Divorce as a Path to Freedom: Finding Balance, Clarity and Connection

This weekend meditation retreat at Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, is for people moving through divorce, separation, or the end of a relationship. Led by psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Grace Fisher, it draws on mindfulness and Buddhist practice to help participants stay present with grief, anger, doubt and disorientation, and to find steadiness in the quiet of winter.

Anyone is welcome at any stage: in the middle of a divorce, at the start, or still sorting through its effects years later. People ending a relationship without a legal divorce, including separation and uncoupling, are welcome too. The retreat is open to all sexual orientations and gender identities, and no prior meditation experience is needed.

What to Expect

The weekend begins on Friday afternoon with check-in at the Guest Services Cabin between 2:00 and 5:00 PM, time to settle into your lodging, and an opening session with orientation.

Saturday is the heart of the retreat. It starts with guided sitting meditation, followed by teachings on presence, emotional awareness and Buddhist perspectives on change. Walking meditation, periods of silent contemplation and optional group conversations fill the rest of the day, with meals throughout.

Sunday brings morning meditation, final teachings and instruction on carrying the practice into daily life. After a closing reflection, the retreat ends with departure by 12:30 PM.

The teachings focus on working skillfully with strong emotions, letting go of what no longer serves, and recovering balance. The environment is supportive, respectful and confidential. Sharing is always optional, and you are encouraged to speak only when it feels supportive. This is not therapy or group counseling. It is a contemplative retreat grounded in mindfulness, offering tools for meeting your experience with clarity and care.

About Grace Fisher

Grace Fisher is a psychotherapist (MFT) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner who also holds JD and MEd degrees. She has more than 25 years of meditation practice, primarily in the Theravada tradition. Grace completed Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leaders Training program and has taught at Spirit Rock for over twenty years, including programs for teens, parents, and the weekly Thursday Women's Sangha.

The Setting

Drala Mountain Center sits near Red Feather Lakes in northern Colorado. Lodging is chosen at checkout, and every option includes meals and drinks, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices:

- Dormitories: gender-segregated rooms for 7 to 8 people, with a shared bathroom and showers down the hall.
- Monk Rooms: private rooms in the Rigden dormitory hall with a bed, closet, large window, desk and chair, and a shared bathroom.
- Single and Double Rooms: private rooms with an attached three-quarter bathroom (toilet, sink, shower), plus a dresser and closet.
- Junior Suite: a queen bed, sitting area, desk, dresser, closet and private bath with a tub.
- Car Camping: five primitive spots in the Rigden parking lot, with meals and bathhouse access. There are no water or electric hookups for RVs.
- Off Land: commute from home or arrange your own lodging nearby, paying for meals and use of the facilities.

Before You Go

Tuition covers two nights of lodging, all meals and drinks, guided meditation and contemplative practices, the teachings, and access to the retreat facilities and bathhouses. Extra nights can be added at checkout at half price. Transportation to the center is not included, and neither are therapy or individual counseling sessions. The retreat is offered in English.