Girl Catch Fire Gathering(April 29 – May 1, 2022)

One day I was flipping through Facebook posts and I came to a post that seemed to speak to me. The post described a retreat for women in midlife that were looking for the “next step” in life and needed clarity. I had submitted my promotion packet for professor at the university and I felt burned out on research, so I was looking for a career modification or maybe even an overhaul. What was I being called to do next?

And to be honest the name of the retreat, Girl Catch Fire Gathering, reminded me of Alicia Keys’ sound “This Girl is on Fire!”…my theme song! I read up on Erin Kirk, who is the founder of Girl Catch Fire and is a Professional Certified Life & Performance Coach. Then I reviewed the retreat details, the dates were doable (Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1, 2022), it was affordable ($300 for the gathering and $150 for the shared cabin), and I could drive there (Edgar Evins State Park in Silver Point, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville). BUT…I did have some hesitation.

I looked at the pictures from previous events. I only saw white women. I am quite comfortable in my skin and its color, but not everyone else is. So I figured if I felt it was not safe or I did not feel welcomed, I would just drive back home. The second hesitancy came from the fact that I would either need to camp in my own tent (never going to happen) or share a cabin with a complete stranger. But, I am adventurous, so I treated it as if I was going to a weekend summer camp. And again, if I didn’t feel safe or comfortable, I would just leave. Lastly, she mentioned that she was open and supportive of other religions, but was follower of Jesus Christ. So, yes I am a Christian, but the overly ‘churchy’ Christians are a bit too much for me. But I later discovered Erin is not one of them.

From the moment I arrived at the campfire the first evening I was greeted with welcomes and genuine smiles. Jeni was the official greeter, which suited her well. The cabins were nothing special, but clean and plenty of room for two people. I met my roommate, Monica who was very pleasant and had been a part of the meaning of midlife group led by Erin. So she was familiar with many of the ladies in attendance.

We had little downtime, but I did not mind it because all of the sessions were about looking inward, reflecting, showing gratitude in order to identify what changes were needed in your life. It was obvious that Erin took a lot of time and effort to prepare and she takes her job as a life coach seriously. She also made it clear what she provided as a life coach and that she was not a certified mental health counselor. Things that are very important. If you are looking for a retreat that gets emotional, then this is the place for you. It honestly does not take much for me to cry. I easily get wrapped up into the emotions of others. So if you are uncomfortable being around others who are emotional or if you feel drained by being empathetic, just be prepared for this journey.

Being the outspoken woman that I am, I openly shared with the group that included mostly white women and one Asian woman that I was not sure if I would feel welcomed. But their love and support were clear from the beginning. But during one of the sessions another participant stated she/they was struggling with her/their gender identity and stated that “I am not sure if I belong here at a women’s retreat”. My response was “you belong wherever you feel welcomed”. At the end of the day, I think that’s what everyone wants. I always appreciate being exposed to something new or unique. Erin introduced me to Love Dinners. I am a social butterfly and will find any excuse to have a get together or party, but I forget the spirit of entertaining does not come naturally to everyone. The Love Dinner not only encourages people to eat a meal together, but to also engage in meaningful conversations and to encourage people to connect on a deeper level. This is so important in our society right now. Deep, meaningful conversations from the heart are needed to overcome some of social issues and polarization our country is experiencing now.

I had an amazing weekend with some incredible, loving women. And I appreciated and respected Erin’s leadership and guidance so much that I have already shared the concept of Love Dinners during a resilience presentation I did at a local health conference. And I plan to invite her to Arkansas to share more of her wisdom.

This retreat did not include guided hikes/walks, kayaking or other adventure, but one participant did lead the group in an optional yoga session. But, there was opportunity to engage in outdoor activities independently. Some of the meals were included, but we were responsible for our breakfast and lunch. This could be a challenge for those who flew to the location and did not have a rental car to go to the store. But, everyone was giving and shared food, drinks (including adult beverages), and most of us had food leftover when the retreat ended.

Mariposa’s Place of Wellness is about women supporting women! Erin plans both domestic and international retreats in addition to coaching. Be sure to check out her webpage.