Purpose-Driven Coaching Gay Men’s Group Retreat in Northern California
Are you a gay professional or leader asking, "What's next?" In the midst of a successful career, it's easy to lose touch with the deeper sense of purpose that fuels our work and our lives. We invite you to step away from the boardroom and into the redwoods to reconnect with your purpose in a powerful gay men’s group setting. From October 30th to November 2nd, 2025, join us for the Midlife Gay Men's Retreat, a weekend focused on high-impact group coaching designed to help you clarify your purpose with a potent collective of peers. This is your chance to gain new perspectives and create an intentional path forward.
This queer men’s leadership circle in Northern CA offers a unique blend of professional development and personal transformation. Ready to lead your life with renewed purpose? Reserve your spot in this exclusive retreat. You can also explore our full calendar of events on the Spirit Camp retreats page.
Coaching’s Leap from Sports Sidelines to Boardrooms & Beyond
The powerful practice of coaching, now a staple in leadership development and corporate culture, has a fascinating history that begins not in the office, but on the sports field. In the mid-20th century, innovative thinkers like Timothy Gallwey, author of "The Inner Game of Tennis," began to realize that the key to peak performance was not just physical training, but mastering one's own mental state. Gallwey’s revolutionary idea was that the opponent within one's own head is far more formidable than the one on the other side of the net. He developed methods to help athletes quiet their inner critic, enhance their focus, and tap into a state of relaxed concentration. This "Inner Game" methodology laid the essential groundwork for modern coaching, establishing the core principle that unlocking a person's own potential is the most effective path to success.
It didn't take long for the business world to recognize the immense potential of this approach. Astute business leaders saw that the same principles used to help an athlete win a match could be applied to help an executive close a deal, lead a team, or navigate corporate complexity. In the 1980s and 90s, coaching made a decisive leap from the sidelines to the C-suite. It was reframed as "executive coaching," a confidential partnership designed to help high-potential leaders enhance their skills, improve their decision-making, and increase their overall effectiveness. This marked a significant shift from a deficit-based model of "fixing" problem employees to an asset-based model of developing top talent.
The true value of this new approach was its focus on asking powerful, open-ended questions rather than simply providing answers or advice. As detailed by business resources like CIO Insight Hub, a great coach acted as a strategic thinking partner, helping leaders see their challenges from new perspectives, identify their blind spots, and source their own solutions. This Socratic, client-centered method proved incredibly effective, fostering greater ownership, creativity, and resilience in leaders. The result was a boom in the coaching industry, with organizations recognizing it as a critical investment in their human capital and a powerful driver of organizational success.
Today, the field has evolved even further, with specialized disciplines like group coaching for gay professionals. These affinity groups provide a unique and potent container for growth. In a gay men’s group coaching retreat, participants can explore themes of leadership, career, and purpose through the shared lens of their queer identity. This removes a layer of explanation and creates an immediate sense of psychological safety, allowing for deeper, more authentic conversations and fostering a powerful network of peer support. It represents the pinnacle of coaching’s evolution: a highly-tailored, purpose-driven approach to helping leaders thrive, both professionally and personally.
Photo of Deer Haven, one of the our many unique cabin spaces. This cabin has three beds. Cabins have between 1 to 8 beds each and provide several different sleeping arrangements for gay men’s group retreat. All cabin spaces are included in queer men’s leadership circle Northern CA.
Photo of Group Glamping Tents Setup in Sunset Meadow. We have 10 Glamping Structures that can be added with 1to 3 beds each. This can increase bed capacity of campus to 50 guests across 20 unique accommodation spaces.
Decades of Collective Leadership Coaching
The effectiveness of a midlife purpose retreat is directly tied to the experience of its facilitators. This retreat is led by Jeff Sun and Andrew Blotky, two certified executive coaches who together bring decades of collective leadership coaching experience to the circle. They have supported hundreds of leaders in a vast array of industries—from tech startups to Fortune 500 companies—helping them navigate complex challenges, lead with greater authenticity, and align their careers with a deeper sense of meaning.
Jeff and Andrew are not just theorists; they are seasoned practitioners who have both held leadership positions and understand the pressures and opportunities that professionals face. Their facilitation style is a dynamic blend of structured coaching exercises, emergent group process, and deep, one-on-one attention. As gay men in midlife, they are uniquely positioned to guide conversations that are relevant and resonant for gay professionals, creating a space where you can show up fully, be challenged compassionately, and gain profound clarity on your unique contribution to the world.
