The Soul's Invitation: An Immersive Midlife Retreat

**Early bird pricing, $395 for members and $425 for non-members. The discount is applied at checkout now until Feb 1.**

There’s a moment when we knew. We knew that we had reached a place in our lives where there is less time ahead of us than behind us. It’s at that moment when we begin to contemplate the daunting questions: “What will I do if my daily routine is no longer?" “Who am I beyond my career or working title or family role?" "What, in me, is still waiting to be lived?"

No one gives us a map for the second half of our lives. After years of working to survive, care for others, and meet the material goals society lays out for us, often we look up and find that we've lost our grasp of core values and a sense of what this life means. Major transitions -- changes to our livelihood, divorce, empty nesting, the illness or death of parents -- can crack open deep patterns that may have served our desire for stability but may also have kept us from vital growth. In the wake of disorienting changes and shifting priorities, this retreat offers a process for illuminating our next "right" steps through personal reflection, communal dialogue, intentional time in the natural world, and structured learning experiences.

In this experiential retreat, we will explore the unfinished business of the first half of our lives and discover the rich vein of meaning that leads us into the future.

Mel Taylor, MSW, retired as a successful social worker and non-profit executive three years ago – after working on a retirement and “next stage of life” plan. He is a facilitator, certified mindfulness meditation teacher, yoga teacher, and a Certified Sage-ing Leader. The exploration of the second half of his life led him to the work of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, and to pursuing a deeper understanding of the phases of aging. He is particularly curious as to how elders can find joy, discover what really matters, and explore heart-centered identity recovery – answering the question: “Who am I without initials after my name?

Sean Fitzpatrick, PhD LPC, holds master's degrees in religious studies (Rice University) and clinical psychology (University of Houston Clear Lake) and received his doctorate in psychology through Saybrook University's program in Jungian studies. Sean is a psychotherapist in private practice and has been employed at The Jung Center since 1997. His book, The Ethical Imagination Exploring Fantasy and Desire in Analytical Psychology, is available in The Jung Center bookstore. His research interests also include the intersection of psychology and spirituality and vicarious trauma and the selfcare needs of helping professionals and social service providers. He is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum and serves on the boards of the Houston Museum District Association and the Network of Behavioral Health Providers. His local and national teaching schedule can be found at his website http://sfitzpatrick.com/.

This program is being offered IN-PERSON only, and will NOT be recorded.

All times are CT. Please contact onlinelearning@junghouston.org with any questions.

Please register early. Programs with four or fewer participants are subject to cancellation, 48 hours prior to their start.

This program has a maximum of 20 participants. When this program reaches capacity, registration will close.