Connect
Gather in circle with women who understand the complexity of holding space for others
Restore
Step out of daily demands and return to yourself.
Deepen
Learn facilitation through direct experience rather than theory
DRINK FROM THE WELL
Reclaiming Our Center Through Circles
The well has always been a place where women came to pause, to gather, and to be restored.
This retreat offers that kind of refuge for therapists and helping professionals—a space to set down responsibility and return to yourself.
Through circle, presence, and connection, you remember what nourishes you most, and carry that renewed fullness back into your life and practice.
“This training retreat was both purposeful and restorative. I loved learning through experience and connecting with each of the other women over the course of our time together. I am certain that the circle will draw me back, time and again.”
— Anne-Marie
What to Expect at The Well
The Well is not a conference, a class, or a traditional training.
It is an experiential retreat where presence, relationship, and reflection are the primary teachers.
Over four days you will:
• Sit in deeply facilitated circles
• Experience embodied practices
• Move, reflect, rest, and reconnect
• Remember what it feels like to be nourished rather than needed
Many women arrive tired, stretched thin, or creatively stuck.
Most leave feeling grounded, clearer, and more connected to their work and their lives.
A Restorative Retreat
We gather at Sunrise Ranch Retreat Center in the foothills of northern Colorado—an environment designed for reflection, rest, and connection.
Your time includes:
• Comfortable lodging
• Nourishing meals
• Spacious afternoons
• Time in nature
• A rhythm that supports deep unwinding
Part of the process is slowing down enough to be changed.
Collaboration & Community
The Well is an intimate circle of up to 15 therapists and helping professionals who value depth, authenticity, and presence. Within this shared space, you experience what it feels like to be genuinely seen and heard—often in ways that are rare in everyday professional life.
Rather than focusing on advice or expertise, the circle invites honest connection. From that simple practice, something powerful grows: meaningful bonds, a renewed sense of belonging, and the kind of relational nourishment that stays with you long after the retreat ends.
Experiential Immersion
This retreat teaches facilitation from the inside out.
Rather than studying techniques, you will experience what makes a circle come alive—presence, pacing, attunement, and the subtle intelligence of group process.
The learning happens in your body and heart first.
Many women discover that this way of learning changes not only how they facilitate—but how they live and work.
Gentle Guidance
The Well is led by Carrie Haynes, LPC, a licensed psychotherapist and seasoned group facilitator with over two decades of experience in relational and experiential group work.
Her facilitation style is grounded, attuned, and compassionate. Carrie offers clear structure and gentle guidance while allowing the organic wisdom of the circle to emerge. Participants are met with respect, spaciousness, and support to engage as deeply as feels right for them.
“Carrie is very skilled at holding a mindful container for us to grow. I left feeling more clear in my vision and grounded in my body, and have already seen the positive impacts of this change in my work and relationships.”
— Siri
FALL 2026
Join us at The Well
October 22nd-25th
“The circle experience was the deepest group experience I have ever had. The balance between going within and the connectedness of the collective was powerful and healing.”
— Michelle
Make yourself at home
Peaceful accomodation
Farm-to-table meals
Space to gather
Space to grow
The Well Immersive Training Retreat centers and celebrates the shared experiences of women.
If you’re unsure if this training is right for you, please reach out and share your questions or set up a call.
Your journey starts here...
1
Apply & Introduce Yourself
Share a bit about who you are and what drew you to this retreat. This brief application helps ensure the retreat is a strong fit for you and for the circle as a whole.
2
Step Into the Experience
Gather with Carrie and a small circle of fellow helping professionals for an immersive weekend of connection and embodied learning.
3
Let the Process Unfold
Arrive with openness and curiosity. Trust the circle to meet you where you are.
Stories From The Well
MICHELLE LANDON LCSW, CAS, EMDR II
“Being in circle is like being held in unconditional love and safety. It’s deep soul work that transcends thought and is felt on a cellular level. In circle I am able to see the beauty in each soul while also seeing the beauty in myself. I’ve never felt more allowed to be myself and celebrated for just being me.”
EMILIE RYAN, LPC, NCC, SEP, RYT
“The experience of sitting in circle during the retreat taught me as much about myself as years of self-reflection. The relational work done here holds such powerful healing.”
MELISSA LONZANO, YOUTH AND BIPOC PROGRAM DIRECTOR, YARROW COLLECTIVE
“Sitting in the facilitators training retreat solidified my desire to create and host transformative circles of my own. The immersive experience allowed me to feel within my own body what sitting in circles can lead to. Carrie is a wise, practiced and encouraging guide. She truly has a special talent for creating rich experience filled containers which allows participants to mine their own lived experiences and wisdom.” “
You might be wondering...
The cost for the experiential training is $850. This includes all our planned activities and meals during the retreat, but does not account for lodging. Lodging ranges from $400-$650 for 3 nights depending on the accommodations you choose.
Sunrise Ranch has a variety of accommodation to suit your preferences. Find out more here!
SCHEDULE
Day 1
Check-in: 2-5
Dinner: 6-7:00
Orientation and first Circle gathering: 7:30-9
Day 2
Breakfast: 7:30-8
Circle gathering: 9-11:45
Lunch: 12-12:30
Free time: 12:30-4
Circle gathering: 4-6
Dinner: 6-6:30
Circle gathering: 7-9
Day 3
Breakfast: 7:30-8
Circle gathering: 9-11:45
Lunch 12-12:30
Free Time : 12:30-4
Circle gathering: 4-6
Dinner: 6-6:30
Circle gathering 7-9
Day 4
Breakfast: 7:30-8
Circle gathering: 9-11:30
Check out and lunch (optional)
No. While Circlework (a group modality developed by Jalaja Bonheim, PhD) has been a major influence on my group work, she does not certify facilitators to train others. You will experience my own unique facilitation style influenced by many different group modalities.
Circles, unlike group therapy, are not technically clinical by nature. The Well, however, is different. Due to my background as a licensed therapist, I am uniquely suited to guiding women with clinical therapy backgrounds. Western psychology is the lens we will look through while deeply exploring holistic spirituality and healing.
However, there are other healing professionals who may benefit from my style and expertise. The best way to find out if this experiential training is for you is to schedule a complimentary 15-minute call to get to know each other and determine if it’s a good fit for you.
While this immersive training can beautifully complement the use of psychedelics in circles and retreats, no psychedelics will be used during this retreat. We can discuss how you can incorporate non-ordinary states through ketamine-assisted therapy, plant medicine, or other unique practices, but our goal is to experience the pure magic that happens within the Circle and give everyone the same foundational experience to grow upon based on their unique skills and qualifications.
Yes, all women who are called to help themselves or others through the power of Circle can join in on this magic. Because of my clinical therapy background, other therapists are often drawn to this training to learn how to integrate Circles into their existing clinical group work. But other types of healing guides can also learn to facilitate a Circle. During the immersive training, our main focus is to first experience and embody the Circle. We’ll then explore the many ways you can use Circles in a way that aligns deeply with your passions, skills, and scope of practice — whether you are a clinical therapist or non-clinical guide.
If you’re not sure if your background or goals will be a good fit for this kind of work, let’s schedule a brief consult to find out.
Absolutely. This retreat is 100% experiential, so it is appropriate for those who would just liked to be nourished in a circle.
After the experiential weekend, you can decide how you want to bring the circle into your life.
Not at this time. I have worked hard to keep costs very low so that the training can be accessible. However, we are working on ways to provide scholarships in the future.