Retreats for Teams and Institutions
Team building retreats, workshops, and coaching programs that restore connection, rebuild meaning, and help teams practice medicine more sustainably.
”Words cannot express how profoundly your retreat for us changed so many things in my life and in the life of my partners. “ - Dr. Elizabeth Arias, PAFMG Sutter Health, Hospitalist
I design every team retreat from scratch — specifically for your group, your culture, and what your people actually need.
Each one weaves together coaching, experiential mindfulness, somatic practices, nature, and nourishing food to create something that goes well beyond a team-building day. I've been leading physician wellness retreats since 2015, for teams ranging from four-person private practices to departments of 80.
“This was so valuable. Forget the Zoom wellness events or free apps.
What we need as physicians is this!
-Palliative Care, UCSF
Organizations who have already brought Pause & Presence retreats to their clinicians
I work with organizations and teams of every size — from large health systems such as Sutter Health and UCSF to private practices and independent groups such as Golden Gate Pediatrics and Baywell Psychiatry. I
Why Retreat-Based Learning Works for Physicians
Physicians are saturated with information.
What they’re missing is experience, which comes from spending time with colleagues in facilitated spaces specifically designed for honesty and depth.
Retreat-based learning creates conditions that can’t be replicated on Zoom, in a conference room, or on or near a medical campus.
It’s challenging to find offerings that feel meaningful rather than performative — especially for exhausted physicians who have heard many well-intended but misguided solutions.
Pause and Presence retreats are designed to meet physicians where they are.
They are grounded in what’s true about healthcare right now, honest about challenges on all sides, and oriented toward what actually helps.
I wrote about this in Ending burnout through structure, not gimmicks — What physicians actually need looks nothing like what most institutions are offering.
Proven Impact: Sutter Health East Bay — 79 Physicians, 100% Positive
In 2024–2025, I facilitated five grant-funded physician wellness retreats for Sutter Health East Bay Medical Group at Nicasio Creek Farm. These were Sutter’s first-ever physician wellness events — the results speak for themselves.
79/79 found it helpful
79/79 would recommend it to their colleagues
Clinicians reported improved communication and reflective skills, increased agency in career decisions, enhanced cross-specialty connections, and greater clarity in leadership roles and transitions.
The program proved so effective that in 2026, the program was renewed for a third year - and expanded - to include leadership programming and a virtual coaching cohort.
Sutter Clinician Feedback
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“This retreat is profoundly impactful.” — Dr. Mundeep Chawla, Hospitalist
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“Great way to help make the ongoing practice of medicine sustainable and fulfilling.” - Hospitalist
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"This retreat was like medicine for life. Prepare for a day learning many critical life skills to help you. ” - Pediatrics
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“The retreat covered so much that I will carry forward and grow.” - ObGyn
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“This retreat will give you the words to explain what you’ve been feeling, allow connection with others that have been struggling with the same mindsets, and learn useful tools to change.” - ObGyn
What Changes After a Pause & Presence Retreat
These retreats re-energize, inspire, and transform clinicians.
They are designed to be much more than a self-care day.
They create real, lasting change in how physicians relate to their work, each other, and themselves.
Clinicians report:
A felt sense of collegiality, community, and a sense of being valued
A shared language and more compassion for each other
Perspective-shifting frameworks that get carried back into clinical culture the next day
Practical tools to support individual nervous system regulation and sustainable performance
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“Every provider within 6 months of starting should be offered this retreat.”
— Executive Director, Primary Care
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“These retreats should be offered to every medical professional on a bi-annual basis to learn and be reminded of the power of mindfulness and self-care.”
— Sutter East Bay Physician
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“The retreat helped me feel more connected to my coworkers.” - Sutter East Bay Physician
Why Physicians Trust Me
I'm a board-certified pediatrician who spent over 20 years leading physician wellness at The Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente. I've lived physician burnout, led through it, and built programs to address it — from inside the system and now from outside it.
That 'outside' matters. Holding a retreat away from the medical campus, in nature, led by someone who isn't part of your institution's hierarchy — that sends your team a message: this is real, this is for you, and we trust you enough to step outside the building.
These retreats integrate professional coaching, nervous system science, psychology, mindfulness, lifestyle medicine, and practical strategy. They're designed for physicians who are skeptical of 'wellness,' short on time, and tired of performative solutions.
*The story of how I got here: The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change
“This retreat is uniquely effective because it is led by a physician who understands the challenges of being a physician, how our training magnifies stresses, and the pathophysiology behind both stress and effective interventions.”
— Oncologist, Stanford
What Retreat Days Look Like
9:30 am Connect & Gather
9:45 am - 10:45 am Connection with Purpose & the Neuroscience of Intention
11:00 am - 11:15 am Experiential Mindfulness & Self-Compassion
11:15 am - 12:30 pm What Are You Practicing That’s Not Medicine? Physician Conditioning & Change Pathways
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm Mindfulness in Nature: Forest Bathing or Mindful Tasting
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Farm-to-Table Plant-Forward Lunch & Community Building
2:00 - 2:30 pm Nervous System Reset: Sound Healing
2:45 - 3:45 pm The School of Unlearning - Mindset, Mindfulness, & Self-Compassion Coaching
3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Integration: Tools for Going Forward
“Great leader, great content, great location – the location is perfect.”
