Creating Art & Freedom
in the Heart of the Berkshires
Registration Closed
August 6th-11th
2023
If you're a woman ready to feel more connected to yourself and those you love, to feel present, free and joyful in your day, then join Dr. Randie Schacter, fellow doctor, healer, coach, retreat leader and her amazing team of masters on this continuing education retreat, for a journey into your creative self, in an enchanted farmhouse in the Berkshires; Journey for the heart.
As the magic of this place unfolds before your eyes, you take a deep breath and feel the built-up tension start to release. A thought comes to mind… “why did I wait so long for this break’, you smile with joy and gratitude.
This journey of self- discovery through art feels so incredible. The clay in your hands is so soothing. As you work the clay you notice the inner chatter quiet. Instead, the focus is shifted to just this moment. The fresh air that smells of Honeysuckle, the sound of birds and the gentle wind blowing through the trees outside the barn. You take one of those deep relaxing belly breaths Randie taught you yesterday and your whole body just feels freer and lighter. You look around, the group of women, sisters, your sisters, are working on their own pieces, and they look happy, really happy and it warms your heart.
And you think to yourself,
art is healing. "Oh, my goodness, why did I ever stop in med school.
I am so excited we get to do this every day!"
The Berkshires
A place where artists have been going for more than a century to feel inspired by it's natural beauty; where people enjoy outdoor activities, peace, relaxation and natural splendor with an ode to farm-to-table cuisine.
So tell me... 
- Have things been less interesting lately? Are you just going through the motions?
- Are you less inspired to do things you once enjoyed?
- Is it hard to get a good night's sleep?
- Do you feel tired often?
- Do you feel stressed, rushed or overwhelmed?
- Is anxiety or frustration from work affecting your personal life?
- Are you more irritable or snappy than your usual self? Is this not the woman you remember?
- Are you feeling disconnected from your patients and family?
If these questions resonate, this is the retreat for you!
Stop. Pause.
Close your eyes and smell the flowers blooming. See the beauty as they move in the wind. Feel the breeze on your cheeks. Hear the sound of the leaves as they brush against each other and taste the freshness of the crisp air as you inhale deeply. Exhale slowly.
This is no ordinary retreat!
- No classrooms or zoom here! Instead, it's a meaningful experience, an evolution of self.
- Being around real people, with authentic uncensored dialogue that is sacred and cherished.
- A safe space to heal, create and grow.
- Pottery making to rekindle the creativity muted by stress or burnout.
- Meditation to find peacefulness within and around you. Ease your capacity to transition between alertness and sleep.
- Yoga to find balance and calm so our autonomic nervous system can return to its natural state of health.
- Mindfulness to ground you in the here and now so you can be more connected with who and what matters to you.
- Yoga to bring vitality and stillness.
- A cacao ceremony and reflection circles to enhance connections, healing and inspiration.
- Intention setting and journal prompts to create goals and dreams to keep with you when you leave.
- Time to rest, reflect, restore to end the fatigue that stress creates.
And through these experiences you will...
- Find yourself again, your purpose, your joie de vivre.
- Align with your core values and be true to your heart.
- Feel the gravity of your worth, that you are more than enough, and learn to set boundaries.
- Quiet the chatter, calm your mind, and relax your body.
- Empower yourself, and feel free, free of stress, free of overwhelm.
- You will feel free to live life on your own terms, filled with joy & presence.
- You can enjoy every day and focus on the people and things that really matter.
- Go home with tools that will maintain this evolution of self, your reawakening.
- The best part is that your toolbox can be accessed anywhere, in a stressful board meeting, in the room holding hands together with your critical patient or when talking to a patient's hostile family member.
- Real tools to keep yourself from letting stress and burnout win.
This is it!
This is the retreat where you take control, where you get yourself back.
You are the one that can fix it. This is where you learn how.
This is where the magic happens!!!
A retreat for women to relax, feel cared for, and to find the tools to navigate life on your terms. Live the life that you want, filled with joyful presence.
