Four Reasons to Stay at the Rio Retreat Center Bunkhouse

We asked one of our therapists to stay at the Rio Retreat Center Bunkhouse on opening night, and write up a report of her experience. Here are the things she told us she enjoyed the most: 

The Desert Wildlife

I arrived while it was still daylight and found my room. The first thing I noticed was the stillness of the campus on that Sunday evening. It was so peaceful. I dropped my bags off in my room and headed for the main lodge.

I sat in the La Mirada room in the main lodge and enjoyed the views from the large windows that look out on the campus. I just took a few breaths as I took in the beauty of the scenery. The beautiful green grass, the large tree (the biggest tree I have seen in Arizona so far), the flowering bushes, and the fountain were all being explored by hummingbirds, butterflies, and some other birds which I could not identify (one was a beautiful little bright yellow bird).

It was hard to be anything but relaxed while noticing all the beauty of the desert. Being a lover of little creatures, I decided to walk outside to see what other ones I could find. There were so many little lizards running around on the ground by the plants, my eyes could barely keep up with all of them. I heard an owl hooting in a tree very close by but as much as I tried, I could not see it. The most beautiful thing I saw was an ocotillo plant with about five to seven hummingbirds feeding off of it. I have never seen so many hummingbirds at one time!

The Peace and Quiet

Later that evening, before going into my room for the night, I decided to sit outside for a little bit to wind down and further enjoy the all the desert has to offer. With the absence of city lights, the stars were truly spectacular! I could see some lights from the town off in the distance and I could see a few cars traveling on a road but I could only faintly hear the sound of cars. What I could hear were the songs of the crickets and the running water of the fountains on the grounds. I took some deep breaths and I could smell the sweet fragrance of desert flowers. I moved closer to one fountain after I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I got closer and noticed about four frogs leaping in and around the water, playing with one another and just seeming to enjoy the night.

The Comforts

I made my way to my room and laid on the bed for the first time, I loved the cushy white comforter! I was very pleased to see that I had my own thermostat to control the temperature of my room. I made it a little warmer so that I could take a warm shower before bed. The water pressure was outstanding, it was enough to give me a little back massage to relax me even more. I decided to turn the room temperature down so that I could enjoy the warmth of that plush comforter and I left the fan on so that it would drown out any noise that I might hear from other rooms as I drifted off to sleep.

Upon waking the next morning, I noticed that I did not hear any noise coming from the other rooms while I had the fan running. I enjoyed another massaging shower and went to explore the desert morning before heading to breakfast.

The Great Beginnings

I had missed the sunset the night before and did not want to miss the sunrise. The sunrise was amazing, with the colors of the desert just lighting up with the gold sunlight of the morning sun. It was slightly chilly outside and the air just smelled and felt so brisk and fresh. I sat outside for a while, breathing in the morning air and listening to the sounds of nature waking up. The horses must have been waking up about the same time as me because could hear them for the first time since arriving. I sat there long enough to watch as they came out onto the field. Two of them were noticeably friendly with one another. I watched them for a short time before heading inside to start my day. I was greeted by a fantastic breakfast and felt ready to start a week of work and healing, cocooned in by the safety of nature and nourished by the abundance my surroundings.

Book Your Stay Today

When you register for one of our intensive workshops, you can also book your stay at the new Rio Retreat Bunkhouse. The added benefits of staying at the Bunkhouse include free transportation to and from the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and extra time spent in on campus in our peaceful, beautiful, and wholly-therapeutic environment. And, if you register for a workshop between now and June 30, you’ll receive a 25 percent discount on workshop registration fees. (Discount does not apply to Bunkhouse room rates.) Rooms are available on a first come, first served basis, so we recommend that you book your stay well in advance. Call 800-244-4949.

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No Man is an Island: Dan Griffin on Facebook Live

What does it mean for a man to ask for help? Not just once, but over and over again, as often as necessary?

On June 2, 2016, join Dan Griffin (Senior Fellow at The Meadows) for a brief talk via Facebook Live. He’ll explain why it’s difficult for men to ask for help, and offer suggestions on how they can begin to find the support they need.

The talk will begin at 1 p.m. PDT (4 p.m. EDT) on The Meadows Facebook Page.


In the meantime, check out Dan’s latest book, A Man’s Way Through Relationships. A five-day workshop based on the book— A Man’s Way Retreat— is also available at the Rio Retreat Center at The Meadows.

