Mindful and Goal Oriented Retreats for Group Practice Owners
The 2026 Retreat is in Muskoka, ON
October 1-4, 2026
Step away from the day-to-day. Reconnect with yourself, your business, and your leadership.
It's Thursday evening. You pull into Touchstone Resort and Lake Muskoka is already going quiet for the night. There's nothing on your calendar until dinner. No client waiting on you. No message from your office manager. Just your room, a couple unpacked bags, and however long it takes your shoulders to drop.
By the time you sit down for dinner, the group is still mostly strangers on paper. Twenty minutes in, that stops mattering. Somebody says the thing you've been carrying alone for months, out loud, over wine, and you realize you don't have to explain why it's hard. Everyone at this table already knows.
That's the first night and you haven't even started the work yet.
October 1–4, 2026 · Touchstone Resort, Muskoka, ON
Investment: $2,599 + GST/HST · GPC members: $2,349 + GST/HST
Cancellation: A $300 non-refundable deposit is due at registration. Cancel in writing by July 24, 2026 for a refund of the remaining balance. No refunds after that date with the full policy below.
“Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective.”
Mark Batterson
Why Retreats Matter for Group Practice Owners
Owning a group practice can be isolating. You’re making decisions that impact your team, your clients, and your own livelihood, and this is often without a space to slow down and think strategically.
Our retreats exist because group practice owners need time away from the noise of daily operations to:
Reflect on who they are as leaders
Reconnect with the bigger picture of their business
Feel supported by others who truly understand the role
This isn’t about working harder or fixing what’s broken.
It’s about strengthening you as the leader behind the business. So your decisions are intentional, sustainable, and aligned with the life you want to live.
I believe that retreats are essential to the health of a leader. Reconnect with yourself, others and your business in a different setting and walk away empowered and revitalized.
What You’ll Experience at a Group Practice Network Retreat
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Leadership starts with self-awareness. Retreats create space to step out of constant responsibility and reconnect with who you are both personally and professionally.
You’ll have time to:
Reflect on who you are becoming as a leader
Celebrate your successes and the business you’ve built
Identify where adjustments are needed to better care for yourself
Clarify where you want to grow and challenge yourself next
This is time to reconnect with you, not just your to-do list.
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Your practice is meaningful. And it is also a business. At retreat, you’ll step back from the emotional closeness and look at your practice with clarity and intention.
Together, we’ll explore:
Where you want your business to go
Who you want to be as a leader
How to think about your practice as a business rather than your identity
How to evaluate return on investment — financially, energetically, and emotionally
What changes are needed to support sustainable growth, whether that’s revenue, team quality, or scale
This is about building a business that serves you, and not one that consumes you.
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There is something powerful about being in a room with people who truly get it.
At retreat, you’ll connect with other group practice owners who:
Want to talk about business and leadership without apology
Understand the complexity of managing teams and systems
Value thoughtful conversation, shared insight, and real connection
You’ll leave knowing you’re not alone, not behind, and not “too much” for caring deeply about your business. Many owners leave with not just clarity and lasting professional relationships and friendships.
Ready to step out of the day-to-day and reconnect with what matters most?
Whether you’re craving clarity, connection, or space to think strategically about your leadership, these retreats are designed to support you. Join us in Muskoka or add your name to the interest list to stay in the loop about future retreats.
“Being a part of this has reinforced that I am not alone and that has made pushing myself outside of my comfort zone worth it!” Alison Maratos
Muskoka Retreat: Leading with Boundaries
The Muskoka retreat is designed specifically for group practice owners who want to strengthen their boundaries and lead with greater clarity and confidence.
This retreat will focus on:
Separating your identity from your business, so your practice supports your life rather than defining it
Boundaries as a group practice owner with your time, your role, and your energy
A time audit and intentional plan to ensure your hours reflect your priorities
Managing difficult team conversations and boundaries, including guided and roundtable discussions
This experience is about learning how to lead in a way that is sustainable, grounded, and aligned with your values.
What’s Included in Your Registration?
3 nights of accommodation in a beautiful, peaceful environment in the heart of the Muskoka area
Meals: Dinner Thursday, all meals on Friday and Saturday and breakfast on Sunday.