The Venue
Nicasio Creek Farm is a private 4-acre sunny oasis nestled amidst a redwood forest. It is a purpose-built space for physicians' healing.
It is 45 minutes north of San Francisco. 15 minutes off Hwy 101 on Lucas Valley Road.
It is physically close to most Bay Area medical centers, but it feels extremely far away.
The property features a creekside outdoor bamboo retreat deck, a beautiful indoor bamboo yoga studio, a large manicured lawn, an organic micro farm, and cozy facilities.
*If you would like me to facilitate a retreat at another location, near or far, schedule a planning meeting.
“The retreat was worth the drive and time in gold.” - Sutter Health Clinician
Investment and Logistics
The cost depends on your group size, format, and choice of location. One-day retreats range from $8,000 for a small group (4–6, ideal for private practices and DPC groups) to $20,000 for larger teams (up to 24). Every retreat includes exclusive use of Nicasio Creek Farm, coaching workshops, yoga, mindfulness, farm-to-table nourishment, forest bathing, and sound healing.
I work with private practices, DPC groups, departments, and large institutions — and I'm happy to help you think through funding, whether that's a practice budget, a grant, CME funds, or cost-sharing. If you're exploring how to fund this, I wrote an article titled "How to get physician wellness programs funded: a proven path forward."
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“Don’t underestimate the potential positive practical impact of this experience on improving all aspects of your team’s life. I encourage all physicians and all teams to invest in this.”
— Chair, Department of Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
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“This retreat helps encourage a change in mindset that can be crucial for both the MD, their colleagues, and their patients.” – William Cheng, MD, Hospitalist, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
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“What an absolute joy! Should be a required course! So glad I went.” - Sutter East Bay Medical Group Physician
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“I took away granular and actionable tools to practice more mindfully, which will improve my patient care and my professional well-being.” - Adam Janik, MD, Sutter East Bay Medical Group
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“An incredible experience hands down! Centering and rejuvenating.” — Pedi Subspecialist, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Frequently Asked Questions
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Retreats are full-day, immersive, in-person experiences designed to build trust, deepen connection, and accelerate learning in a single concentrated day. They combine coaching, mindfulness, nervous system science, nature, and farm-to-table meals. Virtual coaching programs (typically 6–12 sessions) build skills progressively over time and work well for larger groups or geographically dispersed teams. Many institutions combine both — a retreat creates a powerful shared foundation, and a follow-up coaching series extends that learning over time. Explore coaching programs.
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A keynote or workshop is a one-time event — typically 60–90 minutes or a half-day — designed to inspire and shift perspective. A retreat is a full-day immersive experience with coaching, mindfulness, embodied learning, nature, and community building. Retreats create deeper, more lasting change because they engage the whole nervous system, not just the intellect. If you're planning a conference or event and need a speaker, explore keynotes & workshops
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In our Sutter Health East Bay program, 100% of 79 physicians found the retreat helpful, 100% would recommend it to colleagues, and 75% felt more hopeful afterward. More than half reported feeling less stressed, less depleted, and less isolated. Physicians also reported improved communication, greater agency in career decisions, and enhanced connection across specialties.
For more on why coaching and retreat-based approaches outperform traditional wellness programming: Why physician wellness programs must evolve beyond institutions
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Absolutely — and this is often the most impactful approach. A retreat creates a powerful shared foundation of trust, shared language, and tools, and a virtual coaching series extends and deepens that learning over weeks or months. I design combined programs regularly and can recommend the right structure for your team.
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Retreats accommodate up to 24 participants. 16-18 is the optimal size. This sizing maintains the interactivity, psychological safety, and small-group cohesion that make retreats so effective. For larger groups, I offer multiple retreat dates so everyone gets the full experience.
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Yes. Most retreats are held at Nicasio Creek Farm in West Marin, but I facilitate retreats nationally and can bring an amazing experience to your site.
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CME accreditation can be arranged for an additional fee. Many institutions use CME funding as a mechanism to support retreat investment.
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I receive many retreat requests, so confirming a date early is always advisable — especially for spring and fall. The first step is a short planning conversation to discuss your goals, group size, and timing.
If you're a smaller group — a private practice, DPC group, or department — planning is often simpler, and we can sometimes arrange a retreat within a few weeks.
About Dr. Jessie Mahoney
I am a wellness leader, certified coach, and yoga and mindfulness instructor.
I am also a board-certified pediatrician and former institutional physician leader with over 20 years of experience leading physician wellness at The Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser Permanente. I have been leading team physician wellness retreats since 2015. Learn more.
Connect with me to plan a Retreat for Your Team
I always like to connect virtually or by phone to discuss and clarify:
The current challenges on your team
Your current team culture
The outcomes you’re hoping for - engagement, retention, connection, leadership, sustainability
The best format (half-day, full day, workshop series, virtual coaching, add-on CME)
Logistics: location, size, budget range, and timing
I look forward to talking with you soon.