For nearly 20 years, Shared Journeys has offered birthparent retreats that are among the longest-running and most consistent in the country. These aren't your typical wellness retreats — they're intentional, therapeutic spaces designed to help you do real healing work alongside people who truly understand your experience.
Why can we call our retreats therapeutic? Our retreats qualify as therapeutic because they are overseen by our Executive Director, Alexis Eyler, MSW, who is licensed, trauma-informed, and adoption-competent. But to be truly therapeutic, our retreat programming is goal-oriented, evidence-based, and provides an opportunity for retreat-goers to be changed by their experience.
2026 Retreat Theme: Roots & Restoration Grounding. Healing. Reconnecting to yourself.
This year, our retreats center on the journey back to you — rebuilding identity after placement, understanding what self-care truly looks like for birthparents, navigating trauma-informed boundaries, and honoring the emotional seasons of the adoption journey. It's deep, meaningful work, and you won't be doing it alone.
Spring Retreat — Saturday, April 11th Fall Retreat — Saturday, November 7th
10:00 AM – 3:30 PM CST
Our 2026 retreats are open to birthmothers and birthgivers who have placed a child for adoption. We hope to expand eligibility in the future.
What to Expect
Our retreats are designed to feel warm and welcoming from the moment you log on; think gentle music, a soft landing into the space, and a community of people who understand exactly where you're coming from.
Throughout the day you'll move through guided sessions, small group conversations, creative activities, and quiet reflection time, all building on each other. Nothing is mandatory, and you're encouraged to participate in whatever way feels right for you.
What Makes Our Retreats Different
Everyone in the room gets it. Our retreats are exclusively for birthmothers and birthgivers who have placed a child for adoption, whether you placed last year or twenty years ago. Our facilitators are carefully chosen for their genuine understanding of and compassion for the birthparent journey, so you can trust that you're in good hands every step of the way.
We do the real work together. These are therapeutic retreats, meaning we spend our time going deep; talking, processing, laughing, crying, and everything in between. You'll leave feeling like you've found your people.
We meet you exactly where you are. Angry, relieved, heartbroken, hopeful, or all of the above in the span of five minutes. There's no right way to feel here. Every emotion is welcome.
After the retreat, our team follows up to make sure you have the ongoing support you need, including connections to adoption-competent counseling, if that feels right for you.
Retreat Kit
Registered participants will receive a retreat kit designed to help you arrive grounded and ready. More details to come as we get closer to each retreat date.
Registration
Virtual retreats are $35 per person. If cost is a barrier, please reach out to a case manager, because we don't want finances to stand in the way of your healing.
Apply here: https://sharedjourneyscollective.org/programs/shared-journeys-birthparent-retreat-application.html
A few things to know:
- This retreat is held entirely on Zoom
- This is a sober space — alcohol and drugs are not permitted
- What is shared during the retreat stays within the retreat community
- If you are currently in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline before registering
Have questions? Reach out; we'd love to hear from you.
