Purposeful Pause
Ontario-based
Women’s Retreat
February 26 - March 1, 2026
Welcome to Bloom
Join us Thursday, February 26 to Sunday March 1, 2026 on Loughborough Lake.
A restorative, women-centered winter retreat set at Bloom, a lakefront sanctuary nestled in the boreal forest of Eastern Ontario. Located on Loughborough Lake, it’s a place where your nervous system exhales, your heart opens, and your whole self is welcomed.
Step away. Clear the noise. Make space for what matters.
The Purposeful Pause is a guided retreat for professional women ready to step back with intention, reconnect with purpose, and move forward with clarity and courage.
This experience brings together women from all stages of life and career, creating a rare opportunity to tap into collective intelligence and share the incredible wealth of wisdom in the room. When women gather, magic happens — new insights emerge, courage grows, and possibilities expand.
Whether you're navigating change, feeling stretched thin, or simply craving space to think deeply, this retreat offers a supportive environment to:
Reflect on your journey and the lessons that have shaped you.
Reconnect with what truly energizes and aligns you.
Release what no longer fits.
Reimagine your future with boldness and clarity.
Reintegrate — return ready to apply your insights with practical tools and renewed energy.
Through a blend of guided exercises, facilitated discussions, and nature-anchored experiences, you'll leave with:
A refreshed, actionable vision for forward momentum — professionally and personally.
Practical tools and frameworks to lead with intention and resilience.
Fresh inspiration and perspectives from an incredible group of women.
A deepened, more sustainable connection to yourself.
Many participants choose this retreat as a dedicated professional development investment — a chance to sharpen strategic thinking, strengthen leadership presence, and return to work with a clearer sense of direction and renewed capacity.
Our flagship retreat in Costa Rica has inspired many people. Now, we're bringing this same depth and transformative power to beautiful local settings in Ontario throughout the year.
Slow down to accelerate. Step away to return stronger.
First come, first served. Spaces and room selections are limited.
Take advantage of our Early Bird pricing.
Please wait to book your flights until you've been accepted. If you're not accepted, your deposit will be fully refunded.
“Transformation feels like an understatement.
I left feeling clear, connected and grounded.”
Megan Dumais
Meredith Perez
“I returned home with a full heart, a clearer path, and a renewed sense of energy.”
“I can’t wait to go through these Purposeful Pause exercises again and again each year.”
Peggy Bell
Our Venue
Visit the Bloom Holistic Retreats website for more images.
Recover. Reclaim. Rewild.
Bloom is a peaceful winter haven, thoughtfully curated for rest and meaningful connection. Designed by award-winning architect Siamak Hariri, the property offers 16 private ensuite rooms and generous shared spaces exclusively for our group’s use. Guests enjoy access to the property’s amenities—including a wood-fired sauna, invigorating lake plunge, yoga and meditation studio with premium props, and over 25 km of forest trails. Blending modern design with natural tranquility, Bloom is an ideal setting for reflection and renewal.
During the winter months, guests are invited to embrace the beauty of the season. Glide across the pond on skates (weather permitting), explore the forest on snowshoes or cross-country skis along peaceful trails, or simply wander slowly among the trees—each moment crafted to help you reconnect with nature and yourself.
Meals are lovingly prepared with seasonal farm to table gourmet ingredients. Served in a self-serve, communal kitchen, Bloom’s vegetarian menu features organic ingredients sourced directly from their gardens, greenhouse, and local farms—including fresh eggs from their own hens and herbs grown on-site.
It’s a setting designed to nourish you—mind, body, and spirit.
Our retreat brings together 15 to 20 professional women, fostering intimacy, insight, and spaciousness to be fully present. Whether you come solo or with a trusted friend, you’ll find an environment that supports both personal clarity and collective growth, inviting you to slow down and embrace the quiet gifts of winter.
Your Purposeful Pause includes:
Daily interactive and engaging events led by Sarah Nicole, the transformation guide to who blends solo reflection with intimate small group dialogues, and large-group supported connections
Three nourishing farm-to-table gourmet vegetarian meals each day
Four days and three nights of lakefront accommodation at Bloom, with exclusive access to its serene spaces and amenities—from floor-to-ceiling views and cozy gathering areas to a fully equipped yoga studio, and 25 km of forest trails.
