Five-Day Intensives

We call this work “soul care” in the ancient Christian sense—an attentive tending of the whole person, where rest and restoration embrace heart, body, and mind. This is a relational, trauma-informed approach that honors your body’s wisdom and your soul’s longings. We draw from the best of contemporary therapeutic insight, yet we move at the pace of soul—unhurried, spacious, and deeply attuned. Within the setting of a five-day retreat, we create room for your nervous system to settle, your story to be held with compassion, and your inner life to come gently back into coherence and wholeness.

Intensives are currently offered in Holland MI, Orlando FL, Denver, CO, Chattanooga, TN, and Louisville, KY…or where our other practitioners are based. We do some intensives virtually, when needed. We often book these weeks or months in advance, and availability is limited. Contact us to learn more.

Intensive work is a proven, transformational process. Focused, intentional engagement over five days can bring about significant change that months or even years of spiritual direction, pastoral care, or therapy doesn’t accomplish.

We do this work for individuals and couples, and sometimes with small groups of pastors, ministry leaders, executives, non-profit leaders, or others.

We create a 5-day experience together that engages the rhythms of challenging inner work, significant rest for your soul, and enjoyable, rejuvenating activities.

It begins with your intention to take this time, set it apart, and commit to the rhythms of deep inner work, rest, reading, play, creativity, or whatever else your soul needs.

Individuals/couples find a quiet place to stay for this time apart from home and normal rhythms. Recommendations of places to stay are offered.

Intensives are 3 hours a day over 5 days. Consult with the therapist to inquire about start times and dates.

With each day, the inner work builds, but we find a good rhythm of soul work, rest and play along the way for you. On our last day, we collaborate on a plan for your further work and care, and we provide you with resources to engage beyond our work together. In some cases, we engage in periodic follow-up appointments.

The focus of the intensive is discerned based on your specific needs.

Some are individually focused and others are designed for couples.

Some engage this work for sabbatical renewal and vocational reimagination.

Some engage this work amidst stories of spiritual abuse and religious trauma, with practitioners expertly attuned to these issues.

Some are interested in vocational discernment.

And still others ask for group intensives for their leadership teams, for small groups of senior pastors, and for other constellations of groups.

People often ask: "What if I want a mix of 2-3 of these?" It's often the case that some of this work is combined. We'll help discern what's best for you.

Generally, intensives take place where your particular practitioner is based. Currently, we have intensives taking place in Orlando FL, Holland MI, Denver CO, Chattanooga TN, Louisville KY, and, when necessary, virtually.

A 5-day intensive is $5500, whether in person or over Zoom. The cost is the same for individual and couple’s intensives.

There is a 10% discount for those in ministry.

Most ministry leaders find that some or all of the cost is covered by their churches and organizations.

You are responsible for travel and lodging.

We invoice you for one-half of your payment to lock in your dates, and one-half when the intensive ends.

All payments are invoiced by the Soul Care Collaborative.

To be considered for an intensive, email us confidentially at chuckdegroatsoulcare@gmail.com with:

• Preference of who you’d prefer to work with. Availability differs. See bio’s for more information. We will also discern with you who might be a good fit.

• Name, Spouse’s Name (if applicable), Date of Birth

• Location and Vocation

• A detailed, 1-2 page description of what you believe you need

• A brief summary of past (or present) care (therapy, spiritual direction, etc.) and its effectiveness.

• A short window into your story and why this kind of care would be helpful now.

• Your desired outcome (what would flourishing look like for you…or for your marriage?)

• 4-6 dates of weeks during the year that could work for your intensive. (Please note that we often book intensives months out, though we do sometimes have more immediate availability.)

• Do you recommend things to do or resources to read beforehand? Often, this is dependent on what you need. Please do ask if you’d like to engage resources in advance.

• Can I do this via Zoom? Yes, Chuck did all intensives via Zoom during Covid-19, and we do several a year still. We do ask that you find a quiet, retreat-like space with good WiFi wherever you’ll be. (NOTE: For Michigan intensives, priority is sometimes given to virtual, Zoom intensives December - March due to Michigan weather and its impact on travel).

• Is the deposit refundable? Because most of these are scheduled well in advance, we do not refund intensive deposits if they are cancelled within 60 days of the first day of the scheduled intensive.

• Is it the same price for all practitioners? Yes. We are all veterans with advanced trauma training and exceptional experience and credentials.

• Is it the same price for individuals or couples?Yes.

• Do you do longer or shorter intensives?Yes, we do intensives, on occasion, as short as 3 days/3 hours day ($3300) and as long as 7 days/3 hours a day ($7700), after assessing what you need.