If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

Natalie felt lost. She didn’t quite understand why, but everything just felt wrong somehow. Even though it was hard for her to admit that she needed help, she reached out.

She found The Meadows Survivors workshop where, for the first time, she began to understand where she came from, where she was going, and where she wanted to be.

Survivors I is an essential component of The Meadows inpatient treatment programs. It is also offered as a stand-alone workshop for anyone who’s interested in learning more about the ways in which self-defeating thoughts and behaviors learned in childhood continue to affect their daily lives.

The intensive, 5-day workshop helps participants identify their specific emotional wounds and understand the impact they have had on their self-esteem, boundary system, level of dependency, and ability to achieve balance and harmony. For more information call 800-244-4949.

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How Horses Guided One Therapist From Fear to Freedom

Nicole Clarke, MS, Intake Manager of Outpatient Services
I recently had the opportunity to attend Spirit: A Somatic Equine Workshop at The Meadows. It was a life- influencing experience, am excited to share a little of my story with you.

As a clinician and someone who encourages others to experience their emotions daily, it was not until I worked with a horse that immediately knew me better than I knew myself that I was able to see the power of somatic experiencing.
I arrived scared to approach a horse from a bad experience more than 20 years ago. I was thankful for the setting, the facilitators Coleen and Buddy, the other group members, and of course, the horses. All immediately made me feel welcome. Within two hours I was able to walk up to the horse that I was encouraged to work with for my processing. Little did I know, the horse had already chosen me.

Letting Your Emotions Guide Your Thoughts

Along with the education and rapport building with others, I found a continuous feeling of peace on the ranch that I could not ignore. As a traditionally trained talk therapist, I knew that the concept of working the “other way,” by allowing my emotions to guide my thoughts was going to be a challenge.
“Let it go,” and “go ahead and feel that,” were two things I vividly remember Coleen saying to me. “Ok, how did that feel?,” was a question Buddy asked me multiple times. It was clear to me on the first day how difficult the transition would be for me but I was ready to trust the process and leave all I had learned behind, even if only for those three days.
e would not be comfortable coming near me until I learned to be honest about how I felt. The horse would not let me lie.

Walking into the circular pen alone with the horse for my first somatic experiencing exercise was immediately insightful. My emotions were in chaos and my long-term defense mechanism of talking them away would not work in this situation. Not only was I supportive and encouraged by Buddy and Coleen to finally allow myself to feel things I had buried for so long, but the horse also let me know that sh As my left brain continued to fight the desire to let my emotions be felt, the facilitators and group continued to provide support through experiential exercises that did not tell me, but showed me it was ok to “let go.” It is always nice to have support from others, but there is nothing like having a horse walk up to you, its head low with eyes half closed, showing support for the pain you were finally allowing yourself to feel.

Transformative Healing

Each day I drove back to the Buddy’s Ranch wondering what insights the day would provide. As I increased my personal insights through progressive relaxation, experiential processing with others, and somatic experiencing, I would begin to realize that I was learning more about myself in these three days than I had in the last 20 years.

By day two, I had already begun to change. I returned home from the workshop to continue with everyday life and experienced something that would have typically upset me. Instead of getting frustrated and overthinking the situation, I was able to recognize how I felt internally and work on that discomfort. It was amazing how I quickly made better decisions in spite of that frustration. It was an initial learning experience that I have returned to many times since leaving the workshop.

In my position at The Meadows I frequently get asked about this specific workshop and who it might be helpful for. I now get to smile to myself and answer that question from my heart and not my head. I tell people that this is a special workshop, one that promises to be life changing and unlike anything that you have ever experienced. This is true for all individuals, including clinicians and horse trainers.

There are no words to express my gratitude for the experience. It has made me a better person and for three days, allowed me to truly see myself as the person I am, and not just describe her in a way I had seen fit.

Register for Spirit: A Somatic Equine Workshop

The Spirit Equine Workshop allows participants to address self-esteem, boundaries, honoring reality, wants and needs, emotional regulation, and spontaneity through experiential activities with horses. It was created exclusively for a small group of no more than five participants and is facilitated by two gifted extremely gifted professionals. If you’re looking for a way to achieve a real emotional break-through, this may be the perfect workshop for you. For more details, call 800-244-4949, or visit the workshop’s webpage.

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