Spend some intentional time being reaffirmed as a caregiver for someone with a long-term illness or condition, including (but not limited to) dementia. This retreat utilizes a lens for understanding the spiritual or meaningful dimensions of the caregiver role and is tailored to uplift participants who may or may not provide hands-on care for their loved one, but who are actively involved in their lives.
Topics that will be explored are intrinsic to the caregiver journey, especially compassion/burn-out, family dynamics, the necessity of self-care, and the often-conflicting emotions that accompany the caregiver journey. Throughout the program, participants will be invited to engage in storytelling, prayer/mediation, writing, and other exercises that validate the caregiver’s experience and provide therapeutic tools for the ongoing commitment of caregiving.
The morning session will envelop the themes of caregiver grief, healing, and hope within each participant’s current circumstances, while the afternoon session will concentrate on caregiver endurance and renewal. Resources will be offered in both sessions related to what is examined. A journal is a great companion for this program. Lunch is included.
Gordon Creamer, MA, creator of the Mission Bridge, currently serves as Program Director at Well for the Journey, a spiritual wellness center in Lutherville, Maryland. He has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various assisted living, skilled nursing, and hospice communities. He earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Currently, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute.
Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media. His passions include uplifting the journey of adults, individuals with memory impairment, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as fostering support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion, end-of-life doula, and Reiki practitioner, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing, expanding, and flourishing. For more information, visit TheMissionBridge.com.