Mindful Bonds:

A Retreat for Queer Men*

Transform Your Relationships

*Gay, Queer, Bi, Hetero-flexible, Trans, AMAB Non-Binary, and those socialized as men are included

September, 2024

Friday through Sunday

Sept 20-22

Located at the historic Jikoji Zen Center

Leave the retreat feeling restored and motivated to improve your relationships

Nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains,

our retreat will feature:

  • Discussions on attachment styles and relationships

  • Group processing

  • Daily movement

  • Hiking

  • Meditation

  • Dharma Talk

  • Actionable goals to improve your relationships

  • Beautiful surroundings that allow you to drop in with yourself

End Result? Develop a healthier attachment style and gain confidence in yourself.

A Weekend to Deepen your Emotional Insight

Ever felt like your love life is a tangled pair of earbuds? You’re not alone, and we’ve got just the thing to help you untangle those knots!

Picture this: a three-day retreat where you not only learn about your attachment style but also discover how to cultivate stronger and more satisfying relationships. Imagine doing all this while surrounded by a supportive queer community that allows you to be your full, fabulous self.

You’ll leave with a solid understanding of your attachment style and newfound security in yourself. Dive into group discussions, meditation, hiking, lectures, experiential exercises, and even some movement therapy.

And let’s not forget the food—fresh vegetarian meals, hearty snacks, water, coffee, and tea will keep you nourished and energized throughout the day.

It’s time to truly unplug, connect with yourself, and gain a more confident approach to engaging in relationships. Join us and turn that tangled mess into a harmonious connection!

Leave the 2 day weekend with a workbook containing goals and clarity on the next steps in your journey.

The Mindful Bond’s Queer Men’s Retreat is right for you if you want to:

  • Stop checking your phone for a response from your date

  • Stop feeling anxious when your partner leaves town

  • Stop feeling defensive and on edge

  • This retreat is right for you if you:

    • Are plagued by self-doubt, low self-esteem, and uncertainty

    • Want to address issues of sexual shame and anxiety

    • Feel like something is missing in your life but aren’t exactly sure what

    • Are ready to dive into the work

    • Find usefulness in personal therapy, retreats, and workshops

    • Want to meet other men with similar values and approaches to wellness

    • Want to face your shadow head on

    • Prepared to work on specific goals (we’ll help you refine them in the retreat)

    • are a man* 25 years old and above who want to develop a deeper understanding of their relationship to themselves and others

    *This retreat is inclusive of trans men, trans masc men, and AMAB non-binary.

  • On top of the retreat, you will also get:

    • Signed copy of David’s book “Mental Health Workbook for Men

    • Meet with your group online one week before and one week after the intensive to encourage connection and efficiency

    • Bespoke approaches to your challenges

    • Meals, drinks and snacks included Friday night through Sunday afternoon

    • Beautiful lush green surroundings at a historic zen center in the Santa Cruz Mountains

    • Leave with more clarity on your goals and intentions to reduce shame and anxiety

  • Scroll below for detailed pricing and discounts.

    For two nights and three days, you'll spend the weekend in the beautiful surroundings of Jikoji Zen Center with trained professionals and other gay and queer men who are supporting each other on the mission to improve self-compassion and relationships.

    Pricing tier:

    $1499 - Single Room

    $1299 - Dorm-style accommodations

    $1099 - Camping (bring your own gear)

    The retreat experience will include twenty hours of emotionally supportive coaching, group work, organic meals, drinks, and experiences with guest providers. Please talk to us if you need a lower fee.

    Discounts are available for current clients of Rouse Relational Wellness.

    Some sliding scale slots available. Contact David for a payment plan.

Practice Mindfulness w/ Experienced Professionals

You will work with David Khalili, LMFT and other experienced professionals trained who men strengthen their attachment style and emotional well being. The retreat will be based on the writings of David Khalili LMFT, and his book “Mental Health Workbook for Men.” From his teachings, you will acquire personalized insight into how to apply the techniques and strategies into your own life.

David will provide guidance and support throughout the day to help you learn how to gain security, spark your confidence, and deepen your relationships with others.  (You can also find me on BookRetreats.com. )

We will bring in providers with expertise in the mind, body, among other holistic practices.

To complete the team, I will bring in two of my talented members along with a certified Integral Yoga Instructor:

Andre Jackson, AMFT, will join us to facilitate group discussions and lead a talk on polyvagal theory and movement.

Marc M. Morozumi, CMT will lead yoga, meditation and stress management teachings.

  • David F Khalili is a Licensed Therapist, board-certified sexologist, and founder of Rouse Relational Wellness, a boutique couples and sex therapy center serving San Francisco and all of California. David’s book Mental Health Workbook for Men was published recently to help men improve their relationships with themselves and others.

    David’s focuses on working with men, couples, groups, and multi-ethnic individuals. Before training in psychotherapy, David was a peer sex educator, worked in sex shops in California and Texas, and received his Masters degree in Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University, where his work focused on Middle Eastern queer folks as well as the intersections of kink and trauma. You can learn more about David’s practice at rousetherapy.com.

  • “The work I like to do with clients is grounded in cultural compassion and a value-centered approach to better understanding what challenges or imbalances adversely impact their interpersonal and intra-personal relationships. When we are operating from a place of untruth, our mental and physical systems speak up; sometimes sending misleading messages as to the source of the imbalance that can often lead to a pattern of poor decision making.”