The Venue
Nestled among 200+ rolling acres this thoroughly and creatively renovated classic 18th c. Colonial is pure, private elegance. The gracious 5 BR, 4-bath main house has an open kitchen that leads out to a stone deck overlooking the garden, fireplaces in the dining room, living room and book-filled den, a broad screened in porch with plush sofas and club chairs perfect for watching the sunrise or sitting outside at night to listen to the song of the frogs in our pond. There's also an indoor Endless Pool perfect for swimming in any weather. Outside guests can sunbathe and swim in the outdoor pool; relax while enjoying the health benefits of the in-forest, wood-fired sauna; play pool, make pottery or practice yoga in the barn or take a small hike up to the meditation hut tucked away in the woods!
A healing space for women to have fun and enjoy art, meditation, yoga, great food and nature.
Art Immersion - Enhancing Creativity in Vivo
Berkshire Art Center
Three days, we will travel beautiful country roads to the Berkshire Art Center in Stockbridge where you will explore your creative self in immersive pottery experiences.
The alternate days, we will work onsite using nature as part of our methods of mindfulness in the process of creating your art.
Gathering beauty from nature into your work will bring inspiration for your creations.
Underglaze and paint your work to create the image you desire.
Try your hand at the wheel with master potter Lorimer Burns. You will ground yourself in the process.
End the week with Hunter Cady at a Raku Fire and glaze session. Watch
in awe as fire dances, imprinting the marks of your design.
Finding your Flow - Pottery
The enjoyable sensation of your hands in clay is like nothing else.
Exposure to these various styles will allow you to get a feel for what fascinates you and what makes your heart feel more alive. Through these experiences a passion for art and creativity will be nourished.
Fond memories will flow when you return home and share the pieces you created.
Flow is the secret to happiness
"Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go." Heman Hesse
You will learn how to let go of the chatter that keeps you up and release what weighs you down. Let's do this together surrounded by beauty and comfort.
The Arts of Yoga and Meditation
Daily opportunities to learn and practice grounding yourself.
Here is where you may find it is easiest for the mind and body to feel connected to each other and to nature.
Enjoy all the benefits of stilling your mind, relaxing and stretching your body and breathing with ease.
Create space for healing & peacefulness.
Beginner or advanced, everyone will benefit with these daily practices.
Tools to take with you and use anywhere you go.
As advanced as you may be, join us with a beginner's mind, open to all the possibilities, ready to learn, to share, and to be delighted with the experiences offered.
You will feel grounded, relaxed and at ease.
A sense of freedom from the stress and overwhelm will increase with every practice and your heart will feel stronger and fill with gratitude for the beauty all around you.
If you want things in your life to be different, you have to try things you have never done.
The Cuisine - A Foodie's Paradise
You picked the Berkshires because it is beautiful, because it is known for art, because of its outdoor activities. You also picked it for the amazing fresh food. It is a fantasy for any farm-to-table lover. Of course, August is the ultimate month, bountiful with mouthwatering fruits and vegetables ripened off the vines. There is no better flavors than produce picked at the peak of freshness The local shops carry a vast array of cheeses, olives, jams, pickles, and honey made right in the area.
Sammy and his assistant, Joshua, will spend the early morning gathering the very best from the days' harvest, while the dough rises and coffee brews. Every day there will be a healthy breakfast with some form of fresh baked bread, fresh fruit with an incredible Michelin Star granola that will make your morning. It will convert any non-granola eater into one. Other breakfast items will vary from a frittata, to chia pudding with coconut milk and mango, to spinach strata. The choices will depend on the freshness of the veggies at hand. There will be smoothie mornings and/or healthy juices and of course coffee and tea.
Lunch will be another affair to remember. Tuck into a Mediterranean chopped salad served with an open-faced sour dough toast, topped with a gigante bean spread, chopped fresh and sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil with a pinch of fleur de sel. Then quench your thirst with a cucumber-lime seltzer or one with watermelon and a dash of honey, feeling nourished and satisfied.