Coaching Breakouts in Redwood Lodge & Fire-Side Debriefs After Dark
The rhythm of this Mendocino redwood gathering is designed for both focused work and spacious integration. Our daytime sessions will often take place in the magnificent Redwood Lodge, a versatile 1500 sq ft hall that serves as our central hub. With its large wooden tables, bright, airy atmosphere from six skylights, and a north-side deck perfect for smaller conversations, the Lodge is an ideal space for our coaching breakouts. Here, we’ll dive into structured exercises, partner work, and full-group conversations designed to spark insight and clarify your purpose-driven goals.
As dusk settles, our work will transition from the structured setting of the Lodge to the intimate container of a fire circle. We’ll gather in the Magic Meadow for fire-side debriefs after dark, a time to process the day’s discoveries in a more relaxed and emergent way. Sharing reflections under the stars, with the crackle of the fire as our soundtrack, allows for a different kind of truth to emerge. This blend of structured daytime coaching and reflective evening connection at Spirit Camp creates a powerful cycle of learning, sharing, and integration.
Three Hours from Silicon Valley, Yet Worlds Away in Stillness
For leaders and professionals in the tech industry, finding time to truly disconnect is a monumental challenge. This powerful gay men’s group retreat in Northern California offers the perfect solution. Spirit Camp is conveniently located just three hours from Silicon Valley, making it an easy and accessible drive for a long weekend. You can leave the demanding pace of the tech world behind on Thursday afternoon and by evening, find yourself completely immersed in the profound stillness and grounding energy of the redwood forest.
This retreat is intentionally designed to be an antidote to the "always-on" culture of the modern workplace. It’s a dedicated space to power down your devices and power up your inner connection. The proximity to the Bay Area makes this a practical investment in your well-being and leadership, offering a world-class developmental experience without the time and expense of international travel. It is a true sanctuary, worlds away in feeling, yet closer than you think.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Retreat
Is there Wi-Fi for checking in with work?
Yes, there is Wi-Fi available in the main Lodge and in the private cabins, so you can check in if absolutely necessary. However, to receive the full benefit of this immersive retreat, we strongly encourage all participants to disconnect as much as possible. This is a rare opportunity to give your full attention to yourself, your peers, and your own inner process without the constant distraction of emails and notifications.Are payment plans offered?
Yes, we are committed to making this retreat financially accessible. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. The remaining balance is due by July 31, 2025. In addition, we have several reduced-fee options available for participants with demonstrated financial need. Please feel free to email the facilitators directly and confidentially to discuss payment options that can work for you.Will we have unscheduled down-time?
Absolutely. The retreat schedule is intentionally designed with a balance of structured group sessions and spacious, unscheduled time for personal reflection and integration. Each afternoon includes a significant block of free time for you to rest, journal, have a one-on-one coaching session, or simply take a silent walk on the 27 acres of redwood forest trails. This downtime is crucial to the process, allowing the insights from the group work to settle and deepen.
Tour Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens & Hike the Big River Haul-Road
For a dose of cultivated beauty and natural splendor, a visit to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens is a must. This 47-acre property is a masterpiece of landscape design, showcasing a stunning variety of plant life that thrives in the coastal climate. You can wander through vibrant perennial gardens, explore a protected canyon filled with rhododendrons, and follow the main path all the way to a dramatic ocean overlook. For the busy professional, a slow walk through this meticulously cared-for environment is a form of active meditation, offering a chance to appreciate artistry, color, and design in a completely new context.
If you're looking for a more active way to experience the local landscape, the Big River Haul Road Trail offers a fantastic opportunity for a long, peaceful hike or bike ride. This wide, mostly flat trail follows the banks of the Big River estuary for up to 10 miles inland, taking you through a beautiful second-growth redwood forest. The path was once part of a historic logging route, and today it serves as a serene corridor for recreation. It’s a perfect place for a long conversation with a new friend from the retreat or a solo journey to clear your head and move your body while surrounded by the quiet majesty of the forest.
This is your invitation to invest in your own leadership and legacy. This purpose-driven gay men’s group retreat is a rare opportunity to align your professional success with your personal fulfillment. Learn more about how this experience can redefine your path and book your spot. You can also see all of our similar themed retreats here.
TOPICS:
gay men’s group (retreat), gay men’s group coaching retreat, queer men’s leadership circle Northern CA, group coaching for gay professionals, Mendocino redwood gathering, midlife purpose retreat, Northern California, Silicon Valley, Bay Area, Mendocino
