Mindfulness Retreat for Educators

June 22–26, 2025

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Program Arrival Date & Time: June 22, 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Program Start Date & Time: June 22, 7:00 pm Orientation

Program End Date & Time: June 26, 12:30 pm

Program Description:

Join us for an end of school year retreat to help you replenish and rejuvenate. We have designed the experience to nurture you and cultivate skills you can take back to your daily life.

We invite you to take this time to explore your capacity for attention, emotional balance and compassion in and out of the classroom. Our time together will support you in bringing a mindful presence to your personal life and professional work in schools.

The retreat includes daily periods of silent meditation practice, one full day of functional silence, mindful movement, solitary reflection, time in the natural world, and opportunities to share perspectives and experiences with other educators. This program is not focused on bringing mindfulness practices to students.

Want to learn more about what you’ll be doing during this retreat, and the mindset Lisa and Andra bring to the practice? Check out this blog, Summer Renewal for Educators, written by the leaders of this retreat to help decide if this is the right retreat for you.

 

Eligibility:

  • Employed full-time in a pre-K-12 school or school district setting
  • Currently enrolled as a full-time student pursuing a M.Ed.
  • Professionals working as early childcare providers (ages 0-3) (i.e. licensed day-care professionals, etc.)

Retreat Pricing:

We are committed to making participation in this retreat as affordable as possible for educators. To that end, Drala Mountain Center has reduced standard lodging & meals rates by 50%.

Sample Schedule:

Sunday, June 22nd

2:00 – 5:00 pm Registration
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 7:30 pm Orientation
7:00 – 9:00 pm Program Session

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (*Day of Silence*)

7:00 – 7:30 am Yoga (optional)
7:30 – 9:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am  – 12:00 pm Program Session
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 pm Free Time (*Stupa visit on Tuesday)
3:00 – 6:00 pm Program Session
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Program Session

Thursday, June 26th

7:30 – 9:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm Program Session
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch

Retreat Faculty

Andra Brill

Andra Brill, Ph.D. (she/her) is an education consultant and innovator in the growing field of mindful education.  Her work, based on neuroscience, psychology and Buddhist traditions, supports educators and families to create balance and well-being.  Before starting her own consulting firm, Andra spent many years as a literacy coach and early literacy specialist in the […]

Lisa Vratny-Smith

Lisa Vratny-Smith, MSW, E-RYT 200, RYT 500 (she/her) was a School Social Worker in Aurora Public Schools from 1994 to 2024 and launched her wellness and consulting business, Finding the Balance Within, LLC, in 2019. She has been practicing yoga, mindfulness, and meditation since 1994 and teaching since 2002. Lisa most recently served as a […]

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