Cultivating Kindness: A Women’s Journey through Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Writing & Movement
With Susan Steinberg-Oren, Christine Suarez and Lesley Hyatt
October 1 - 4, 2026
A retreat for women-identified people. Open to beginning and experiences practitioners.
Registration closes on September 17, 2026. If joining after this date, please contact us.
Cultivating Kindness invites women-identified individuals to slow down, soften, and reconnect with the quiet wisdom of their own hearts. We invite participants to discover new ways in to experiencing greater ease, presence, and loving awareness though the gentle integration of mindfulness and self-compassion practices, reflective writing, and expressive movement in a safe and supportive community.
Our fall BBRC retreat will focus on practices centered on self-compassionate ways to meet the array of changes and transitions we encounter in life. We’ll attend to the particular flavor that autumn brings—a deepening richness of color, the dance of falling leaves, the felt sense of changing weather.
The retreat weaves in silence, rest, creativity, and renewal into its rhythm. Mornings begin with contemplative silent meditation. Each day includes a new exploration, a fresh way to arrive home to the body, to practice loving kindness towards oneself and others, and to engage in self-compassion practices when struggling with difficult feelings or relationships. There will opportunities for journaling and self-reflections as well as connection with others and exploring BBRC’s breathtaking grounds.
HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND TEACHERS
This was my first retreat, and I had never met the teachers before. I immediately felt at ease in their presence, and their words during the sessions were very meaningful to me. I came to the retreat, hoping to start a shift inside me, and I feel very inspired and helped by their teachings.
It was extremely valuable to me to have mindfulness meditation, self compassion, movement and writing all together. It was a great combination and very enlightening. The teachers were so compassionate and caring, very enthusiastic and supportive.
Each teacher had their own style and strengths. each were kind, caring, receptive and inclusive. I felt held seen and connected to each one through the whole retreat.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS RETREAT
This is a relational mindfulness retreat with meditation, movement and writing practices. This is not a silent retreat.
Learn more ABOUT RETREAT & SEE A SAMPLE SCHEDULE.
GENEROSITY: Retreat Costs and Fees
Registration fees for this retreat support the cost of developing and offering BBRC programs, which include lodging, meals, and staff compensation. Teacher compensation is included in your registration fees. We price fees to make programs as financially accessible as possible.
Is cost a barrier? Nobody is turned away at Big Bear Retreat Center due to finances. We ask that financial assistance be prioritized for those who self-identify as BIPOC, hold marginalized identities, or are in financial need. For more information, please contact us at guestservices@bigbearretreatcenter.org.
SIMPLE YET COMFORTABLE, NESTLED IN NATURE
Accommodations
We offer several lodging choices nestled in nature for each retreat.
Meals
Our meals are freshly prepared to support your retreat experience.
Preparing for your retreat
We offer several resources and information to best help you plan your time on retreat with us.
Getting to BBRC
We have several resources to support your travel. Visit Getting to BBRC & Rideshares and Shuttles for more.
FEEL WELCOME AND INCLUDED: A PLACE TO BELONG
Our intention is to be as accessible as we can, even in ways that we may not be aware of yet. We hope this is a space of inclusivity where people feel welcome and held. For us, it is a practice of consistent attunement, presence and care to our community. However you identify – race, gender, sexuality, disability, mental health, and so on – it is our wish to meet your needs for belonging.
Please consider this about our environment:
– The center is on a hill with outdoor walkways between dining, gathering, and residential spaces.
– We are located at an elevation of 6,500 feet altitude in a ski town in the mountains of Southern California.
– We experience weather of all four seasons.
– We are located about 2 hours from Los Angeles and near 3 major airports. Learn more about getting here.
– We have a commitment to everyone’s mobility needs. Please contact us about ADA accessibility.
Visit our Planning Your Retreat page to learn more about accessibility and other resources. Contact us if we can support ahead of time.
HEAR MORE ABOUT BIG BEAR RETREAT CENTER
Big Bear Retreat Center is exceptional in every way. The accommodations are outstanding, food exceptional, staff very responsive and helpful and the teachers are always so loving and knowledgeable. Just a top notch retreat experience!! – Sheila
I love Big Bear Retreat Center. It’s my dharma home away from home. Everything about it – staff, teachers, food, accommodations, setting – is exceptional. A true gift to the community!!
Big Bear Retreat Center is indeed a refuge. A safe space to open your heart. – Laura
Teachers & Facilitators
Since 1990, Susan Steinberg-Oren, PhD has been a clinical psychologist at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System (VAGLAHCS) where she has worked in many different areas including Substance Abuse, Women’s Mental Health, Trauma, and Comprehensive and Integrative Health. In 2010, she started her own deep dive into mindfulness where she found wisdom and healing not afforded to her through traditional psychology training or technique. She became a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) trained teacher through the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion in 2020 and has provided MSC groups to Veterans ever since. She became a certified Mindfulness Teacher in 2021 through InsightLA. …
Learn more about Susan Steinberg-Oren
Christine Suárez is a choreographer, performer, educator and Pilates instructor based in Los Angeles. Born in Caracas, Venezuela & raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she has an unshakable faith in the transformative power of moving & creating together. She has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, & California Arts Council. Her work has been seen in theaters, galleries, churches, synagogues, houses, sidewalks, parks, and beaches in over 20 cities -including P.S. 122 (New York), REDCAT (Los Angeles) and The Schwartz Theater (Atlanta). She is co-creator of Dance for…
Learn more about Christine Suarez
Lesley Hyatt has been teaching students of all ages and backgrounds for over thirty years. She leads creative workshops and mindfulness groups at UCLA Ext Writers Program, Skirball Cultural Center, and privately throughout the L.A. area and on Zoom. A writer of fiction and creative nonfiction, Lesley holds an MFA from UMass, Amherst and was a Fulbright Scholar to Mexico. She became a mindfulness meditation student in the late 1990’s. Lesley began leading mindfulness groups in 2017 and is a certified mindfulness instructor, trained to teach Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness, Awakening Joy, and Mindful Self-Compassion. Lesley lives in Studio City, CA,…
Learn more about Lesley Hyatt