Necessary Steps in Designing Your Wellness Retreat

Because several people and personalities make up a board, they bring different concerns, wisdom and values. A 'Wellness retreat' can be conducted annually or bi-annually, especially significant new board members that have just joined the team. As your retreat facilitator, it is important for me to grasp what common needs or expectations are about your particular group. The following steps are used to gather this information.

Step 1

An comprehensive questionnaire is completed by each board member (and minister) weeks prior to our retreat. This is seen only by me in order to become better acquainted with sensitive issues, conflicts, dreams and expectations. Your suggestions and feedback are crucial to the retreat content, which drives the retreat agenda. To assure anonymity, only a basic overview is conveyed to the Minister and board.

Step 2

In order to promote rich interactions and decipher specific needs, I review 2-3 random months of board minutes.

Step 3

Long before our wellness retreat day, I hold phone conversations with your spiritual leader. I use these calls to better understand your goals and abilities.

Step 4

During the retreat, we may discuss:

  • Exploration of the role of stewardship

  • Building trust

  • Micro & Macro

  • Difference between non-profit and church boards

  • Minister's board role

  • Consideration of leadership types/techniques

  • Identifying your boards' "personality

  • Conflict avoidance/resolution

  • Improving Agenda-Meeting Strategies

  • Visioning (followed by a basic action plan)

  • Healthy boundaries & self-care tips;

Step 5

Hindsight is extremely valuable! Once your retreat ends, your teamwork begins. A post-retreat meeting should be scheduled, separate from your monthly board meeting. Evaluating your post-retreat insights to reinforce communication skills, new strategies and discovered goals.

Step 6

An exit conversation is available to the Minister to be used as a final de-briefing and future planning.

Step 7

Ongoing Wellness Support--- Once a relationship is established with a professional peer, who is now familiar with intricacies of your organization, it can be extremely helpful to maintain such support. Should this option be desired, appointments can be made on an as-needed basis with an hourly fee.

Email: debbie@blueacorn.org