After a fun filled afternoon, dinner will be a pleasant surprise each evening as we explore flavors from regions all over the world. Each evening the local produce and proteins will be combined with different spices to bring mindfulness to the dinner table. All prepared beautifully as you travel through your senses to another country or region.
The chef was chosen for skills, amazing flavors as well as his ability to accommodate the varying dietary needs you may have. He is well versed in vegetarian, vegan and gluten free foods. If you have allergies or restrictions, Sammy will make sure you are satisfied and feel nourished.
Meals will be a wonderful time to join and share stories. When the food is good the stories are good. When the food is great the stories are even better. That is of course between bites.
A rough sketch of the day:
- Morning yoga set in nature
- Breakfast prepared by a private chef, served on the terrace overlooking the gardens
- Scenic drive to the Berkshire Art Center for your immersive pottery experience
- Lunch comprised of locally sourced delights
- Free time in the afternoon to reflect on the morning's experiences and enjoy your surroundings. Swim in either the indoor or outdoor pool, read a book on the screened in porch, journal in an Adirondack chair set by the pond, hike or mountain bike along the private trails, or schedule a massage
- Pre-dinner meditation practice on the porch
- Farm-to-table dinner by candlelight
- Post meal gathering around the stone fire pit for a reflection of the day and set intentions for the days ahead
- End the day with restorative yoga to still the busy mind and prepare for a good night of sleep
Arrive Sunday morning and get settled in for your escape.
Leave Friday afternoon
reconnected with yourself, your values and ready to share a
more calm, confident you with your world.
A retreat for women to relax, feel cared for, and find the tools to navigate life on your terms. Live the life that you want, focusing on what really matters..
What's Included
- 5 nights in a beautiful Berkshire mountain farmhouse set on 200+ private acres.
- Daily healthy, gourmet farm-to-table meals
- Morning yoga with master yoga teacher, Lisa Bondy.
- Immersive daily pottery workshops (all pottery supplies, tools & equipment included).
- Transportation to and from Berkshire Art Center in Stockbridge.
- Core values exercises to help you find your true desires, needs and wants.
- Daily Mindfulness/Meditation/CBT Practices/Skills.
- Personal journal/sketchbook with daily prompts and goal setting.
- Evening reflection circles to process the events of the day and set intentions for tomorrow
What's Included
- Cacao Ceremony - a ritual for self-renewal that will keep us centered, connected to our hearts, and create healing and inspiration.
- An afternoon at the breathtaking West Lake for paddle-boarding, kayaking and canoeing (weather permitting).
- Explore Great Barrington, one of the most charming small towns in Massachusetts.
- Swim in the private outdoor or indoor pools.
- Relax in the sauna in the woods.
- Explore the 200+ acres on a guided hike.
- Time for relaxing, personal reflection, journaling and enjoying the nature around you.
- Evening discussions/reflection circle.
- Recipes shared on a Google group post event so you can enjoy the meals with others.
Relax and let the heat melt the stress from your body and and a sense of peace fill your heart.
Ooh the food ! - imagine ... freshly ripened fruits and vegetables bursting with flavor, prepared by a professionally trained chef. He is tailoring the food to your needs. Vegan - Vegetarian - no nightshades, he can make it specially for you. Fresh baked bread, warm as you pull it apart. Desserts that are light and melt in your mouth. Everyday a different region of the world. Every day a different pleasure.
Extras (available for a supplemental fee)
Personal Massage
A massage therapist will be available on site on Wednesday and Thursday. Advanced booking is requested to make sure you are able to get the treatment you desire.
Private session/Intensives with the yoga guru
Private sessions can be scheduled to get even more out of this retreat in the world of yoga than we offer in group format. Lisa’s years of training and experience with some of the most renowned masters will shine in our sessions but one on one will be phenomenal. Master an inversion you’ve been pursuing or start from anywhere and she will help you move to the next phase in your practice.
Reflexology
With activation of zones and pressure points in your hands and feet reinvigorate flow with this type of massage and stimulate the healing response by stimulating the nervous system.
