Five Years In. The Work Continues.
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Four days on 40 acres of one of West Michigan's best kept secrets, The Lynx Run Retreat Center. Nestled in the deep woods, its trails, creek, cozy accommodations and soothing landscapes have provided the back drop for where call home for a weekend. This is our flagship event, and this year marks five years of doing it. Men come from near and far to step out of the routine, slow down, and do the kind of work that does not fit inside a therapy hour.
The retreat integrates mindful movement, nature immersion, attachment and parts work, ceremony, and brotherhood. It is a full weekend of structure and space in equal measure. Our goal on this retreat weekend is to provide the intentional balance between providing support and relaxation for men along with work that inspires them to lean into their edge to the deeper work; both are necessary, too much comfort and no real work gets done, you feel rested, but never were really challenged. Too much depth work and you leave feeling burnt out, having never really restored yourself. Over the last five years we believe we’ve found the perfect ratio of rest, fun, challenge, and depth.
Limited spots available. This year’s retreat will be capped at just 12 men to ensure each man has time to be supported within the group.
Something is not quite right. You already know it.
The pace has not let up:
You have been moving at the same speed for months, maybe longer. It does not feel urgent. It just feels like how things are and has become your norm of feeling a bit disconnected, on auto-pilot, or dissociated from life a bit. That is what makes it hard to name.
You are doing okay. But okay is not the same as whole:
The things that used to ground you feel further away. You function well. You show up. But there is a gap between the man you are on the surface and what is actually happening underneath. Old patterns re-emerge in relationships and life, and something bigger has to be done about them.
There is no clean container for this kind of work:
You cannot schedule your way into it. A single therapy session gets close, but not all the way there. What this work requires is time, space, and other men who are doing it alongside you.
The seasons are shifting, and you can feel it.
Early Fall is a natural inflection point. Something in you knows it. This is the moment to step off the loop, not because things are falling apart, but because you are ready to look at what is holding. Things need to be felt, grieved, and worked through in order to get ready for the colder months to come.
This is what the weekend looks like:
You arrive carrying the weight of this last month, season, and year. You do not need to have it figured out. The structure holds you while you find your footing.
Each morning starts slow. A quiet hike up the hill. Some movement and breath-work to open the body for the day. Breakfast together. Then the real work begins.
You spend time in the woods, in the circle, in ceremony. You work on parts of yourself that do not get much attention. The inner critic. The loyal soldier. The parts that have been running the show without a name. You get a chance to work these parts of you to find real balance.
You spend time learning about the patterns in your life—where you haven’t been able to feel “okay” or “not enough”, where you get stuck with others, and this is brought forward in a intentional space with other men sharing and experiencing similar themes, and maybe for the first time you don’t feel quite as alone as you did before.
There is a long lunch. A swim in the creek if you want it. A hammock. A fire at night. The weekend holds both depth and rest.
By Sunday, something has shifted. It is not dramatic. But it is real. You leave with more clarity about where you are and what comes next. And you leave knowing other men who have done this work alongside you.
That is what five years of this retreat has taught us it can do.
Don't just take our word for it.
Hear from someone who has been where you are now.
"...I learn new things about myself every time. I gain strength and feel supported and I'm reminded that I'm not alone on my journey. It is important to me because I live a fast-paced, constantly busy lifestyle. Retreat gives me the opportunity to stop, breath and focus on myself..."
Marcus O.
This isn't for you if:
- You want a quick fix or a weekend escape from reality.
- You are not open to sitting with discomfort or looking honestly at what is stuck.
- You need a high-energy, hype-driven motivational event.
- You are unwilling to be around other men doing serious work.
This is perfect for you if:
- You are ready to slow down and look at what is actually going on.
- You want structure and real tools, not theory.
- You are willing to be in community and to let others witness your process.
- You want to return home with more clarity and a place to put the work.
"I am happy to say - you will find what you’re looking for here, and come back to your life with more strength and resolve."
"I wasn’t sure what to expect going in but I knew I wanted to push through many of my issues and wanted a space to go all in. I am happy to say - you will find what you’re looking for here, and come back to your life with more strength and resolve."
-Adi T
You can keep carrying it. Or you can set it down for a weekend and see what it looks like from the outside.
The gap between where you are and where you want to be does not close on its own. It closes through contact. With yourself. With other men. With the kind of work that requires more than an hour.
Five years in, we know what this weekend can hold. We have watched men arrive unsure and leave with something they could not name but clearly felt. We have watched the forest and the creek and the circle do what they do.
This is the work. This is the place. This is the year.
Take the Path
The full weekend, accounted for.
September 17-20, 2026 | Lynx Run Wilderness Retreat
Flex arrival on Thursday 9/17 between 3-6pm, retreat wraps up Sunday at 1p.
Big Rapids, MI
Programming
- Morning movement: light yoga, stretching, embodiment, breath-work, and guided hikes led by Nick
- Morning into afternoon depth work: Attachment, nature therapy, and parts work sessions led by Mike and Nick
- Later afternoon: Solo reflection time and group integration circles as well as personal check-ins from Mike and Nick
- An afternoon rafting on the Muskegon to have some fun and break up the weekend
- Evening ceremonies in the teepee using the council process to integrate and honor change
- A grief ceremony, personal challenge, and closing council to bring the changes back with you and integrate them into your life
- Retreat follow-up to aid in integrating what you learned
Daily Life
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All meals provided (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and yes, unlimited coffee, tea, and snacks
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Long unstructured lunch breaks with access to the creek, hammocks, and land
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Evening time around the fire, in the library, or at rest (take what you need)
- Commemorative fifth anniversary retreat merch for each participant
Accommodations
- On-site lodging at Lynx Run.
