This retreat is now SOLD OUT.
Please join the waitlist. If a space becomes available, you will be contacted in the order received. Things do change so we strongly encourage you to join the waitlist!
July 25-27, 2025
at
Pendle Hill Retreat Center, Wallingford, PA
Do you need a deeeeeep rest?
Has cancer treatment put you through the wringer?
Do you need a significant pause to relax, restore and rejuvenate?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then sign up for Pause. It’s the Wellness Retreat your body and being have been begging for!
During this retreat we’ll cultivate the exquisite art of just being. Here are the types of things we’ll pause to do:
- Eat well and enjoy the healing powers of nature. Perhaps you’ll walk the labyrinth!
- A little writing and meditation (optional)
- Some gentle yoga, qi gong and the delicious practice of yoga nidra (optional)
- Talk about deep rest and developing skills for better sleep
- Discuss how to cultivate more Joy and Peace and the science behind these states
- Learn about the internal chemical boost you get when you lean on friends
If you’re on a healing journey, this is the much-needed break you’ve been aching for! Take time to rest, breathe, and be with fellow travelers at Pause.
Friday, July 25, 5:00pm
to
Sunday, July 27, 1:00pm
Pendle Hill Retreat Center, Wallingford, PA
Note: We’re creating a dedicated space for women only at this retreat. Gentlemen, we hope you understand and find another event that’s a good fit for you!
Cost
The retreat fee includes 2 nights accommodations and all meals from dinner Friday night to Sunday lunch.
Private Room $440
Shared Room (2/room) $400
Unite for Her
Unite for Her participants may use 4 squares on their Wellness Passports to attend this retreat. (Please note: a credit card number will be required to hold the space. The credit card will not be charged unless the participant cancels after June 13th and an appropriate replacement cannot be found. Michelle will connect with participants by phone to collect credit card info.
Cancellation Policy
Space on this retreat is limited. We need to guarantee our minimum attendance to the retreat center by June 13th. Before June 13th, you can request a full refund, less a $50 administrative fee. After June 13th, if you need to cancel, payment made for the retreat is refundable only for exceptional circumstances and at our discretion, less a $50 administrative fee.
Intake forms
All Pause attendees will be required to fill out a health information form and a waiver of liability form. Both are HIPAA compliant.
This retreat is facilitated by Michelle Stortz, MFA, C-IAYT, ERYT500
with assistance from Diane Kistler, MBA, C-IAYT, ERYT500
More information on Housing, Dietary Accommodations, Masking and the Schedule can be found below.
If you have questions, contact Michelle (M@MichelleStortz.com or 215-242-1366).
Dietary Accommodations – a note from Pendle Hill:
Our cooks, whose work is a ministry of love and concern, promote community well-being by serving nutritionally balanced meals with a sense of joy and good taste.
We are able to accommodate a variety of dietary needs. All meals include gluten free, vegetarian and/or vegan options. Please be aware that all foods are prepared in the same kitchen, including items made with flour and peanuts. Pendle Hill does not have an exclusively gluten free or peanut free kitchen, nor is it a kosher kitchen.
Attendees with severe food allergies, or following specialty diets, should consider bringing supplemental food. Refrigerators are available in each building.
Due to our kitchen’s capacity, we are unable to accommodate specialty diets. We can offer the following protein options, if given notice before the start of the event: plain chicken or tofu, boiled eggs, tuna or hummus.
Masking Policy
The retreat leaders and Pendle Hill strongly encourage all guests to be up to date on available vaccinations, both COVID and the flu.
We ask all guests to test themselves no more than 24 hours prior to their arrival to not come if they test positive or are otherwise sick. We will not require proof of a negative test result, trusting in the honesty and integrity of our guests. We also ask all guests to self-monitor for symptoms while they are on campus, and should they develop a concerning symptom, to take the appropriate measures, including informing the retreat leaders as well as Pendle Hill staff, and retesting to ensure they are able to continue their stay.