Access to all sessions and optional activities.
Teaching from Lisa Catallo and Alison Maratos
Registration Fee
Group Practice Connection members: $2,349 + GST/HST Canadian group practice owners: $2,599 + GST/HST
Limited spots are available for this exclusive retreat. Set aside time to connect, collaborate, and grow with fellow group practice owners on the same journey as you.
Why we chose Touchstone Resort
Where a retreat is held matters.
Touchstone Resort in Muskoka offers the kind of setting that allows you to truly slow down, feel taken care of, and settle into the experience — without distraction or pressure. Surrounded by natural beauty, the possibility of beautiful Fall colours, and set on the lake, it creates the conditions we wanted for you to reflect, have meaningful conversations, and rest.
We chose Touchstone intentionally for:
The calm, spacious setting that invites you to step out of daily demands and into a quieter pace
The capacity and structure to care for our group well, so you can focus on the retreat and yourself
On-site spa and wellness amenities that support rest, restoration, and nervous system regulation
Comfortable accommodations and shared spaces that encourage both connection and privacy
Meals happen at Touchstone Grill, right over the water, where the kitchen runs on local Muskoka ingredients and doesn't hold back. Think Certified Angus beef, fresh Ontario produce, a chef who plates things properly. Some afternoons, take your coffee down to the Boathouse Bar and drink it looking straight at the lake. Friday and Saturday, you eat well. Actually well.
This environment allows you to feel held — so you can show up fully for the reflective and leadership-focused work of the retreat.
Check out their spa menu!
Who these retreats are for
Group Practice Network retreats are for established group practice owners who:
Want to grow as confident, intentional leaders
Are ready to think strategically about their business
Value connection, reflection, and thoughtful conversation
Want to build a practice that supports both professional success and personal wellbeing
You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be open to reflection, growth, and connection.
Your Guides
Lisa Catallo, CCC, RCC
There was a stretch where I'd come home after a full day with clients and open my laptop again anyway. Another two hours of admin work my team was already responsible for. It wasn't done as fast as I wanted, or I wanted them on something else, so I told myself, I'll just do it. Nobody saw those extra hours. I resented that. And underneath it, I resented myself more, because the boundary was mine to hold, and I kept handing it away.
Learning to actually protect my time, and trust the people I'd hired to do their jobs, is what let me build a team of 15+ therapists and open a second location in under three years. It's also the exact thing I hear from group practice owners in almost every conversation I have: the split that doesn't cover their time, the hours spent working in the business instead of on it, the quiet question of whether any of this is worth it. I believe it is, once the boundaries are real.
Alison Maratos, BA, BSW, MSW, RSW
I've spent more than 30 years in social work, and my passion has always been for providing excellent clinical care. Ironically, that same passion has sometimes made ownership and leadership the hardest part of my journey.
Like many practice owners, I became so focused on caring for clients, meeting my team's needs, and running the business that I lost sight of what truly matters to me and fuels my sense of purpose. Burnout is real, and the demands of leadership can quietly pull you away from the values that inspired you to begin this work.
My journey has taught me that sustainable leadership starts with clarity. That means constant self-reflection to understand yourself and gain clarity on what matters most. This leads to creating systems that reflect your values, and building a practice that supports the person leading it first, allowing you to sustain your passion for service through leadership. I'm looking forward to sharing the lessons I've learned, and supporting you in honest reflection to explore the alignment of your purpose and passion.
What the 2026 Group Practice Owners Retreat will hold for you
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You'll receive two short exercises to complete ahead of the weekend. We'll build on both of these together, so come prepared to look honestly at where your hours are going and what you actually want to prioritize.
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There's nothing to do Thursday evening except arrive, find your room, and let the pace slow down. We'll gather over dinner for a relaxed, open conversation about what's going on in your practice right now. This is the room where you don't have to translate or explain why it's hard. Everyone here already understands.
