Why Group Practice Owners Need to Retreat: A Different Pace, A Different Perspective
If you're a group practice owner, I'm willing to bet the idea of stepping away for a whole weekend feels a little bit impossible right now. There's the schedule to cover, the associate who needs a check-in, the numbers you haven't looked at yet, and your own client load on top of all of it. Never mind trying to figure out your household needs. Getting away can start to feel like a luxury for later, once things finally settle down.
And here's what I've learned after five years of running retreats for group practice owners... things don't settle down on their own. And time away is often exactly what helps you see what needs to change so that they can.
I recently got back from our annual Group Practice Network retreat in Muskoka, about an hour and a half outside of Toronto. The trees were just about at their peak colour, the lake was stunning, and once again I got to watch what happens when a group of owners gives themselves permission to slow down. I wanted to share some of my takeaways from that retreat here.
Why Retreats Have Always Been Part of Group Practice Network
When I started my first group practice about nine years ago, there wasn't much out there for Canadians on how to do this, let alone how to do it well. There were very few Canadian coaches, and when I reached out to other group practice owners to ask how they did something, it often felt like they needed to keep their secrets safe in case I was going to steal from them.
I believe that when you're in private practice, your world gets small... and then you become a group practice owner and your world gets even smaller. That was so evident to me in those early days, and it's a big part of why I started Group Practice Network. I wanted GPO to learn how to do this well, to avoid some of the mistakes I made getting started, but most of all to know that they weren't alone.
Getting away with people had been a huge part of how I operated in my world long before I started on this adventure, so retreats were always part of the vision. I believe a retreat is the ultimate in getting to know other people (sometimes that's awesome, and sometimes you realize that person just isn't your person... let's be honest). It's also the ultimate in knowing you aren't alone, and it gives you a different perspective on who you are as a leader, what you want, and where you want your business to go next.
What a Different Pace Actually Does
Nature is a key part of every retreat I plan, because it grounds us. Researchers Rachel and Stephen Kaplan described this as attention restoration, the idea that time in natural settings gives the part of your mind that's constantly focusing, deciding, and filtering a chance to recover.¹ For a group practice owner who spends most days making decision after decision in an office setting, that recovery matters.
Even the drive to the retreat is part of it. If you have to travel a little way to get there, there's a settling in that happens on the way, noticing the scenery as you drive and removing yourself from your known environment, and then a gentle returning to your world on the way home.
And then there's the structure, or really the relief of not having to create one. For a weekend, you get to follow someone else's lead. Someone else tells you when lunch is, when the next workshop starts, and when your free time is, so you don't have to think about how to structure two, three, or five days. You don't have to lead for a little while, and for most of the owners I work with, that alone is a huge relief.
The Moments That Happen When You Slow Down
Over the last five years, I've witnessed some pivotal moments at retreats, and a few of them have stayed with me.
The first one was my own. I was speaking at a retreat run by Nicole Ballance of Retreat Season, and someone named it... "I think you're burned out, Lisa." Having someone outside of my world, someone with no investment in it, listen to what I was sharing and put a name to it was huge. I didn't have the words for it until then.
I’ve seen the same thing happen at my own retreats, when someone gently asks, "It sounds like you're pushing really hard. Are you keeping your boundaries? Are you protecting you and your time?"
At my very first retreat, we were standing in the lobby of the house saying goodbye, and one of our participants was in tears. It was the first time she'd ever experienced that kind of camaraderie between women, let alone between business owners. She's been back to a few retreats since and has contributed to that experience for others now.
At another retreat, one owner was terrified to let a therapist go. She had a number in her mind of what she'd lose when this person left, and it felt overwhelming, like it was going to make a huge impact on her business. As we slowed down, asked more questions, and looked at the actual numbers (because she finally had the time to do that), she realized the therapist was only bringing in about half of what she had originally thought. The relief on her face was visible, and you could feel the energy change. She walked away with a plan for how to release this person, because she wasn't so scared anymore.
What decision are you carrying right now that might look different if you had the time to slow down and look at it clearly?
And then there are all the moments in between. "Now I see where I was doing this wrong." "That's how you do that? I never knew you could do it that way." Sometimes it's just listening in on someone else's conversation and realizing you're doing the same thing, and that you want to make a change.
"But I'm Not Really a People Person"
I hear this one a lot, and I want to normalize it. Maybe you're an introvert, or you're not sure about the people, and a weekend away with a group that you’ve never met before sounds like a lot.
Here's what's different when you retreat with other therapists who are business owners.