At this time, we will continue the practice of wearing masks in shared indoor public spaces, such as the Main House dining room until we are seated at our tables.
Room Accommodations
The bedrooms are simply furnished with bed, desk, chair, and lamp. There is drawer space and closet space in each room. All rooms have windows that open and access to controls for heat and air conditioning. Most bedrooms share a bath with one or two other rooms. Some rooms include a wash basin. Pendle Hill will supply sheets, pillow, pillowcase, bedspread, blankets, towel, and washcloth.
Each building where guests are housed includes a kitchen area with facilities for making tea and a small refrigerator. Some have a microwave oven. There are no facilities for guests to cook their own meals.
| Retreat Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Friday | |
| 4:00 – 5:00 | Arrive in this window |
| 5:00 – 5:45 | Welcome and Introductions |
| 6:00 – 7:00 | Dinner |
| 7:30 – 9:00 | Evening Session: Understanding Deep Rest |
| Saturday | |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 11:30 | Morning Session: Cultivating Joy |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch |
| 1:30 – 3:00 | Afternoon Session: The Science Behind Social Connections |
| 3:00 – 5:00 | Free time with optional assignment |
| 5:00 – 5:45 | Brief Gathering: Harvesting Insights |
| 6:00 – 7:00 | Dinner |
| 7:30 – 9:00 | Evening Session: Understanding Peace |
| Sunday | |
| 7:30 – 8:30 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 11:30 | Morning Session: How to Carry it Back Home |
| 12:00-1:00 | Lunch |
Michelle Stortz, MFA, C-IAYT, ERYT500, YACEP, is a certified yoga therapist specializing in yoga for cancer and chronic illness. Since 2010, she has worked with hundreds of cancer survivors in the Philadelphia area. Michelle enjoys designing custom yoga programs that anyone can do regardless of ability.
Michelle also teaches meditation, drawing on both the Buddhist tradition and the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction curriculum. In addition, she has designed two virtual courses for cancer survivors: Stronger After Cancer and Finding Your Ground: Creating Peace with Metastatic Cancer.
Michelle is a yoga advisor to Unite for Her. She conducts classes, retreats, and private sessions. www.MichelleStortz.com
Diane Kistler, MBA, C-IAYT, ERYT500
Diane brings with her a vast amount of wisdom accrued over 18 years of teaching yoga, training teachers, and working one-on-one with clients. This journey hasn’t always been full of joy, but it is with those moments of pain, suffering and unease, that has shaped who Diane is as a person and as a yoga therapist today.
Her own diagnosis and treatment of both breast and colon cancer have led her to a deeper understanding of the students and clients she has worked with. Without a doubt, the practices of yoga have been a lifesaver for her as well. Early on in her yoga teaching career, she guided students from the Cancer Support Community, Grand View Health Cancer programs and Good Shepard Rehab cancer programs.
Diane is now a teacher/yoga therapist for Unite for Her and volunteers at Kin Wellness and Support for cancer. She graduated from Inner Peace Yoga Therapy as a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and continued on with further studies with Pain Care Yoga including a 300 hour Professional Mentorship. Her practice reflects that the two most essential tools for healing are treating the person as whole and building a therapeutic relationship with her students and clients. www.dianekistleryogatherapy.com.
What people are saying . . .
After a particularly busy spring and summer, I participated in Michelle Stortz’ PAUSE Retreat at Pendle Hill Retreat Center in Wallingford, PA. I was apprehensive about attending, as I signed up without knowing any other participants. I need not have worried–Michelle made every person feel welcomed and comfortable. In fact, it was a testament to Michelle’s ability to lead that our group bonded deeply enough to want to maintain our connection on an ongoing basis following the retreat, after knowing each other for only a weekend.
The retreat was a lovely blend of practice and science, reflection and movement, all geared to achieve a deep level of relaxation, physical rest and self-care. I returned home feeling rejuvenated with tools to apply in my life to help me be more centered and calm.
