Post #9 - Why Attend the October 16-19, 2025, Sibling Strong Retreat in New Hampshire?

Why Attend the October 2025 Sibling Strong Retreat?

Grieving the loss of a sibling—especially to sudden or traumatic causes—is a unique kind of heartbreak, often overlooked and misunderstood. This Sibling Strong Retreat offers a space created just for you: a place of understanding, connection, and healing.

This three-day, all-inclusive retreat provides:

• Lodging in a brand-new, comfortable retreat center (the Easterseals NH Military & Veterans Campus) surrounded by nature in Franklin, NH

• Nestled in the heart of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, Franklin is a quiet gem surrounded by natural beauty and small-town charm. The retreat center is located right along the Winnipesaukee River, offering peaceful views, tranquil walking paths, and easy access to outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking, and swimming. Once an old mill town, Franklin is now in the midst of a vibrant revitalization, balancing history with a welcoming, modern feel. It’s the perfect backdrop for healing, reflection, and connection—with space to breathe deeply and be fully present.

• Nine nourishing, thoughtfully prepared meals

  • Snacks too!

• All materials and activities (subject to change) included, such as:

  
  

  • Group kayaking trip 

  • Group river tubing trip

  • Guided ropes challenge course

  • Hiking - sunrise/sunset, night hiking for stargazing

  • Swimming

  • Trail walking/running

• Transportation from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), if needed

Led by professionals with lived experience and expertise in sibling loss and post-traumatic growth, this retreat is not therapy, but it is powerful peer support—rooted in evidence-based practices and deep compassion.

The retreat’s content will be shaped by the needs of those attending, with guided conversations and activities exploring topics such as:

• The sibling role in grief and healing

• Storytelling as a tool for meaning-making

• Identity shifts after loss

• Complex family dynamics

• Unique circumstances and considerations such as: military loss, suicide loss, sudden death, substance and overdose loss, losing your only sibling, and losing more than one sibling.

• Navigating finances and responsibility changes while grieving

• Finding hope and building a life with purpose after loss

Whether your grief is raw or evolving, you’ll leave with new tools, lasting connections, and a deeper sense of strength.

Cost: $2,000 per person

Includes lodging in your own private, brand-new room with either a queen or king bed, nine full meals, materials, activities, and airport transport (from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport if needed).

A limited number of need-based scholarships (up to $300 per person) are available.

Sibling Strong Retreat October 2025 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is this retreat for? Sibling Strong Retreats are designed specifically for adults (ages 21+) who have lost a sibling—whether to suicide, military service, substance use, sudden illness, or other causes, and are seeking a supportive, peer-based experience focused on grief, healing, and connection. We understand the unique grief that comes with sibling loss, and we’re here to hold space for your story, your healing, and your growth.

Is this a therapy retreat? No. This is a peer support-based retreat grounded in best practices for grief support. While it is professionally facilitated, it is not group therapy and should not be considered a substitute for mental health treatment.

What is included in the $2,000 cost?

• 3 nights lodging at a brand-new retreat and convention campus in Franklin, NH

• 9 nourishing meals

• All workshop materials, activities, and retreat programming

• Group transportation from Manchester, NH airport (if needed)

• Free onsite parking if needed

Are scholarships available? Yes. We offer a limited number of need-based scholarships up to $300 per person. You’ll have the opportunity to request a scholarship during your application process.

What if I’m not sure I’m ready? We ask a few questions on the application to help us understand where you are in your grief journey. This helps ensure the retreat is supportive and safe for all attendees. If you're in an active mental health crisis or very early in your loss, this might not be the right time—and that's okay.

Will I have free time? Yes. While our days are thoughtfully scheduled, we build in downtime for rest, reflection, connection with other participants, and optional activities such as walks by the river, journaling, or simply relaxing.

Do I have to participate in all of the activities? Of course nothing is mandatory. However, participation in retreat activities is highly encouraged as the activities have been thoughtfully chosen to encourage connection amongst the group, experience the area, and create some adventurous memories together!

What should I bring? We’ll send you a full packing list and expected itinerary before the retreat, so you’ll know what activities are planned for when. Expect to wear casual, comfortable clothes—and keep in mind that New England weather can be unpredictable, so easy layers are your best bet. We’ll plan to get outside in some way, every day!

Can I attend with someone else? We encourage individual registration so each person can fully immerse themselves in the experience. However, we understand that for some siblings, attending together may feel supportive. If you'd like to attend with another sibling, reach out to us before applying.

How do I apply? Fill out our retreat application [here]. Once reviewed, we’ll follow up by email with next steps:  a phone conversation with Kim or Ben first, and then a link to the Retreat Registration with deposit payment information.

What are the payment deadlines?

• Deposit: $500 due upon acceptance (non-refundable)

• Final Balance Due: October 2, 2025

• Retreat Registration Closes: October 2, 2025

What is the cancellation policy?

• The $500 deposit is non-refundable.

• Cancellations of deposit or full retreat payment for any reason are not refundable, but may be “held” to put toward a future SSR Retreat in the same calendar year.