Connect In Nature Mindfulness Retreat

with Dr. Jessie Mahoney and Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang at Green Gulch Farm & Zen Center

July 30-Aug 2, 2026

“I left the retreat with the lowest cortisol I have had in years!”

An orchard with apple trees loaded with pink apples on the left and tall sunflowers on the right, under a partly cloudy sky.

Practice mindfulness , play
in the beautiful outdoors, earn CME

Rejuvenate mind, body, & spirit.

Nourish and heal your nervous system

Release the tightness and heaviness you’ve been carrying.

Enjoy quiet and stillness.

Restore your energy.

Shift your perspective.

Open your mind.

Reconnect to yourself, other like-minded humans, and nature.

“If you are looking for a nourishing and rejuvenating way to get CME, look no further! Not only will you come away with many actionable tools to improve your well-being, you will leave feeling cared for and refreshed.”

“This was the best thing I have done for myself in a very long time.”

A group of women sitting on yoga mats in a yurt-like structure, practicing meditation with their hands on their chests.
Five women sitting on benches under a tree in a backyard, engaged in conversation.
Three people at a beach, two sitting on a large rock embracing, and one sitting on the sand facing the water with black curly hair, watching the waves.
A woman sitting on the grass in a garden with purple and green plants and flowers, wearing a coral shirt and sunglasses on her head in bright sunlight.
Group of women, mostly wearing puffer jackets, engaging in conversation outdoors near a wooden fence, with one woman holding a mug.
An orchard with apple trees bearing red apples on the left and sunflower plants with bright yellow blooms on the right, with a background of trees and a cloudy sky.

“This retreat was the best investment ever.”

“We experienced time in all of my favorite places in nature - forests, beaches, and gardens!
And had the time to truly experience them all mindfully in an amazing community.
It was truly restful and energizing.”

CONNECT IN NATURE WITH US

What Practices Do We Explore at the Connect in Nature Retreat?

  • Guided mindfulness in a garden, beside a creek, amidst the wildflowers, on a mountaintop, and in a forest.

  • Mindful yoga in a forest.

  • Small group mindful mindset coaching

  • Forest bathing in the redwoods

  • Restorative and yin yoga in a yurt

  • Mind-body medicine

  • Mindful eating and mindful communication

CONNECT IN NATURE WITH US
Close-up of a weathered wooden railing covered in lichen in a garden setting with trees and shrubs in the background.

Details & Planning

When is it?: July 30- August 2nd

Where is it? Green Gulch Farm & Zen Center, Muir Woods, & Muir Beach

Where do you stay? On your own in local inns. Some options include the Mill Valley Inn, Mountain Home Inn, Acqua Hotel, Cavallo Point, Pelican Inn or an AirBnb. It's great set-up for a friends or date weekend.

Who can come? It is OPEN ALL whether you work in medicine or not. Almost everyone who attends is a physician or deeply connected to one. Men, women, couples, friends, colleagues, siblings, parents, and young adult children are all welcome to join. This is your chance to share this mindfulness with you spouse, sibling, or special human in your life - while earning CME.

Where do you fly to and when should you arrive? San Francisco or Oakland. You will need to rent a car.

What time does the retreat start and end each day? 10:30-3:30 each day at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center with optional morning activities in Muir Woods and Muir Beach on day 2 and 3.

How big is the retreat? We limit the attendance to 25 people maximum so it remains a calm, nourishing, and quiet experience. We spend much of the time in small groups of 10-12.

Is there CME? 12 units AMA PRA Cat 1 CME

How much does it cost? $2250. Unless you “come with friend!” Then you each pay $2050.

What’s the agenda? It’s on the sign up page.

How do you sign up? Click here

CONNECT IN NATURE WITH US

“This retreat is unique. It is run by physicians who understand the challenges of being a physician, how our training magnifies stress, and the pathophysiology behind the stress and interventions.”

People sitting and talking on a gardening or outdoor meeting in a wildflower garden with trees and a play structure in the background.
People participating in a yoga or stretching class in a yurt with wooden lattice walls, a wood stove, and hanging paper lanterns.
People are sitting at a long outdoor dining table with a red tablecloth, enjoying a meal. There is a bouquet of sunflowers in the center of the table.
An older man and woman standing on a wooden deck, engaged in conversation, with lush green trees and foliage in the background.
Meditate in Muir Woods and earn CME at the mindful healers connect in nature retreat
A group of eight people sitting outdoors in a circle, engaged in a discussion or meeting, surrounded by green trees and foliage.
Five women standing in a forest, reaching upward as if touching or feeling something above them.
Group of people gathered outdoors, talking and smiling near a large tent and wooden structure, some holding cups.
A group of people participating in an outdoor yoga class surrounded by tall trees on a wooded platform.
People practicing yoga outdoors among giant trees in a forest.
A group of fifteen people standing on a wooden platform outdoors, surrounded by trees and greenery, with two women sitting on the ground in front of the group. The group appears cheerful and relaxed, with some smiling and wearing casual outdoor cloth
Two women at a picnic table outdoors, one eating and making peace signs, the other facing away wearing a pink hat and sunglasses.