    Learn more about Andre

  • Marc is a certified Integral Yoga Hatha, Raja, Meditation and stress management teacher with over 5000 teaching hours and a CMT in the state of California. His diverse career history, which has varied from a life in the arts to working in a high-paced event world, unifies in one voice today as a health and wellness entrepreneur. He is a Lead Trainer for Integral Yoga Institute (IYI) and Accessible Yoga's 200-hour Yoga teacher training programs and helped design the first BIPOC YTT with the SF IYI in 2021. He has staffed IYI's silent retreats since 2011 and teaches public, private and corporate Yoga classes every week. He opened M Spa Yoga, The Yoga Loft @ MX3 Fitness and in 2020, opened and turned all focus to Mukunda Studio - Yoga and well-being in SOMA, SF, CA.

What will we talk about?

Some topics discussed:

  • What is the difference between Anxious and Avoidant Attachment?

  • Holding yourself accountable to your values

  • Productive shame vs. toxic shame

  • Hearing no, saying no

  • Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries

  • Why it’s so hard to ask for help

  • Deepening your relationships past sex

  • Among much more

FAQs

Check out our last retreat.

Our Mindful Bonds Mens retreat in April was a hit! What’s holding you back from joining the next one?

Scroll below to learn more and book your free discovery call.

Setting up for the retreat

Retreat Activities

Testimonials

Retreat Participant, April 2024

“I have hope that if I get in touch with my shame and anxiety, I’ll find a way through it.

Retreat Participant, April 2024

“I thoroughly enjoyed attending this men’s retreat. I am grateful to have learned more about how to better reflect on my own emotions and build stronger relationships. I came away from the weekend with multiple new friends.

I would highly recommend it to any man looking for more connection in his life or struggling with connection in his current relationships.”

Retreat Participant, April 2024

“I appreciated how I was able to put myself out there and make important connections.”

Workshop Participant

David is a knowledgeable and down-to-earth presenter. He teaches with great thoughtfulness and dry humor and did a great job making time for participants to bring in their questions.”

Former Client

In our time working with David, our communication and conflict-resolution skills improved significantly. We learned to de-escalate conflict, approach each other with curiosity, and work through any issues in a loving, connected manner.

Retreat Participant, April 2024

“I feel more excited about my future.”

Sample Itinerary

in person mens retreats rouse relational wellness

Friday

5 pm - Orientation and settle in

6 pm - Dinner (Provided)

7:30 pm - Sunset walk in the Santa Cruz mountains

Saturday

8 am - Breakfast (Provided)

9:30 am - Group circle - Attachment

11 am - Movement

12 pm - Lunch (provided)

1 pm - Group circle - Trauma & Polyvagal Theory

2:30pm -  Solo processing time - Accountability

3:30 pm - Movement

4:30 pm - Group circle - Vulnerability

6 pm - Dinner (Provided)

8 pm - Optional sunset ridge hike

Sunday

8 am - Breakfast (Provided)

9 am - Meditation teaching

10 am - Dharma talk - provided by Jikoji Zen Center

12 pm - Lunch (provided)

1:30 pm - Solo processing time

2:30 pm - Group circle - Putting it all together & future intentions

4 pm - Depart

Registration Cost

mens retreat - rouse relational wellness - jikoji zen center

Single-room Accommodations

  • 1 room left

    • For those needing extra time and space for a reset. The single room accommodation allows privacy for time and reflection in our off hours.

  • • All offerings and meals listed below

    • Private bathroom

    • Comfortable bed

  • SOLD OUT - $1499 - Two rooms available with private bathroom including a shower.

    $1399 One room available. Have a dorm room for yourself to do deeper self-discovery. Private bathroom with toilet and sink. Shared newly remodeled shower close by.

    o Save $200 if you sign up and pay in full by August 4th!

Communal Living Accommodations

  • • Get to know the other guys by staying in the communal living rooms.

  • • All offerings and meals listed below

    • Shared bathroom

    • Comfortable bed

    • Organic time to relate and share with the other men

  • $1299

    o Save $200 if you sign up and pay in full by August 4th!

Camping

  • • Relax under the stars on the beautiful grounds of Jikoji Zen Center. Unplug and truly connect with nature during your time with us.

  • • All offerings and meals listed below

    • A stunning experience in the Santa Cruz Mountains

  • $1099

    o Save $200 if you sign up and pay in full by August 4th!

What’s Included?

Your refocusing retreat will include:

  • Free copy of Mental Health Workbook for Men ($17)

  • Pre and post zoom group meetings ($200)

  • Lodging, meals, snacks, and drinks at Jikoji Zen Center ($450)

    • All meals are vegetarian

    • A bountiful selection of drinks & snacks will be served throughout the day

  • Daily movement classes ($90)

  • Four group processing circles ($400)

  • Free course on Rouse Academy ($47)

  • Goodie bag with reflection materials, snacks and fun surprises ($100)

  • Meditation classes (Priceless)

  • Practicing vulnerability while giving and getting support from other men (Priceless)

  • Deeper understanding of attachment and a clear plan to improve relationships (Priceless)

Pricing Tiers:

Save $200 if you book and pay in full by August 4, 2024!

$1499 - Single Room, private bathroom (One room left)

$1399 - Single room, private bathroom, shared shower (One room left)

$1299 - Dorm-style accommodations

$1099 - Camping (bring your own gear)

  • Pay up front and save, or inquire about a payment plan

  • Current clients of Rouse, and former retreat members receive a special discount

This is going to be a stunning retreat. One not to be missed, especially before the summer.

What would it be like to connect with yourself truly?