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We start with the heart of the weekend: separating your identity as a clinician from your identity as the owner of a business. We'll explore what a CEO mindset means for you specifically. Not as a borrowed idea, but as a stance you can actually hold. Most of this morning comes back to one thing: protecting yourself and your time through boundaries you choose on purpose, rather than ones that get set for you by default.
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Friday afternoon you'll sit with your time audit and look at what it's telling you. Where your hours are going. What that says about what you're truly prioritizing. From there, you'll begin setting concrete goals for how you want your time, your role, and your energy to look on the other side of this weekend. We’re aiming for concrete decisions, not vague intentions.
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Saturday morning we open with a group discussion on the pain points we all carry as owners, then move into the work most of us avoid: the difficult conversations. Through teaching, real scenarios, and role play, we'll practise the conversations that keep you up at night. The associate who isn't meeting expectations. The boundary you keep meaning to set. We'll also name what's actually holding you back from having them, because the skill is only half of it.
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The Saturday afternoon is yours. Optional one-on-one coaching is available if you want dedicated time to work through something specific to your practice. If you'd rather rest, walk by the lake, book the spa, or keep talking with the people you've met, and that's so valuable. Boundaries include the ones you set on your own packed agenda.
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Sunday morning we gather one last time over breakfast before you head out. You’ll be clearer about who you are as a leader, and a little more certain about what you're no longer willing to carry by default.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions •
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Our retreats are designed for a small group of entrepreneurs with a growth mindset—those eager to create space to grow their business while gaining insights from others who truly understand their journey.
You want to “talk shop” with other therapists who understand the unique challenges of being a group practice owner (GPO).
You’re looking for opportunities to stretch and grow as a leader.
You need time away from the daily grind to rest, recharge, and gain fresh perspectives on your business.
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Individual room $2599 + GST/HST
Group Practice Connection members $2349 + GST/HST
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Our retreats are thoughtfully designed to give you the time, space, and inspiration you need to focus on the project you’ve been meaning to tackle. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Dedicated time to work: Guided sessions to dive into your high-priority project without interruptions.
Excursions to unwind: Optional participation in local hikes and activities for relaxation and bonding. The Bracebridge waterfalls could be a fun adventure.
Meaningful connections: Talk shop and exchange ideas with like-minded group practice owners. Gain insight and encouragement from others who understand the challenges of your role.
Book your spa appointment to enhance the relaxation side of our retreat. https://www.touchstoneresort.com/muskoka-resorts/spa
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A $300 (CAD) deposit is required at registration and is non-refundable.
If your plans change, you can cancel in writing up until July 24, 2026 and receive a refund for everything except the $300 deposit.
After August 1, 2026, no refunds can be issued, regardless of the reason. This date is set by our venue, and we're not able to override it.
By registering for the retreat, you're agreeing to this policy. Questions? Reach out any time
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“I find these retreats so rewarding, and I always get back so much more than the costs of going.”
“I end up saving money in the long run. Lisa is so genuine and relatable, she humanizes the experience and I always learn so much from her that I can start to implement right away. She has always been so supportive. It was my first time hearing a presentation from Alison, and that too was fantastic. I see areas of growth for myself within what she spoke about and want to learn more about what she offers too!”
- Tara Munro, Sea to Tree Health & Wellness
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"Lisa is all about connection."
“She brings people together in such a beautiful way. I felt so alone in my business but then I connected with her and she connected me with others. I now feel like I can do this thing!”
- Kathryn Atkinson, Island Clinical Counselling, Nanaimo
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"A weekend away with other GPOs is not to be missed."
“There is so much growth in connecting and supporting others who understand our nuanced role. Every GPO who wants to be a great leader needs to attend this retreat.”
- Merrisa Little, OCD North
2025 participant
“Can't say enough what a WONDERFUL retreat this was, Lisa. This was truly the perfect experience for me. Body doubling + relaxing + fun time + down time. The most perfect location - driving distance but also quiet and in the mountains. And the most beautiful accommodation I could have hoped for complete with a hot tub?! And walking distance down the hill to the village!? It was incredible. Thank you!!”
2025 participant
Having intentional time with like minded professionals is crucial to grow and learn. Having the time and space away from normal life, allowed me to flourish and reset with new perspective.