The hosts of the Healing Medicine Podcast will be your trusted guides

A woman with short curly gray hair, wearing a black jacket and beige pants, sits cross-legged on a large rock outdoors near the coast. She has her hands over her heart and is smiling, with a background of rocky cliffs, ocean, and cloudy sky.

Dr. Jessie Mahoney

Jessie is a physician wellness expert, certified coach, yoga and mindfulness teacher as well as a board-certified pediatrician.

She is the founder of Pause & Presence, where she offers 1:1 coaching, small-group coaching, and retreats, for those who are successful on the surface yet struggling underneath.

She speaks nationally on wellness, burnout, mindfulness, and mindset.

Jessie is a graduate of Dartmouth College and UCSF Medical School. She worked as a pediatrician and physician leader at The Permanente Medical Group (Kaiser) for 18 years.

A woman dressed as a doctor practicing yoga outdoors on a pink mat, sitting cross-legged with hands in a prayer position, in a natural setting near a body of water under a tree.

Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang

Ni-Cheng is a mother, cancer survivor, mindfulness teacher, and pulmonologist.
She is a leader and international speaker on well-being, mindfulness, anti-racism, integrative and pulmonary medicine who has taught courses, led retreats, and designed well-being curricula for over a decade. She co-hosts the Healing Medicine podcast and founded the Mindful Healthcare Collective to help reduce suffering amongst healers.


She has been recognized as a seven-time San Diego Top Doctor, received the San Diego American Lung Association Lung Health Provider of the Year Award in 2019, and was recognized by Mindful Magazine as one of the 10 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement in 2021.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS IN NATURE

Learn more about the retreat by listening to these Healing Medicine Podcast Episodes

Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang and Dr. Jessie Mahoney share lessons from the Connect in Nature Mindfulness retreat.

Dr. Holly MacKenna shares her experience attending the Connect in Nature Retreat in 2024. She emphasizes the importance of coaching and leaning into a community of support when building something new.

Dr. Yvonne Juarez, TPMG physician, shares her Connect in Nature retreat experience. She came with her husband and it strengthened their relationship in amazing and unexpected ways. They will be returning together in 2026.

Ripe apricots hanging on a tree branch with green leaves in sunlight.
A group of fifteen people, mostly women, posing together on a wooden platform in a lush forest with tall trees and greenery in the background.
Granola bars with oats and blueberries on a wooden cutting board.
Group of people doing yoga or stretching in a forest with tall redwood trees and lush green foliage.
A man sitting on a large rock formation on a rocky, pebbled beach with a steep, eroded hillside in the background, and a woman crouching nearby.
A round yurt with a burgundy cover and transparent windows, situated among tall trees and green bushes on a grassy area with a gravel path nearby.
A dirt hiking trail with wooden steps leading uphill through a green forest with tall trees.
Outdoor display of tropical fruits and flowers against a wooden fence. There is a tray of sliced watermelon, a plate of scones or pastries, and vases with colorful flowers including heliconias, pink flowers, and yellow and green foliage.
People practicing yoga outdoors on a wooden deck surrounded by trees, with a red tent in the background, under a blue sky.

“A great opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive environment”

A wooden sign in a forested area reads "Green Dragon Temple" and states it is closed for retreat, with no visitors allowed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this retreat special?

  • It is experiential. There are NO lectures or conference rooms. Learning comes from immersion in nature, mindful practices, coaching and collective sharing.
  • We spend the entire long weekend in nature and in zenful spaces.
  • We eat organic food grown in the nearby Earth that is prepared with mindful intention.
  • You will leave with tools to incorporate mindful and intentional living into your life back at home.

Why you should consider coming with a friend or loved one?

  • More people in yoourl life are calm and grounded.
  • Your partners or friends will understand you better.
  • You will have a shared language and an accountability partner to continue the magic at home.
  • You will save on the registration. We give the discount in fact to encourage you to do this- the impact o coming together is surprisingly fabulus!

Who is this retreat NOT for?

  • Those who want lectures or a spa experience.
  • Those who prefer the indoors or city life.
  • Those who are not open to new experiences and moving their body in nature.
  • Those unable to walk 1 mile on flat but uneven/unpaved terrain.

Do you need to have an established mindfulness practice to join?

No.

Is it a silent retreat

No.

CONNECT IN NATURE

CME Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by AKH, Inc., Pause & Presence, LLC.

AKH, Inc. is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AKH, Inc. designates this live activity for 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. 

GET CME WHILE CONNECTING IN NATURE

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