Why Retreats Change Us: The Hidden Cost of Staying "Nearsighted" in Life & Parenting
About this episode
In this episode, Ann Kaplan explores the psychological barriers to self-investment and the importance of retreats for personal and parental growth.
What if the thing you keep talking yourself out of is actually the thing your soul needs most? In this deeply personal episode of Confessions of a Parent Coach, I'm unpacking a question I genuinely don't have a perfectly polished answer for yet: Why do we so often say yes to things that drain us… and no to the things that could truly nourish and transform us? As I prepare for my annual parenting and personal growth retreat in Michigan, I found myself reflecting on the strange psychology behind decision-making, self-investment, and the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and cannot justify. Why does a girls' trip feel easy to say yes to, but a transformational retreat feels "indulgent"? Why do we resist the very experiences that could help us reconnect with ourselves, our relationships, and the lives we actually want to live? In this episode, I share honest stories from my own life — from parenting through residential treatment with my son, to missed opportunities I still think about years later, to the orange vintage hoodie I absolutely should have bought. (Yes, really.) This conversation is about more than retreats. It's about the way we become emotionally "nearsighted"…
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- The Anatomy of Peace for Parents: How to Stop Seeing Your Child as the Problem
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