A personal copy of Sarah’s book Purposeful Pause: A Guide to Navigating Uncertainty with Clarity
Enjoy activities such as:
Daily morning yoga practice
Wood-fired sauna and lake cold plunge
Snowshoeing and skating (weather permitting)
Winter campfires and hiking
Virtual retreat preparation call to meet the group and set the stage for your experience
Shuttle provided to and from Toronto Airport—a 3.5 hour trip where your pause begins
A few notes: we are being hosted in an alcohol and drug-free environment to fully unplug, restore, and reflect. Flights are not included. Airport shuttles outside of the scheduled shuttle are also not included. If you don’t see what you need here, please let us know! We can provide a number of add-ons and would love to customize this experience to your needs
What to Expect
This sample itinerary offers a glimpse of what’s possible — final details may shift slightly as we finalize the plan. Come as you are, and give yourself permission to truly pause.
✨ Everything is an invitation.
Join at your own pace, in the way that feels right for you.
✨ Ask for what you need.
Listen to yourself, and let me know how I can support you.
✨ Make it your own.
You shape this experience to serve you best.
✨ Full support, no questions asked.
Do what you need, when you need it.
✨ Digital detox encouraged.
We can help set this up so you can fully embrace the pause.
Sample Itinerary
Thursday
12:00 pm - Shuttle from Toronto
4:00 pm - Guest Arrival & Check-in
6:00 pm - Dinner
7:00 pm - Opening Circle
9:00 pm - Get a good night’s rest
Friday
7:30 am - Morning Yoga
9:00 am - Breakfast
10:00 am - Session #1
1:00 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - The Pause is Yours
4:00 pm - Session #2
6:00 pm - Dinner
7:00 pm - Fireside Chats
9:00 pm - Get a good night’s rest
Saturday
7:30 am - Morning Yoga
9:00 am - Breakfast
10:00 am - Session #3
1:00 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - The Pause is Yours
4:00 pm - Session #4
6:00 pm - Dinner
7:00 pm - Fireside Chats
9:00 pm - Get a good night’s rest
Sunday
7:30 am - Morning Yoga
9:00 am - Breakfast
10:00 am - Closing Circle
12:00 pm - Guest Check-out & Shuttle to Toronto
Workshop Descriptions
Session #1
Reflect on the Story & Connect to Purpose
Look back at past experiences to recognize patterns, lessons, and key moments of friction and flow. Reconnect with the deeper “why” behind your actions, ensuring alignment with your values and intentions.
Session #2
Identify Challenges & Needs
Step back to uncover the real barriers, questioning assumptions to ensure you’re solving what truly matters.
Session #3
Envision the Future & Commit to Courage
Move beyond limitations and design a bold, meaningful vision that feels fully aligned with who you are. Embrace uncertainty as part of the journey. It’s about building the capacity to take bold steps while staying grounded in purpose and clarity.
Session #4
Find the Paths & Build Momentum
Stay open to multiple ways forward. It’s about holding your vision firmly while remaining adaptable to new routes, waypoints, and unexpected opportunities along the journey. Turn intention into action. It’s about aligning people, systems, and mindset to create steady, purposeful movement toward your vision.
Free time is woven throughout the retreat for your own personal pause — and you’re always welcome to take even more. Every workshop also includes a self-guided option, so if you choose to skip a session, you won’t miss the content.
Early Bird Pricing
Your Investment Options:
$2,900 +hst
Double-occupancy
Coming with a friend and want to share a double occupancy, or joining solo and open to being paired to meet someone new? Let us know!
$3,400 +hst
Single-occupancy
First come, first served. There are a limited number of single rooms.
Prices increase after Nov 20, 2025. All prices are listed in Canadian Dollars (CAD); insurance can also be purchased when you book your spot. Schedule a call with Sarah Nicole to learn more. Then if you’re excited to join, bookings will be made through our travel partner Wassermann Retreats, an affiliate of Direct Travel, 93 Main Street S, Georgetown, ON L7G 3E5, TEL 905.873.2000 ext. 1232, susan@wassermannretreats.com
Terms & Conditions
A 50% deposit is required at time of booking. 25% is refundable.
Final payment is due by January 15, 2026 and is 100% non-refundable from final payment date to retreat date.
Meet Sarah Nicole
I founded Optimal Affect with the belief that when individuals and teams pause with intention and reconnect to their purpose, they create lasting impact—not just in their organizations, but in their communities and beyond.
With a degree in Social Development Studies and over 15 years of experience in organizational development, I have helped hundreds of leaders and teams create clarity and alignment, resolve conflict (both within themselves and with others), and navigate complexity with confidence.
My work spans government, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and global institutions. Highlights include facilitating strategic working sessions with UNICEF Global and at the United Nations General Assembly, as well as designing and leading retreats and development programs for leaders across industries.
Through cultivating thoughtful leadership, aligning culture with strategy, and guiding people to realign with what matters most, I help unlock human potential. This work isn’t just about productivity—it’s about fostering resilience, well-being, and meaningful change that ripples outward. When we slow down to realign, we accelerate what matters most.