I am so grateful that I took a step of faith and attended the PAUSE Retreat with Michelle. It was a blissful experience that has had a long-lasting, positive effect on my emotional well-being.
Thank you, Michelle, for a wonderful weekend experience!
– Carrie Burger, PT, DPT, RYT-500
The Pause retreat exceeded our expectations!
It was wonderful to participate in the various sessions that you arranged for the group. We had time meditate, relax and reflect. The guided meditations and yoga sessions were my favorite parts of the retreat, but I was grateful to meet people with similar health concerns who shared their ways of coping. Last but not least, we really enjoyed the delicious meals that were prepared with love by the staff at Pendle Hill.
I would highly recommend this retreat to anyone who wants to take a weekend to learn new ways of bringing a little more peace and introspection into their lives. After the weekend, we felt refreshed and rejuvenated.
If this retreat is offered again, I would definitely plan to attend. – Tim Halloran
The Pause Retreat was such a special experience that I am so thankful I had the opportunity to participate in. Michelle’s wealth of knowledge and lessons backed in research and experience allowed me to truly benefit from her guidance through meditation, qi gong, and various methods for rest. With my engineering background, I try to strike a balance between openness to non-traditional treatment and big data-based, more conventional science. Michelle and her retreat were the perfect mix! I left the weekend feeling rested and loaded up with techniques and strategies for me to implement into my daily life. – Sara M.
If you’re looking for a way to unwind, reconnect with yourself, and recharge, I can’t recommend the Pause retreat enough. I recently attended, and it was such a transformative experience.
The retreat provided me the perfect combination of relaxation and personal growth. From peaceful yoga sessions to learning meditation practices, I felt every part of the retreat was designed to help me disconnect from my daily stresses and allowed me to focus on my well-being. I left feeling balanced, refreshed, grateful, happy, at peace and equally important, making great connections, laughing and sharing heartfelt stories with women on the same journey as I am on. I felt connected in many ways to the entire group of wonderful women!
The true standout of the retreat is the teacher, Michelle Stortz. She was absolutely fantastic—warm, knowledgeable, and truly gifted at creating a safe, welcoming environment for everyone. Whether you’re new to yoga and meditation or have been practicing for years, Michelle has a way of guiding you through the practice in a way that feels personal and meaningful.
If you’ve been thinking about taking time for yourself, this is the retreat to do it. It’s a chance to slow down, breathe, and take care of your mind and body. You’ll come away with not just relaxation, but tools and insights you can use long after the retreat ends. Trust me, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. – Karen Sassi
Go participate in the retreat and take some time for yourself. Take a moment to Pause and reset. I highly recommend you join with other women and share in healing your mind and spirit. – Sharon G.
The Pause Wellness retreat at Pendle Hill was a reminder that even when we think we are slowing down and taking care of ourselves, we’re usually not. I didn’t check my phone or email for 48 hours, and was completely able to focus on activities that were healthy and restful.
The highlight of the retreat was a night walk through the beautiful grounds and the laughter I was able to share with others who are going through a cancer diagnosis but haven’t lost their sense of humor.
The gentle yoga and the ability to go outside and walk in nature was really helpful, as were the healthy home cooked meals. – Heather Blakeslee
Sign up! Being surrounded by women who know what you have gone through but not having it be the focus is such a powerful feeling. You get to forget about cancer and focus on you and healing your heart and your mind. It is a beautiful reset and a reconquering of yourself.
I did because I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but my needs were met and more. I walked away with such a sense of peace and tools that I can use for a lifetime. It felt so nice to focus on myself because cancer takes so much away from us, who we are, and helping others be ok.
Thank you again Michelle! I truly hope you know what a powerful weekend you provided for all of us. It is such a gift and I am so happy that more women will get to experience this retreat in the future. – Brittany T.
Promotional photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Michelle Stortz 