hope? This workshop explores how to recover your aspirations. A new day comes with each dawning, and what we wish to achieve from this weekend retreat is an awakening.
"Our work this weekend is to awaken the dawn and recover our deepest dreams for life," Dr. Hales says. "We'll examine if you're still a dreamer, if you desire more laughter and joy in your life, how to recover enthusiasm for life, how to develop the courage and confidence to walk the pathway of your dreams. Then we'll give participants steps to take after the retreat so they'll know how to proceed from here."
- Cost: $400 per person (includes lodging and meals for the weekend) plus 12.75 percent tax; checks are to made payable to the Crescent Moon Lodge
- Registration: Contact Dr. Hales or Val at CCA North Texas, 972-542-8144; a $100 non-refundable deposit will guarantee your spot and the balance due upon check-in.
Oct. 17-19: Writing Retreat led by McKinney writer and foodie Michele Bernard.
“‘Yes,’ says the hero, and the journey begins,” Ms. Bernard says. “Calling all fledgling writers, hobbyists, and seasoned professionals! Regardless of genre, say yes to this call for adventure. Walk your writer’s journey. Follow your hero’s path. Participate in fun, experiential sessions designed to enhance your creativity and focus your process. Revel in personal writing time. Savor great food and the camaraderie of fellow sojourners. Return home equipped, refreshed, and ready for your next great writing adventure.”
- Cost: $400 per person/$50 deposit. Price includes lodge, meals, snacks, workshop supplies and taxes.
- Registration: Contact Michele at Michele@Mckinneyfoodie.com; 214-726-2203
Dr. Hales opened the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center in 2013 to provide a unique cabin for fellow therapists and counselors to hold workshops, group sessions and retreats. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center also welcomes area nonprofits, churches, scout troops, quilters, scrapbooking enthusiasts, corporate retreats, family vacations, weddings – and anyone else looking for a serene setting with luxurious accommodations in which to relax and unwind.
Amenities include sleeping accommodations for 24, three bathrooms, a large open living area with an oversized stone fireplace, a full kitchen, laundry facilities, a wrap-around porch, and a hot tub. Visitors enjoy panoramic views, cultivated gardens, a five-acre pond, three docks, a river, catch-and-release fishing, bird and wildlife watching, a stone labyrinth for meditating, and trails for jogging, hiking and exploring. Farm-to-table group meals prepared by a chef are available upon request. For more information about the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center, located in Rattan, Oklahoma, a pleasant drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the Oklahoma City area, please go online to www.CrescentMoonLodge.com. Online reservations are available as well. To make a reservation or obtain answers to any questions, please call 214-926-2074.
About the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center: Join us for a retreat into nature. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center is a relaxing, tranquil respite for groups, families and friends. The 5,000-square-foot lodge stands on 160 acres of wooded hills in the town of Rattan, Oklahoma, near the Texas-Oklahoma border. The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center provides comfort and quiet reflection amid natural beauty. For more information, please go online to www.crescentmoonlodge.com.
About CCA North Texas: CCA has provided counseling services to residents from McKinney and the surrounding area for more than 25 years. Founded by Dr. Suzanne Hales, CCA offers a staff that includes licensed professional counselors, social workers, therapists and a psychiatrist who provide counseling, psychotherapy and psychiatric care for adults, children, couples and families. CCA is located at 2750 W. Virginia Parkway, Suite 104 in McKinney. To make an appointment, please call 972-542-8144. For more information, please go to www.ccanorthtexas.com. CCA’s therapy provides encouragement, support, information and assistance to help you in the changes and transformations you seek in your life. We are honored to be a part of your process of change, and we applaud your courage in seeking assistance to make changes in your life.