Women’s Retreat
Spring and Fall Retreats in Illinois
Join us for a Christian Retreat for Women
Equine Retreat
Are you exhausted, overwhelmed or overstimulated?
Does the change of seasons trigger old insecurities and sadness?
Do the markers of time passing cause a sense of loss?
Are you an empty nester and feeling a loss of purpose?
Have you experienced loss and change that you didn’t expect?
Are you newly divorced or widowed?
You know you need a change but you don’t know which way to go
Imagine taking a couple of sacred, precious days to savor the crisp fall air and beautiful autumn colors on 20 acres of rolling hills filled with oak trees, pine trees and horses. Imagine staying at a cozy historic farmhouse filled with antiques and cozy quilts and peaceful gardens.
By the end of this retreat, after spending time in nature, moving your body in kind ways, creating art, and working with our horses you will find a renewed sense of joy, purpose and connection to God. You will reconnect with your true identify and feel confident in what you can do in this next chapter of your life.
This Christian Retreat is designed for women who are struggling with a new season. As things have changed you may not recognize your life. Perhaps the silence feels louder and the spaces emptier. It’s unusual for you to feel so lost or empty of purpose but when your life changes it is normal to feel lost. Without a clear roadmap you may feel overwhelmed and disconnected from what used to give you joy.
But God hasn’t stopped his plans or purposes for your life during these changes.
“No one has ever seen or ever heard, no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Join us for this unique Christian Women’s Retreat to get a new perspective and regain your energy and passion for what you love. Get out of your usual routine, out of your house and stay with us for this unique retreat with horses or join us for each day with our day rate. We will spend time on a beautiful 20 acre Ranch conveniently located outside Chicago. We will partner you with horses so you can have a fun yet thought provoking experience that you will never forget. You will enjoy delicious Midwestern meals that evoke a sense of home as you enjoy the peaceful surroundings of New Morning Retreat Center.
We don’t do retreats like others. You will leave different. We offer you the opportunity to jump in, dig in and try new and creative approaches. By working with horses, you will see what works, what doesn’t work and can practice the approach that really works. Instead of just staying in your head, you will get a chance to experience empowering and creative solutions. By getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing something different you will begin to shed the lies you believe and embrace truth about who you are and what is next for you.
Why Horses?
Since horses are animals of prey they are highly sensitive to us and their environment. They cannot lie and do not have an agenda other than to connect in a safe relationship. As you work with the horses you will learn how your body communicates; what you fear, what you think, and alternatively when you are confident and kind. Horses require a calm and clear presence that values connection. We carry stress and trauma in our bodies and the horses will let us know when we are stuck and when we are free. In this retreat we will help you identify the internal beliefs and external obstacles that are keeping you from moving to the next part of the journey God has for you. As you work through these steps with our leaders and the horses you will connect to and understand confidence in a deeper and more profound way. We will help you identify and practice what is needed to help you succeed all while working with amazing and beautiful horses. You will leave with newfound plan and energy to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
The Ranch in Illinois
You will get to meet the horses at The Ranch of Hope Reins which is located northwest of Chicago on 20 rolling acres of beautiful oaks, shagbark hickories, apple trees and pear trees and ponds. There are beautiful gardens and lily pads. If in season you can pick crisp apples and pears. We will be spending time with the horses at this beautiful and peaceful location.
Retreat Center in Illinois
Main lodging and Retreat Activities will be at an 1890 historic farmhouse just 10 minutes away from The Ranch. Prepare to get cozy in front of the fireplace, or the bonfire pit, sit in the sunroom, walk the gardens or snuggle under cozy quilts at this quintessential Midwestern farmhouse turned retreat center. Day participants will participate in all Retreat Activities here and at The Ranch of Hope Reins. Additional lodging may be secured once Retreat Center is full.
What’s Included?
For Overnight and Day Rate participants
Group and individual experiences with the horses
Specially designed Art Therapy Experiences
Stretching and movement experiences to help move stress out of your body
Be Still and Be Loved Mediative Prayer time to connect with God more deeply
Delicious Midwestern Meals
Bonfire and Elevated S’more and Taffy Apple Board
Travel to and from The Ranch from The Retreat Center
Watch for Spring 2024 Dates
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Watch for Spring 2024 Dates 〰️
What is NOT INCLUDED:
Flight to Retreat Location
Optional Activities
Optional Individual follow up intensive
Day Rates Attendees will participate in all Retreat Activities Onsite.
Room and Rate Information - TBA
Cancellation Policy:
60 days or more before retreat - 100% refund
30-59 days before retreat - 50% refund
Less than 30 days before retreat - no refunds
Fall At New Morning Retreat Center
Join us at this beautiful Midwestern farmhouse for the Faith and Focus Fall Retreat October 6-8th, 2023. The property is filled with beautiful gardens, old school porches, a classic red barn and mature trees. Inside you will want to settle in by the fireplace or sunroom and sit in the cozy kitchen. Day Rate Attendees you get to hang out here and enjoy the peaceful setting as well!
About me
I am Debra Hirschberg and I love facilitating change and growth for women at all stages. I am a follower of Jesus and love helping people connect more deeply with God and others. I have worked over 30 years as a Clinical Social Worker and have been integrating horses into my work since 2003. As a child I was obsessed with horses and the idea of helping others. Every Christmas I woke up looking for a horse in my front yard! Many, many years later just days before Christmas I finally got my wish and received a horse as a gift. I named her Grace.
In college, I followed my dream of finding a career to help others. I was happily working in the field of counseling without any contact with horses for many years. In 1999, these two worlds collided at a Residential Ranch I was visiting in Utah. I participated in a horse activity and I was astounded at how powerful it was. I knew right then I wanted to do what I had seen. I had no idea how God would make this happen as I had no horses, facility or even training in this new approach. Four years later God literally put it all together.
As I took the risk and stepped out to develop an equine assisted therapy program, God called me to “reclaim” His creation in order to point to Him and “Feed His Sheep”. In 2005 He gave me the name Hope Reins. My hope with this short retreat is that you will be fed (in more ways than one) and be filled with the energy and passion and of course hope needed to reclaim what He has for you in this new chapter in your life. God is not done with you yet!
All activities are on the ground. No horse experience is needed. Horses are well suited to help individuals and groups develop leadership, teamwork and emotional IQ needed for success, as they live in social groups within a hierarchy of leadership. They require good leadership and live with well-defined roles to survive. They are clear in their communication and give immediate feedback to each other and to us! In order to be successful in working with horses you must develop self-awareness and an ability to regulate strong emotions.
Working with horses help you not just talk about change but actually practice change. Since horses are animals of prey, they are sensitive to the slightest change in our interactions with them. As such they provide honest, immediate and clear feedback. They have an amazing capacity for relationship and have unique personalities and stories. And since you are experiencing change in the moment it is hard to forget!
Hope Reins also offers a variety of customized corporate team building, leadership, communication and professional growth programs. Improve effectiveness and productivity as your team focuses on social learning, emotional IQ, flexibility and adaptability to the changing marketplace.