Retreat Hosting 101: Expand Your Business Through Unforgettable Experiences
If you’ve ever considered hosting your own retreats, this episode is a must! Host Kelley Stevens sits down with Patrick Casale, founder of All Things Private Practice, to uncover insights into running a successful retreat-based business. Patrick, an expert in serving neurodivergent LGBTQA and BIPOC communities, shares tips for profitable and memorable retreats. Learn about common mistakes to avoid, including the importance of social media presence for marketing for therapists, niche understanding, and unique value. With his expert guidance, you’ll gain the confidence to dive into the world of retreat hosting, ensuring that your next one is a resounding success. And if you are still uneasy about stepping out of your comfort zone by the end of this episode, heed Patrick’s advice to “doubt yourself and do it anyway.”
In this episode of The Private Practice Pro Podcast, we take you on a journey into the world of retreat-based businesses. As the founder of All Things Private Practice and a group therapy practice owner specializing in serving neurodivergent LGBTQA and BIPOC communities, Patrick Casale shares his insights and experiences on hosting entrepreneurial retreats and making them a profitable venture.
Patrick discusses how he got started with hosting retreats and offers a behind-the-scenes look at his current process for running successful events. He also delves into the critical topic of ensuring profitability and income while running a retreat-based business. If you’ve ever considered hosting your own retreats, this is a must-listen episode to uncover strategies and tactics to make them valuable, enjoyable, and successful!
Throughout the episode, Patrick provides insights into common mistakes therapists make when organizing retreats and offers practical suggestions to avoid these pitfalls. Learn why having a solid audience, especially on social media, is crucial for marketing success, why relying solely on your speakers’ reputation can be risky, and why knowing your niche and unique value is essential for creating memorable retreat experiences.
We wrap up our discussion by sharing where you can find Patrick’s upcoming retreats, ensuring you don’t miss out on the opportunity to join one of these transformative experiences and learn from one of the best in the field. Whether you're starting a private practice or looking for therapist-approved marketing strategies, this episode offers practical tools for therapists ready to grow their therapy practice through retreats. Tune in to this episode of The Private Practice Pro Podcast to gain expert advice on leveling up your business and making your first (or next) retreat a resounding success!
Patrick Casale is not only a licensed Mental Health & Addiction Therapist and a group practice owner but also a Private Practice Coach & Strategist for therapists. With experience in both the clinical mental health world and the business world, he has helped hundreds of therapists around the United States leave their agencies behind and create their ideal private practices.
Website: www.allthingspractice.com
Instagram: @allthingsprivatepractice
Email: patrick@casalecoaching.com
Build Your Brand, Connect Deeper, and Grow Your Practice
In recent years, retreats have become one of the most powerful ways for therapists to deepen community connections, grow their private therapy practices, and expand their impact. Whether you're building private practice services from scratch or seeking creative ways to grow your therapy practice, retreats offer a unique way to combine business with meaning, personal growth, and travel.
Patrick Casale, founder of All Things Private Practice and host of its podcast and retreats, has built a business model that exemplifies this vision. His success hosting retreats worldwide, ranging from Ireland and Spain to Asheville and New Orleans, offers a roadmap for other clinicians interested in doing the same.
Why Retreats Work for Therapists
Starting a private therapy practice often involves balancing time, income, and passion. For many therapists, retreats align all three. They offer space to teach, build brand visibility, and connect with other mental health professionals in meaningful ways. Casale’s retreats cater mostly to therapists and small business owners, weaving in themes like imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and entrepreneurial mindset work.
Therapists running solo therapy practices or group therapy practices can use retreats to showcase their niche, provide value, and grow visibility beyond the therapy room. Plus, hosting a retreat abroad or even locally can serve as a strong marketing strategy for therapists by creating buzz and showcasing thought leadership.
Retreat Structure and Niching: A Key to Success
Not every retreat is created equal. Casale emphasizes how crucial it is to establish a clear theme. For example, his Portugal retreat focuses on marketing, while his Greece retreat centers on leadership for group therapy practice owners.
If you’re launching a retreat as part of your private practice roadmap, defining your niche is essential. Ask yourself:
Is this retreat entrepreneurial or clinical?
Are you targeting therapists, general entrepreneurs, or clients?
Will you incorporate experiential therapy, coaching, or self-care?
