In this promotional video, Ruth Schwartz, director of the Conscious Girlfriend Academy, announces two upcoming in‑person retreats designed for lesbians, queer women, and adjacent non‑binary people. The first, a Lesbian Dating Essentials retreat, runs for four nights/three days in late August at a mountain resort in the Catskills, New York, offering a condensed, immersive experience focused on dating readiness, online dating safety, trigger work, communication, and relationship skills. The second, a members‑only retreat in November, takes place at an exclusive hot‑springs resort in Palm Springs, California, featuring a blend of teaching (emotional repair, sexuality, and some dating essentials) and ample playtime, with Academy members also sharing their expertise. Schwartz emphasizes the transformative power of gathering in person, sharing stories of participants who discovered their identities, formed new friendships, and even found love at past retreats. She highlights the retreats’ inclusivity for both long‑time lesbians and those newly out, the complementary nature of the retreats and the Academy’s online programs, and the supportive enrollment process, including a free discovery call with Outreach Director Jen. The video ends with an enthusiastic invitation to join the retreats or the online community.
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So I'm super excited today because we just opened up registration for 2 upcoming retreats. In late August, we're doing a Lesbian Dating Essentials 4-night, 3-day retreat. And in November, we are doing a retreat for members of the Conscious Girlfriend Academy only, where there's going to be lots of learning and also a chance to get to know the people better who you've been seeing on Zoom for months of classes. Or who you will be seeing on Zoom for months of classes. And, uh, so the August one is in New York. The November one is in Palm Springs, California at a hot springs resort. New York is in the Catskills, beautiful, beautiful mountain resort with sauna and jacuzzi and trails and pools and views and labyrinth. They're both amazing facilities. And the reason why I'm so excited about these retreats is that I have seen over and over again that there's nothing more powerful that we do in the Conscious Girlfriend Academy beyond our retreats. There is something about being together in person with a bunch of other growth-oriented lesbians and queer women, adjacent non-binary people, that just has such an impact that— I mean, I love our online classes, But the retreats really take it to the next level. And one of the things that I am most happy about and proud of is that our retreats are equally welcoming for longtime lesbians, women who've been out for decades, and women who are just coming out right now. So at our retreat last January in Florida, where we will be back again next March, we literally had several women who had just begun their process of realizing that they were not straight within the previous few months. They were putting together pieces of things that they had experienced earlier in their lives, or in one case, she, she literally had not even thought about it. She was married to a man, had been for decades, and so once she realized that She was interested in women, and that explained so much about her previous life. She was really at a loss about what to do, how to start living out this new identity, how to connect with community. She had only ever met one lesbian that she knew of. So she came to the retreat— so brave of her— she went away with 18 new lesbian and queer friends. And, you know, this is not something we can promise, but it does happen. She fell in love with another late-in-life lesbian who was also at the same retreat, also married to a man. And then these 2 women started moving heaven and earth so that they could be together. It has been so profound to witness their love story. And to know that not only did they find each other, but they also have been getting some crucial pieces that will help them actually live out this love in a healthy, empowering, sustainable way because they've both been coming to classes online in the Academy. So that's one of the most amazing things about the retreat. Now, the August retreat does not require you to be a member. So if you just want to come to the live in-person event and nothing else, you can do that. But so many people, either even before they come to the retreat, they realize they want to be connected and start learning online. Others, after they go to the retreat, they realize, hey, I need to keep this going in my life. So our online programs are really transformational. Both the retreat and the online work has different advantages. So the retreat is obviously super condensed period of time, big immersion. lots of face-to-face community, which is really powerful. And the online work gives you a more extended time to really learn and practice the crucial skills that we talk about. So when we're talking about Lesbian Dating Essentials, for instance, there's so many skills involved in terms of, first of all, even knowing, am I ready to date? What does dating mean to me? How can I find other women or adjacent people to date? What does it look like? How do I pace it? How do I get to know somebody? What are the red flags I need to be looking for? How can I work with the triggers that come up in me? How can I communicate my needs and desires? You know, so much else. And we talk about how to do online dating safely and successfully as well, because frankly, it's the best way for a lot of us to meet these days, even though it also tends to be this thing that most of us love to hate. So there is so much in the curriculum, but the other thing I want to assure you of is that if you come to a retreat, you get to be exactly as you are, where you are. There is no pressure to engage. You can take as much time as you need for yourself. You can come alone and you will absolutely leave with friends. We do so much to create a safe, warm, welcoming atmosphere and also to help people connect. And go deep. It is really amazing, and I have seen over and over how these retreats dramatically change people's lives. I mean, it sounds like a cliché to say that it's life-changing, but it's really true, you know. And let's say you're a long-time lesbian, maybe you have lots of other lesbian friends, but they may not be in your same situation in terms of being single or what they're wanting to make happen in their dating lives. They may not have a fire in their belly to grow and learn and heal. And so getting to come together with other women who love women who do have this fire in our bellies is extraordinary, because honestly, I always feel like we as lesbians, women loving women, sapphics, whatever we call ourselves, We have done so much already to claim our sovereignty, to identify our sexuality and live it out, which is so brave. Why not go the rest of the distance and really learn how to create the dating and love lives that we really want? You know, I feel like I came out a long time ago and nobody handed me a manual Or a roadmap of how to do this thing. I was stumbling around in the dark. I knew who I was attracted to, or I started knowing, but I didn't know how to build a healthy relationship. So this is part of what we will help you learn in the Lesbian Dating Essentials retreat in the Catskill Mountains in New York State in August. Now, the November retreat for Academy members is a whole other thing. It will be bigger, and Academy members themselves will be sharing some of their skills. I will— it has less curriculum, although I still always do some teaching. We might be teaching about emotional repair, we might be teaching about sexuality. I love teaching about sex. We will do some of the Lesbian Dating Essentials material as well there, and there will be a lot of time for play. And like I said, it's at a natural hot springs resort that That we will have exclusively for our use. There will be nobody else on the property. So what an incredible opportunity to have a sense of freedom in connection, in community. So I'm really excited about both of these retreats, and I suspect that both of them will sell out. Often our retreats sell out pretty quickly. So if you are wondering whether either or even both might be right for you, Take a look at the information on this page and/or set up a free call with Jen, our Outreach Director. She will get to know you. She will help you understand what it is that you need, what it is that we offer, where there might be a match, really help you feel more comfortable in signing up if, if that turns out to be the right thing for you. So either way, super excited to Hopefully see you at a retreat or online soon. So we're here to support your lesbian queer love life and and just your life and your heart in general. I'm Ruth Schwartz. I'm the director of Conscious Girlfriend Academy, by the way. See you soon.
