WITH OPEN HANDS

A Sacred Weekend Retreat for Foster & Adoptive Mothers

A retreat.
A community.
A catalyst.

For finding grace and grounding through the grief, loss, and sacred complexity of foster and adoptive motherhood.

Catskills, New York · October 2026

join the waitlist

Mama,

You carry so much that no one sees.

You carry the stories.
The children who came and left.
The ones who stayed but came with trauma in their bones.
The dreams that didn’t unfold the way you thought they would.

You carry the grief of what was. The grief of what never was. The grief of what still might be.

And somewhere along the way, you learned to keep going.
To be strong and keep caring for everyone else.

Even as parts of your own heart quietly shattered.

Grief has a way of scattering us. Of disconnecting us from our bodies, from God, from ourselves.

Sometimes it feels safer to push it down. To numb it. To tell yourself you should be grateful.

But your heart was never meant to carry this alone.

I’ve learned over time that there is another way.

A way to hold both grief and hope.
Both sorrow and joy.
Both death and resurrection.

Introducing the With Open Hands Retreat

With Open Hands is a 3-day, in-person sacred retreat in the Catskill Mountains created specifically for foster and adoptive mothers.

This is a safe and prayerfully held space where you can finally exhale.

A space where your story is honored.
Your grief is witnessed.
And your heart is gently tended to.

Together, we will create room for God to meet you in the tender places.

To bring beauty from ashes.
To bring life from what felt lost.

a place to rest

a place to be seen and held with gentleness and love
a place to exhale
a place to allow movement of grief and overwhelm
a place to tend to the heart
a place to be nourished
a place to honor what we’ve lost and gather seedlings of hope

This Retreat Is For You If…

You are a foster or adoptive mother carrying grief, loss, or a weary body/soul/heart/nervous system
You feel emotionally exhausted but keep pushing through
You long to feel grounded, present, and whole again
You’ve lost parts of yourself in caring for everyone else
You want to reconnect with God in a deeper, more embodied way
You crave community with women who truly understand

WHATEVER YOU’VE LOST, IT DEEPLY MATTERS.

AND YOUR WELL-BEING DEEPLY MATTERS, TOO.

What You’ll Experience

This retreat gently weaves together Christian spiritual formation, nervous system healing, and embodied restoration.

Over our weekend together, you will experience:

Sacred Circle Sessions
Faith-rooted conversations on grief, trauma, and healing. Guided prayer and to meet God in your story and reconnect with His presence.

Embodied Restoration Practices
Gentle breathwork, grounding, and body-based practices to calm your nervous system and find rest for your body + soul.

Soulbook Guide
A beautifully designed retreat guide with journal prompts, prayers, and integration practices

Kindred Community
A small, intimate group of foster and adoptive mothers who also “get it”, and will honor your story alongside of you

Rest & Renewal in Nature
Time in the healing beauty of Creation to restore your soul

What Makes This Different?

This is not a conference.
This is not a place where you have to perform strength.

This is a sacred container.

There is nothing you have to prove here.
Nothing you have to hold together.

You are allowed to come exactly as you are. You’ll be witnessed, held, and gently reminded that you are seen and supported.

What You’ll Leave With

Women who experience my retreats often leave with:

A deeper sense of peace and grounding
Renewed connection
Tools to regulate their nervous system when overwhelmed
Freedom from carrying grief alone
Greater capacity for joy and presence
A restored sense of themselves

And perhaps most importantly,

The knowing that you are not alone.

fall in the catskills

2026 (specific date TBA)

The Setting

Nestled in the beauty of the Catskill Mountains in peak fall season, this retreat space is intentionally chosen to support your healing.

Crisp mountain air.
Golden leaves.
Quiet mornings with God.

Nourishing Meals together.
Sacred conversations by a fire.

Creation itself becomes part of your restoration.

Retreat Details

Location: Catskills, New York
Dates: October 2026 (Exact dates coming soon)
Length: 3 days / 2 nights
Group Size: Limited to an intimate group of mothers

Applications will open soon.

I welcome you

I’m Abby and I’ve been leading retreats since 2016. My desire is to cultivate sacred spaces where women and mothers can feel seen, supported, and nourished. Leading retreats is one of my favorite ways to connect and grow together.
There was a time I felt like my grief might steal my joy forever. By the kindness and grace of God, I was invited into spaces where I could slow down. Where I could be held. Where I could move toward healing through embodied practices, nourishing time in nature, and meaningful integration.
*My prayer is that this retreat is that space for you.*

Imagine This October…

You step away from the noise.
You breathe deeply for the first time in a long time.
You feel God’s presence in places that felt numb.

You remember yourself again.

You begin to come back to life.

If your heart is stirring, I invite you to join the early interest list.

You’ll be the first to receive:

Early registration access
Special founding retreat pricing
Retreat details and dates

You don’t have to carry this alone anymore.

Come with open hands.

Leave nourished.