53 Mill Street, Westfield, MA, USA
Jan 10, 2026 - Jun 20, 2027
About this Retreat
Dawn Turgeon, a native of Western Massachusetts, brings over 40 years of experience in mental health nursing. She has been dedicated to her spiritual journey since 1989, beginning with 12-step recovery and spiritual direction, and eventually discovering Bio-Spiritual Focusing (BSF). Since 2014, Dawn has been deeply engaged in BSF training and practice, earning her certification as a BSF Companion in May 2022. She now serves as BSF Coordinator at Genesis and is an active member of the BSF team.
Passionate about fostering mental wellness through spiritual growth, Dawn treasures time spent with her family, friends, and dogs.
Mike Smoolca is a spiritual director and supervisor as well as a BioSpiritual Focusing companion and teacher. He is a contemplative group and workshop facilitator, and a dedicated teacher and student of contemplative practice and wisdom spirituality. Mike is a Contemplative Outreach presenter, trainer, and coordinator, a coordinator and presenter for the Christian Contemplative Experience at Holy Family, Contemplative Outreach of CT and the Northern CT Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society.
Donna O’Connor completed the Spiritual Direction Internship Program in Bloomfield, CT in 2006. She has focused her 1:1 work entirely at Genesis since that time. Having taught fitness/yoga classes for over thirty years now, Donna has a particular interest in helping people who struggle with weight, body image and disordered eating, and is experienced in 12-Step Spirituality.
Nancy Benben has been a Seeker her entire life, exploring many spiritual paths along the way. She believes that the desire to be in relationship with the Divine is the essence of spirituality and that when we follow that desire, we are led to encounter the multifaceted heart of the Holy. Nancy is a Spiritual Companion, Supervisor and teacher of many years and is part of the core teaching team of the Spiritual Companionship training program at the Spiritual Life Center. She has extensive training using and teaching Enneagram and Bio-Spiritual Focusing as tools for spiritual direction and personal growth. Nancy is a graduate of Northwestern University and Hartford Seminary's Women's Leadership Institute. Nancy and her husband David live in Eastham, MA with their sweet rescue kitty, Misty.
Details of this retreat
Discover the wisdom your body longs to share. Immerse yourself in the study and experience of BioSpiritual Focusing.
The BioSpiritual Focusing Immersion Experience is an 18‑month journey of embodied spirituality and self‑discovery. Rooted in the pioneering work of Dr. Eugene Gendlin and further developed by Fr. Peter Campbell and Fr. Ed McMahon, for the purpose of deepening one’s spirituality, BioSpiritual Focusing invites gentle awareness of the felt sense—the subtle stirrings within the body that carry meaning, memory, and the mystery of the Divine.
BioSpiritual Focusing (BSF) is a guided contemplative practice that helps individuals connect with their inner wisdom by intentionally noticing and nurturing the body’s subtle felt-senses, rather than relying solely on thoughts or emotions. Through quiet attention, participants learn to be present to sensations or feelings that arise within, offering them gentle presence and compassion. This process can foster a deeper sense of wholeness, self-understanding, and healing, while enhancing one’s spiritual awareness and ability to experience grace in daily life.
With the support of a guide and through compassionate presence, participants learn to listen to these inner movements as pathways to healing, grace, and deepened connection—with self, with others, and with God. More than a program, we invite you to immerse yourself in an experience that cultivates everyday mysticism and an embodied way of living.
The experience unfolds step by step, beginning with an introductory retreat, continuing with a BSF book study, and culminating with BSF Companionship training, ultimately equipping you to accompany others in this transformative practice. Along the way, you’ll share in retreats, a book study, days of presence, monthly focusing circles, and one‑on‑one sessions.
Program* Components:
BSF Days of Presence (3 separate days)
BSF Book Study Practicum (10 weekly sessions)
Weeklong BSF Retreat (5 days)
BSF Companionship Training (6 monthly sessions)
BSF Community Gathering (1 day)
Monthly Focusing Circle
Monthly One-on-One Peer BSF
Optional components at reduced cost:
Companioning Supervision
Individual sessions with an experienced leader
Silent directed retreats.
If you feel called to explore BioSpiritual Focusing more deeply—and to grow into the sacred story held within your body—the BioSpiritual Focusing Immersion Experience offers a profoundly transformative path.
Program Cost: $1,575
Program Start Date: January 2026
* see our program schedule for more details about each program
Verified
Spirituality
Last Chance
