Black Elk Retreat

Awaken & Return
A six-day immersive retreat led by Dr. Greg Bottaro alongside Dr. Bryan Violette and Dr. Gerard McNicholas of the CatholicPsych Institute, held in the Wyoming wilderness.

Cody, Wyoming

August 23-29, 2026

Joining the Black Elk Retreat Waitlist gives you:

  • First access to enrollment

  • Early retreat details and next steps

  • Priority consideration when spots open

You are deeply committed to your faith.

You pray. You show up. You serve.

And yet, beneath the surface, something feels off.

Black Elk Retreat, led by Dr. Greg Bottaro and his senior clinical team, was created for Catholics who are doing everything “right,” yet still feel distracted, overwhelmed, or distant from the people they love.

This is not a conference.
This is not self-help.

It is a sacred interruption — an invitation to step out of the noise and return to presence, connection, and communion.

This retreat is for you if:

  • You are deeply engaged in your Catholic faith

  • You long for peace, clarity, and emotional healing

  • You feel stuck in patterns of overwhelm, self-criticism, or disconnection

  • You are open to silence, prayer, therapy, and embodied healing

  • You are ready for depth, not distraction

This retreat is not for you if:

  • You are looking for a workshop, class, or lecture-style experience

  • You want something you can casually consume and move on from

  • You are not open to group work, reflection, or spiritual direction

INVESTMENT & AVAILABILITY

Investment begins at $5,000

Your investment includes:

  • Lodging and meals

  • Group therapy and individual therapy with licensed therapists

  • Daily Mass, prayer, confession and spiritual direction opportunities

  • Equine-assisted therapy sessions

  • Access to ranch activities, including hiking, fly fishing, and solo nature excursions

  • Chef-curated meals, designed to promote a clear mind and enable the deep therapeutic work

  • Transportation from Cody Airport

Only 15 spots are available to preserve intimacy and depth.

What The Experience Includes

Each day follows a gentle, grounding rhythm designed to foster healing and presence:
  • Daily Mass, prayer, and opportunities for Confession or Spiritual Direction
  • Clinically guided group therapy rooted in Catholic anthropology
  • Trauma-informed equine-assisted therapy
  • Silence, solitude, and time in God’s creation
  • This is an immersive, relational experience that engages the whole person — mind, body, and spirit.

Guides & Facilitators

This retreat maintains a high staff-to-participant ratio to ensure personalized care and support throughout the week.

Black Elk Retreat is guided by:
  • Dr. Greg Bottaro, Dr. Bryan Violette, and Dr. Gerard McNicholas
  • Two Catholic priests trained in psychologically integrated spiritual direction
  • A licensed, equine assisted therapist specializing in trauma-informed care
  • A small, attentive team committed to depth, safety, and reverence

Location & Logistics

August 23-29, 2026 | Hawkeye Ranch | Cody, Wyoming

Just outside Yellowstone National Park

A remote, no-signal environment surrounded by wilderness, silence, and awe.

Transportation from Cody Regional Airport to Ranch is included. Airfare is not included.

Joining the Black Elk Retreat Waitlist gives you:

  • First access to enrollment

  • Early retreat details and next steps

  • Priority consideration when spots open

This is not a break from your life.
It is a return to it — whole, present, and at peace.

Certified CatholicPsych Institute Mentor and mother of seven, Lauren serves as host and director for the Black Elk Retreat, accompanying participants with reverence, courage, and faith-integrated care.

Black Elk Retreat is presented and operated by Hawkeye Ranch Services LLC.

By registering for this event, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy.

© 2026 Hawkeye Ranch Services LLC. All rights reserved.