Navigating Life's Transitions - A Daylong Retreat
Life's biggest transitions rarely come with a map.
Whether you're changing careers, becoming a parent, entering retirement, or simply sensing that something new is trying to emerge — this is a day to slow down, listen, and reconnect with what matters most to you.
Join us for a day of guided readings, journaling, and honest conversation in small and large groups. The retreat draws on the work of Parker Palmer and is designed to help you reconnect with your own inner compass — not by giving you answers, but by creating the conditions for you to hear your own.
What the Day Looks Like
10:00 AM — Welcome & Opening
10:30 AM — Session I: Identity & Integrity — Readings, journaling, and small group sharing on who you are beneath the roles you play
12:30 PM — Lunch
1:00 PM — Session II: Fear & Shadow — Readings, journaling, and small group sharing on what holds us back and what we avoid facing
2:00 PM — Personal Board of Advisors — Small-group sessions where you share a transition you're navigating and receive thoughtful questions and reflections from others
4:00 PM — Large Group Circle
4:30 PM — Closing
Who This Is For
This retreat is for anyone sitting in the middle of a transition — or feeling one on the horizon. You might be navigating a career change, new parenthood, retirement, a creative shift, loss, or simply a quiet sense that something in your life is asking to change.
No experience with retreats or group work is needed. Just a willingness to be honest and to hold space for others doing the same.
What to Expect
You'll spend the day moving between guided readings, solo journaling, and small group conversation. The afternoon features a "Personal Board of Advisors" session — a chance to bring a real question you're sitting with and receive thoughtful reflections from peers (no advice-giving, no fixing — just honest questions and witnessing).
We'll leave our devices behind and create a space that's unhurried, unperformative, and grounded in mutual respect.
Your Facilitators
Rev. Dr. Sarah Lenzi is the Minister of the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood and teaches Denominational Studies at Union Theological Seminary. She holds an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School and a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, where her research explored the intersections of ritual, theology, and sacred space. Her ministry centers on worship as a means of community building and personal growth along the spiritual journey.
Casey Rosengren is an executive coach and community builder based in the NYC area. After founding and selling Hacker Paradise, a travel community for remote workers, he turned his focus to coaching founders and leaders through transitions using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He has been leading retreats rooted in Parker Palmer's Circles of Trust approach since 2018 and is the creator of Formation, a project dedicated to building reflective communities for secular seekers.
Details
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Cost: Donation-based
Questions? Reach out to Casey at [email protected]