Reiki
A form of energy healing with light touch to encourage physical and emotional healing, promote relaxation, as well as reduce stress and anxiety.
New Paragraph
What's not included
Personal Transport & Airport Transfers
- Attempts will be made to help coordinate transport with fellow guests to reduce travel cost from airport, but not guaranteed.
Travel Insurance (obligatory)
- Which is strongly recommended- in fact truly a must when traveling these days. No one knows what will happen and one must be prepared. We recommend Travel Guard Insurance. In the unfortunate unforeseen event that the retreat is cancelled, we will notify you as soon as possible and you can request a full refund or you may transfer your payment to another retreat, but we would not want you to lose your travel costs.
A retreat for women to relax, feel cared for, and find the tools to navigate life on your terms, to live the life that you want, filled with even more happiness.
The Rooms
Find the best for you. Space is limited and rooms are reserved at registration. First come first served - grab the room you want before its gone!
King En Suite
A large luxurious room and spacious bathroom, with a freestanding soaking tub all to yourself
or
share with a friend and save.
King - Shared Bathroom
A large comfortable King size bed with shared bathroom

Queen - Shared Bathroom
Comfortable Queen bed with shared bathroom
Twin xl Single Occupancy - Shared Bathroom
Two twin size beds and the room all to yourself, with shared bathroom

Twin xl Double Occupancy - Shared Bathroom
Perfect for two friends coming to the retreat together, sharing a room and enjoying each others company
Your Hosts
Randie Schacter, DO, DFAACAP
Retreat Lead
I am a psychiatrist that treats women & children with a special passion in caring for women physicians. I am an advocate for our profession and patients, holding local and national positions in professional societies, a best-selling author, speaker on managing stress & burnout and on starting a private practice - empowering other physicians.
In 2019, I created an interactive CME program, called Mindfulness Based Arts & Stress Reduction (MBASR) for Women Medical Professionals to manage stress & burnout using pottery making, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, and peer support, (accompanied by Farm-to-Table homemade-gourmet food) in the Charlotte Area. It has served my peers by significantly reducing the symptoms of stress & burnout in an atmosphere of warmth, creativity, care,  laughter and kindness.   Learn more
Lisa Bondy
Yoga Guru
Director of Yoga at The Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine of Northwell Health
Lisa is a yoga teacher with over 20,000 hours of teaching experience. Always a student, Lisa is a devoted practitioner of yoga and meditation for over 35 years. Lisa knows well the myriad scientifically proven health benefits of these ancient technologies.
Lisa’s teaching style is masterful and empowering. She challenges all of her students to move beyond the bounds of the mind and expand into an experience of authenticity and self-realization. Lisa's intention and expertise lies in her ability to lead students on a healing, transformational journey – body, mind and soul.
A recipe for success!
Feed your mind and body with practices that Yoga Master Lisa offers and then nourish it with delights that Chef Sammy attentively provides.
She can modify for whatever skillset and he can modify for whatever dietary needs. This retreat is tailored just for you.
Sammy Koolik
Our chef
Sammy Koolik is a private chef based in NYC. This past summer he lived and worked on a farm in Denmark where he immersed himself in organic agricultural practices and the importance of high-quality ingredients. This farm is the primary supplier of produce for Noma, five-time winner of best restaurant in the world.
He is currently finishing up his studies at the Institute of Culinary Education, ranked the top culinary school in the country. Sammy’s favorite cuisine is French, and he is passionate about enhancing and elevating high-quality ingredients.
Nikki Adolphson
Massage Therapist
Nikki has been practicing massage therapy since 1999. She is a graduate of Clark University, Bancroft School of Massage Therapy, Kripalu School of Ayurveda.
She has studied Polarity through the Center of Polarity & Shamanic Studies and is an End of Life Doula through the Larner College of Medicine at UVM.
Nikki is an Ayurvedic Educator as well as a seasoned massage therapist. In conjunction with her small private practice she remains on staff at several spas in the Berkshires.
Location Gallery