You already start from a place of common experience.
You don't have to explain why you chose to have a group practice, or why you don't just want to do therapy.
Everyone already knows, and you're on the same page from the very beginning.
Because the people around you are therapists, there also aren't a lot of fluffy conversations (unless you want that). There's depth, whether you're talking about your business and how you show up in it, or having more personal conversations as relationships build. And it's not just problem solving. Therapists tend to seek to understand what the problem is before they jump in with support or suggestions. Wouldn't that be nice in the everyday world?
One of the ultimate perks for me, at least, is that I get to talk shop all weekend long and nobody complains. :)
Will you walk away a little tired? Probably. But when you have the freedom and the permission to take time out, to be quiet, go for a walk, or retreat to your room to manage your capacity, a retreat becomes energizing.
We're therapists... we know what we need. A retreat gives you the space to actually do it.
What Owners Walked Away With from Muskoka
The feedback from this last retreat was that it was so nice to have an environment where people could slow down and spend time thinking, dreaming, and visioning, all the things there isn't time for in life at home. Here's some more of what participants shared they were walking away with:
"The resolve to delegate, to make room for CEO tasks, and get rid of people who aren't actually helping me or are hindering our team from growing."
"Inspiration."
"For me, it was mostly great to connect, rest, and take some time to reflect on what's going on in my business right now. I felt supported."
"Some tangible takeaways around potential staffing changes, contractual agreement, fee structure, and some new ideas for succession planning and a potential sale."
If you could walk away from a weekend with takeaways like these, what would that be worth to you?
A change of pace plus a change in location equals a change of perspective.
That line is on my Retreats page, and I love it because it's so true. When you get yourself out of your environment, your ideas start to flow again. It doesn't happen the instant you arrive, but as a result of taking that time to care for yourself and get away, your creativity returns. You go back to your business and your responsibilities feeling refreshed and renewed, and you're able to see them in a different way.
How to Retreat, Even If It's on Your Own
You don't have to come to one of my retreats to get the benefit of slowing down. If you're going on your own, here are a few ways to maximize your time:
Block off a weekend in your calendar now, before the rest of life fills it in.
Get out of your environment, even if it's a hotel in your own city, because a different location matters more than a far one.
Choose somewhere with nature close by, so you can walk, sit outside, and let your mind settle.
Give yourself permission to rest first, since the thinking and dreaming usually come once you've slowed down. This can be really hard to do for some of us, and so worth it.
Bring the one decision you've been carrying, and give yourself the time to look at it clearly, numbers included.
Coming Home to Congruence in Costa Rica
I would be remiss if I didn’t share what’s in store next for me and retreats. My next retreat is one where I've partnered with Jennifer Nagel on something a bit different.
Jen is an amazing therapist based out of Vancouver, BC and a worldwide reach as a Satir therapist. She has such a beautiful way of inviting you in to notice what's going on for you, and together we're hosting Coming Home to Congruence, a five-day retreat in the cloud forest of Costa Rica from January 31 thru February 5, 2027.
You'll have a mix of Jen's warm, inviting presence and, in the afternoons, time together with me talking about how to be congruent with who you are as a person and how that can show up in your business. You'll have coffee on the porch in the morning (and probably learn which one is your favourite), breakfast laid out for you, and nature right there just by sitting on your deck. There's a naturally heated hot tub, time to connect with others, and time to go for a walk or a hike and just be quiet on your own.
I know this is an investment. It's an investment in you as a person, as an owner, and as a therapist, and I believe the return will be huge. I can see that return in my weekend retreats, never mind five days of being completely out of your norm with every need taken care of.
The Canadian Thanksgiving Rate
We know the US exchange rate has been tough, so from October 8 to 22, 2026, Canadians can register at the Canadian rate. That means if you choose a cabin that's $4,250 USD, you'll pay $4,250 CAD, and depending on the cabin you choose, you can save around $2,000.
You can learn more at www.congruentpractice.com, or send me a message and we can chat about how to get you there.
Final Thoughts
At the very minimum, I hope you'll consider what it would mean for you to retreat. What would the impact be on you, on the people around you, and on your business if you slowed down and took some time away?
My hope for you is that a different pace will give you a fresh perspective.
If you're craving that sense of connection between retreats too, Group Practice Connection is our membership for Canadian group practice owners who want consistent support and a community that understands the weight of this role. I would love to have you in the room. You can learn more here.
And if you'd like to hear more of these stories, you can listen to episode 38 of the Empowered to Lead podcast here.
References
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge University Press.
