Testimonial Category: Retreats

I was worried I would gain weight if I went off my usual plan and attended Katie’s retreat. I was relieved to find the food she provided to be WLS friendly, healthy, and well prepared.

Much to my relief, she and her staff were flexible and understanding. They seemed to really care that I felt satisfied and safe when it came to the food. I tried some new foods, and I also felt supported in having the snacks I was accustomed to (I brought them with me).

The funny thing is, as time has gone on--and I’ve attended five of Katie’s retreats--I have focused less on the food and more on Katie’s teachings that relate to developing self-awareness, learning how to set boundaries, and getting my needs met in life, so that I can continue to do well with my WLS.

I don’t earn a huge salary. I work in the public schools. But I have found Katie’s retreats to be worth every penny. They are an important investment in myself and have kept me on a healthy, evolving path.

It was a big leap for me to spend the time and money to attend Katie's retreat.

I'm so glad I did. I was in a rut and gaining weight. I felt discouraged and frustrated!

Taking a dedicated week for myself was a true gift to myself. I didn't realize how desperately I needed it!

Katie provided information and experiences in unique and compassionate ways. I was blown away by her gentle approach and loved her sense of humor.

Since the retreat, I have truly changed. I really don't look at life or my WLS the same anymore. Katie and the other women helped me to stop judging myself and start creating a healthier life. I see my way forward, and I know exactly what I need to do. I'm so excited! Go to a Katie Jay retreat. It will change your life.

My concern about the retreat was the time commitment away from my family, and my fear of getting out of my safe place and making myself vulnerable to others.

But I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and to acknowledge that I have regained weight, and that I am terrified that I will regain back all my lost weight.

As an introvert, I loved that the group and Katie did not force me or anyone to participate who was not ready to participate. Yet, she guided me to do some introspection and self-work.

I experienced unconditional love and acceptance of myself and my struggles on my WLS journey from a group of incredible women who started off as strangers and became lifelong friends. I got the strength and empowerment to admit that I have a food addiction and cannot continue the WLS journey alone, and I deserve time for me. I found out that my struggles and fears were like many other women who have had WLS. I am not alone on this journey.

I learned that I am worth the time to focus on my WLS journey. I learned that I deserve more than breadcrumbs when it comes to making time for me in my everyday hectic life.

I would absolutely recommend Katie’s Renewal Retreats to others. I really felt like it was all about me during the retreat, and I can lose the weight I have regained.

The retreat was worth every penny I invested. I have started saving to attend the next retreat.

I wanted to say first what a fabulous weekend this was. I have had two of my friends, my boss, plus my husband comment on how refreshed, rested, and at peace I looked when I got home.

I think the thing I liked the most was the safe place to open up with others who are having the same issues I am, whether it is emotional, physical, or with eating.

Since I had never been to a retreat like this, I didn't have any set expectations. But, even if I had they would have been met, because you had thought of everything – every possible thing that would be needed.

So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work, effort, and thought that went into planning this retreat.

Katie Jay is very warm, caring, and understanding, and she is a wealth of information. She has walked in my shoes. She knows and understands where I have been, where I am, and what may be ahead of me. She knows how to find out answers that I need and shares the tools I need to walk this walk.

Because I am basically 'on track' and not gaining weight, I was hesitant about whether to attend Katie Jay’s retreat. I found it very informative. It answered some questions I had about nutrition and confirmed my thoughts about the physical aspects of diet and exercise only being one part of the whole. Emotional and relational health plays a huge part in reaching success.

I liked the small number of attendees, which gave the group a safe place to share. Meeting new people and sharing common goals and struggles is priceless.

I thought that having someone there experienced in working with the emotional issues was very crucial. The place was great, everyone was together, and it was a relaxed atmosphere.

I would recommend Katie’s retreats to others because the time apart is always helpful, and gaining other friendships and networking with others is very supportive.

I was worried that since I was struggling with my recovery I might not fit in with the group at the retreat. (I somehow believed that I was the only one who was encountering obstacles in my WLS journey.)

I found 20 women who knew EXACTLY what I was going through, 20 women who had BEEN through what I had gone through, and 20 women who were just as determined as I was to ‘get it right’ this time.

I felt an immediate connection to this diverse group of women, and the sense of community which we built in 3 short days was just short of miraculous. And I found that I learned from everyone else. Watching others work through issues enabled me to see my own difficulties from a new perspective (a much kinder one, I might add).

I liked the fact that the people were real, honest, and had a sense of humor about themselves. We were encouraged to take the time and focus on ourselves for a change.

I recommend Katie Jay’s Renewal Retreats without hesitation. It is for people who are willing to work at their recovery. I went in not knowing what to expect but hoping that it would be a good experience. It was life-changing for me.

I have already signed up for the next retreat. I see it as an investment in my well-being. A refresher-course in strategies for overcoming food obsession.

I didn't expect to have so much fun!

My biggest obstacle in signing up for Katie’s retreat was being afraid that I would not be accepted as myself.

I found that my fears were unfounded, and we all had our own battles to overcome. I was accepted with open arms, which was very heartwarming. I liked how we all could laugh and feel at ease with each other. There were some very emotional moments for us, and we were all accepting and nonjudgmental with each other.

Some of the benefits to me included, meeting some fantastic women who are struggling with issues, just as I am; learning that secrets will keep me sick (so I found the courage to share my issues with this group of women, who in turn, shared theirs with me); and I discovered it's not easy to be honest, although in this retreat setting and with the support of some amazing people, I felt safe enough to dig into my ‘soul’ and find answers.

I would recommend Katie’s Renewal Retreats to any woman who is struggling with issues around her weight loss and acceptance of herself. It is a very powerful tool to place in our ‘shed’ for the hard work of finding ourselves in the ‘dirt’ of life.

Just remember that weight loss isn't going to clear up a lifetime of bad habits, and if you feel like you're alone with your issues and are afraid of ‘failure,’ once again, Katie Jay offers you hope to work on ‘getting it right.’ This journey isn't something that is a quick fix. It is a lifetime commitment to ourselves.

This unique retreat is a great investment in your long-term WLS success. (Many others would charge a whole lot more for a retreat of this depth and quality.)

I wanted to save a little money, so I chose a slumber-party room with four bunk beds. I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of sharing a room with three other women. Looking back, though, three things made the sleeping arrangements comfortable enough to enjoy myself at the retreat:

1. We spent very little time in our rooms
2. In the slumber-party room I made quick friends, so I felt more comfortable at the retreat, in general
3. I was able to try out the retreat and keep it more financially manageable.

It was the first of several retreats I attended with Katie Jay. Her retreats are great!

Katie, Thank you for an absolutely incredible weekend. I learned so much and, at the same time had so much fun! Thank you for providing a comfortable environment and a safe harbor. I bonded with each and every woman there. You are remarkable and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to spend so much time with you. You are an inspiration and truly a shining light.

People don't know ahead of time if it's worth the money, or worth taking the time off work. But let me tell you, it is life changing! I felt so safe, I didn't want to leave. And I have never laughed so hard in my life. I also loved meeting all the women. We have so much in common, yet each of us has a unique beauty. It was amazing!