This clarity not only helps your retreat stand out. It also makes marketing your event easier and more aligned with your ideal clients.
Marketing for Therapists: Building an Audience First
One of the most common mistakes therapists make when launching retreats is skipping the audience-building phase. Casale warns that even if you have a great retreat idea, location, and pricing, if no one knows who you are, your event won’t sell.
Before you market a retreat, focus on building a private practice therapist brand on social media or through an email list. This doesn’t mean you need tens of thousands of followers. A highly engaged group of 300 people can be enough if they trust your voice and work. A Facebook group, newsletter, podcast, or even a solid Instagram presence can go a long way.
When you build private practice visibility through online marketing for therapists, it becomes much easier to launch high-ticket offers like retreats. Social proof, user-generated content, and client transformation stories serve as free promotional tools.
Social Media is Your Best Friend
Online marketing for therapists is critical when planning destination or high-ticket events. Casale explains how posting photos, videos, and testimonials from past events helped him sell out future retreats, even before officially launching them. This kind of momentum only happens if you show up online consistently.
Not a fan of social media? Consider leveraging podcast interviews, partnerships, or private practice tools for therapists, like automated email campaigns, to create buzz. But make no mistake. Visibility is non-negotiable when marketing a retreat-based business.
Speaker Partnerships: Be Strategic
Another frequent mistake is relying solely on guest speakers or big names to fill a retreat. Many therapists assume that if they bring on someone with a huge audience, ticket sales will follow. But that’s rarely the case.
“No one will market your event harder than you,” Casale notes. This applies to solo therapy practice owners and group practice leaders alike. No one can replace your passion, energy, or consistency.
If you do bring on speakers, create clear contracts outlining deliverables like Instagram posts, email blasts, or Reels. Ensure you’re aligned on vision and values so resentment doesn’t build.
Marketing therapy private practice events like retreats requires just as much clarity and planning as launching the retreat itself. Relying on others can be risky. Build your retreat on your own audience first.
Consider Your Retreat’s Profitability
Let’s address the elephant in the room: money. Cash-pay therapy practice owners often wonder whether retreats are actually profitable. Casale is transparent that his retreats, which range from $4,000 to $6,500 per person, are indeed profitable but only after immense planning, vendor coordination, and hands-on execution.
“You’re not retreating,” he laughs. “You’re running a five-day wedding.” Therapists considering hosting retreats should calculate costs, speaker fees, and marketing expenses carefully to ensure they don’t just break even.
Growing your private practice through retreats isn’t just about income. It's also about brand elevation, future referrals, and long-term relationships.
Therapist Tools That Make Retreats Easier
To run a successful retreat, use tools and systems that support your private practice therapists’ goals. Some useful tools include:
SimplePractice for managing scheduling and billing (especially if you’re still seeing clients).
Canva and Later for marketing and social media planning.
HoneyBook or Dubsado for retreat registration and contract management.
Google Drive and Airtable to organize vendors, itineraries, and travel documents.
Therapist-approved marketing strategies for retreats also include automated nurture sequences for leads, client testimonials, and pre-trip engagement content.
Build with Intention, Not Imitation
While yoga retreats in Bali may sound tempting, Casale emphasizes that therapists should not just follow trends. “Come to Bali and relax” is not enough of a pitch. Instead, craft a retreat experience that speaks to your target audience’s specific challenges, growth goals, or healing journey.
A great retreat fills a need your audience already has. It doesn’t just sound luxurious.
Whether you’re growing your therapy practice or building a therapist group practice, successful retreats are born from intention, not imitation.
What About Clinical Retreats?
While Casale’s focus is on entrepreneurial retreats for therapists, clinical retreat models (e.g., trauma intensives, EMDR workshops, couples retreats) are also gaining traction. However, these come with added legal and ethical considerations: HIPAA compliance, licensing boundaries, and informed consent. If this is your direction, consider consulting with a legal advisor or partnering with an established clinical retreat center.
Final Thoughts: Your Next Steps
If you’ve ever dreamed of combining travel, connection, and entrepreneurship, now is the time. Retreats are an amazing tool to grow your private therapy practice, connect with your niche, and generate new income outside the 1:1 model.
Whether you’re just starting your private practice or looking to scale with new offers, retreats offer a powerful way to diversify and expand. But don’t skip the prep work. Build an audience, create intentional programming, and lead with your strengths.