- Fully private rooms with courtyard views, an off-grid cabin and several private camping spots, if you want to be a little closer to nature. Take the comfort you need. (details and lodging options at checkout)
- Full bathrooms with showers
- 500 Sq ft Library and study
- Walking Trails
- Swimming Creek
- Check out more on the Lynx Run here.
Your Facilitators
Mike Lamerato is a licensed therapist and the founder of Metro-Detroit Men's Therapy. He brings his insight, grounding and years of men's group facilitation to every retreat. Noticing how helpful retreats are for himself, he is honored to be able to host and hold the space for other men to take a break and take a weekend for themselves.
Nick Zamboroski is a yogi, ER nurse, all around nature guy, and master of ceremonies, he leads the somatic and movement work each morning, guiding the group through mindfulness, breath-work, and nature-based opening practices.
Together, they have led this retreat for five years. The weekend reflects everything they have learned about what men need and what the land makes possible. Each year they acquire new training and insight to ensure that men who come to these events are well taken care of and get the most out of every weekend.
Five years. Real men. Real work.
2022 | Inaugural Retreat
The first crew. Eight men on the land, figuring out what this weekend could be. We have built everything since on what happened that September.
"This was a powerful weekend and a total reset for my busy life. I came back feeling more like myself, more calm and centered. The leaders are experts in providing the safe support and structure for men to develop real connection and brotherhood with one another. Aaron C. - 2022 Attendee
2023 | Year Two
We deepened the structure. Parts work entered the programming in a more formal way. Men came back. New men came for the first time.
"All men should take a moment in nature and work on their parts -- both physically and internally. I felt like I could have spent another 5 days in nature exploring the land and, more importantly, myself. The parts that have controlled my life are being set free and this yoga and wilderness retreat came at the exact right moment in my life. I will forever be grateful for the four days in the forest." Jay D. - 2023 Attendee
2025 | Year Four
The retreat found its rhythm. The land, the group, the mix of depth and rest. Everything clicked.
"This retreat has given me more than any other personal growth practice I’ve tried. It provided me with a powerful sense of community, deep connection, and lasting growth. I now feel grounded—standing firmly on my own two feet, comfortable in my own skin.." Max W. - 2025 Attendee
Do I need to be in therapy to attend?
What is the physical demand of the weekend?
How many men attend?
What should I bring?
Is this religious or spiritual?
What if I need to cancel?
Can I room with someone I know?
What if I have questions before I register?
Investment Options
PRIVATE ROOM OPTION
$1,545.75
One Payment
Only 10 Available
This option includes your own private room, all meals, and programming.
Save $150
PRIVATE ROOM OPTION
$565.25
Split into 3 installments
Only 10 Available
This option includes your own private room, all meals, and programming.
Same access. Same weekend. More flexibility.
OFF-GRID CABIN: DOUBLE OCCUPANCY OPTION
$1,445.75
One Payment
Only 2 Available
This option includes all meals, programming, and lodging. (Includes one full bed in loft or one single bed on main floor).
Save $150
OFF-GRID CABIN: DOUBLE OCCUPANCY OPTION
$531.66
Split into 3 installments
Only 2 Available
This option includes all meals, programming, and lodging. (Includes one full bed in loft or one single bed on main floor).
Same access. Same weekend. More flexibility.
CAMPING OPTION
$1,345.75
One Payment
Only 3 Available
This option includes your spot, all meals, and programming.
Save $150
CAMPING OPTION
$498.33
Split into 3 installments
Only 3 Available
This option includes your spot, all meals, and programming.
Same access. Same weekend. More flexibility.
Refund Policy:
We know that life happens, full refunds can be given up to two months before the event. After that, we can give a 60% refund or you can use the credit towards future event, until a month out in which refunds cannot be given due to the logistics of this event. If you do need to cancel within the month before retreat, we would be happy to allow you to use 50% of your payment as a credit towards a future event. The event goes on rain or shine as we have ample indoor space as well. If you are traveling from outside of Michigan, we recommend getting event/travel insurance in-case your flight or travel plans change. If the price is a limitation, let us know as we can try to make an arrangement that works for you.
Don't just take our word for it.
Hear from someone who has been where you are now.
"...My experience with these retreats has honestly been life-changing. I have learned a great deal about myself. I have learned that what I struggle with at times as a guy other guys struggle with similar things. you feel a sense of community, support and brotherhood. and that doesn’t just last in the retreat. It goes beyond the retreat..."
Gio P.
This is the year.
Five Septembers. Hundreds of hours of work in that forest. Men who arrived one way and left a little more themselves.
The retreat is not complicated. It is four days of showing up. The land and the structure and the other men do the rest.
If something in this page has landed for you, that feeling is worth trusting.
Register TodayIf you have any questions, feel free to reach us here.
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