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e-mail at info@attractingthelifeyouwant.com or by phone at (207) 443-2847  
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Are there times when this retreat isn’t appropriate?

Yes.  If depression, anxiety or any other psychological condition is making it difficult to handle everyday stress, we recommend that you decide in concert with your primary care physician and/or psychotherapist whether you have the emotional reserve necessary to focus on making major life changes.  We will welcome your attendance when you are ready to look at your future with positive anticipation and excitement, and we hope you’ll take loving care of yourself in the meantime. 

What are realistic expectations for the retreat experience?

We give you tools to affect change in your life, but we don’t promise to create the life of your dreams in the course of our three days together.  If you come expecting everything to be immediately “perfect” you will leave feeling disappointed.  This isn’t a magic pill -- it is a realistic approach to making life changes that honors your inner voice.  It takes time and practice to make the shift to this way of thinking about your life.  We don’t promise quick fixes; we focus on incremental enhancement over time.

• What’s the dress code?

Comfort is key -- we want you to feel relaxed and at ease, so our dress code is always casual.  We send out a note a day or two before the retreat where we let you know what the weather report will be (for those of you coming from other parts of the country) so you can plan accordingly.

• Can you recommend a hotel?

If you need a recommendation, let us know and we’ll do our best to suggest something that meets your needs.  Portland is a popular tourist destination so there is a wide range of accommodations available here, including high end hotels, B&Bs, and chain motels.  You’ll be able to find what’s just right for you. 

• Can you recommend a restaurant?

See comments above under “Can you recommend a hotel?”

• Will I have anything in common with the other participants?

We create a non-judgmental space where everyone is accepted just as they are, which immediately puts everyone at ease.  Even people who come from very different backgrounds soon discover how much they actually have in common, a revelation which makes people feel much more accepting of themselves and others.  In our experience, our participants have a positive group experience and leave feeling affirmed.

What makes the experience of an Attracting the Life You Want retreat so rich and rewarding is the diversity among the participants.  The varied women who come together always learn from, inspire, support each other, and bond in amazing and unexpected ways.

• Who comes to your retreats?

We’ve had women of all ages -- generally from late 20s to mid 60s -- take our retreat.  They’ve come from all over the United States and Canada: from as far away as California and as close as right here in Maine.   

They are often at a point of transition in their lives and are wrestling with change: a job they don’t like, a marriage that is over, a marriage that is in trouble, single and looking for love but feeling lonely, unhappy at work but unsure about what to do, mothers at home who are interested in taking good care of themselves but feel guilty about it, working moms who are overwhelmed and don’t know how to “get it all done,” and women who are ending their careers and are wondering “What’s next?”

Many women come to our retreats with no clear idea of what they want to work on; they just want to feel more fulfilled.  And it’s not unusual for women who arrive with particular goals in mind to unearth new and more compatible goals as they move through the retreat process.

• I live in another part of the country.  Is it easy to get to Portland?

Yes.  Portland has a very nice airport that is only ten minutes from the downtown.  There are also bus and railroad terminals, as well as readily available taxi and limousine services.  The Old Port section of the city is a popular tourist destination with historic buildings, a charming array of shopping boutiques, and excellent restaurants. 

• I don’t know what I want to do with my life.  Am I ready for your retreat?

Women are drawn to our retreats for a variety of reasons.  Some women come with a firm intention in mind: perhaps they want to forge a new career path or become more confident.  Some women have no clear intention in mind: they might feel dissatisfied somehow but aren’t sure why.   Regardless of their motivation, women leave our retreats with a clearer sense of direction and a more solid sense of self. 

• I want to do your retreat, but what happens if I learn that I should make changes that I’m not ready to take on yet?

When women spend three uninterrupted days delving deeply into their lives, it often happens that surprising revelations come up.  While it may be a breath of fresh air to realize that your life could be spiced up simply by incorporating piano lessons into your schedule, discovering that you’re not happy in your job or relationship anymore may cause distress.  We encourage women to act on their intuitive insights only when they feel absolutely, positively ready; we support you wherever you are in that process.  What’s important is that you leave with a life vision that makes you feel good – not rushed or overwhelmed. 

• Are there times when the retreat isn't appropriate?

Yes.  If you are suffering from a major depression or other mental illness, and/or are under the care of a therapist, you should decide in concert with them when you have the emotional reserve necessary to focus on making major life changes.  In the meantime, we hope you’ll take loving care of yourself while you recover from your illness.  We will welcome your attendance when you are ready to look at your future with positive anticipation and excitement. 

• What are realistic expectations for the retreat experience?

We give you tools to affect change in your life, but we don’t promise to create the life of your dreams in the course of our three days together.  If you come expecting everything to be immediately “perfect” you will leave feeling disappointed.  This isn’t a magic pill -- it is a realistic approach to making life changes that honors your inner voice.  It takes time and practice to make the shift to this way of thinking about your life.  We don’t promise quick fixes, we focus on incremental enhancement over time.

We offer our retreat here in Portland at various times of the year and we welcome you to join us for one of them!  If, on the other hand, you’d like us to come to you, we are glad to do that as well.  Contact us so we can discuss the details.