A bunch of sensitive souls coming together.

The Creator Retreat Team

Jan 21, 2025

The Creator Retreat is a place where a bunch of sensitive souls come together in community to celebrate and really meet each other at the heart and soul level.

This post features our team!

Your Retreat Guides

Teri Leigh

Mindfulness Mentor & Aura Reader: 30+ years experience guiding sensitive souls to uncover their inner wisdom through intuitive practices and transformative self-care.
Writer & Advocate for "Weirdness": Sharing insights on breaking free from societal norms, embracing individuality, and cultivating a heart-centered creative life.
Educator Turned Entrepreneur: Master’s Degree in education with 10 years experience in public schools informs 20+ years of pioneering a unique blend of mindfulness, spirituality, and self-guided learning for authentic growth.

Dr. Alexander Lovell

Alex is equal parts old soul and curious wanderer, a farm boy at heart, and a writer whenever he manages to corral his ADHD. As a political psychologist, yoga therapist, and integrative coach—anchored by both research and lived experience—he delves into questions of identity, connection, and wholeness, themes that form the foundation of his Substack publication, Life as I See It.

His yoga therapy and coaching practice blends restoration, release, and renewal to help individuals access a calmer, more energetic, and joyful version of themselves. Through gentle guidance—and the occasional playful nudge—he encourages others to pause, breathe, and reflect on the stories that shape their lives. For him, the most profound shifts often begin with a single, transformative question: What if you made just a little more room for yourself?

Guest Presenters

March 2025 - Consistency

The Perfect Weekly Routine To Grow Your Substack in 2025

Learn the 3 things you should be doing daily to grow your Substack from scratch. I'll provide mock daily, weekly, and monthly schedules to follow, depending on how much time you have in the week. If you start doing these three things, you will start growing your Substack at the fastest rate possible.

Tom Kuegler of Writing the Long Game, Letters with My Father, & Finding Tom

Tom's been blogging online since 2015, and garnered nearly 50,000,000 views across seven platforms since then. He writes about travel, life lessons, relationships, politics, and creativity. In 2018, he also started a Youtube vlog which he grew to 160,000 subscribers, and started living full-time in the Philippines until late 2020. Tom's published on Medium, LinkedIn, Facebook, Substack, Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube, and is a veteran of publishing digital content on the internet in many different formats.

April 2025 - Slow & Steady

The Art of Letting Go: Stress, Surrender, and Creative Flow

Do you feel like your creativity is buried under stress or the endless grind of a to-do list? This workshop is your invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect with your authentic creative self.

Through the gentle practice of yoga nidra, we’ll explore how letting go—of expectations, of perfection, of the need to push—can open the door to creativity that feels effortless and true. Together, we’ll reframe stress as a neutral force and learn to meet it with curiosity and self-compassion, using rest and intention as guiding lights.

This is your space to rediscover ease in the creative process, cultivate a deeper sense of self-awareness, and tap into the organic flow that comes when you stop striving and start surrendering.

Come join me for this restorative shift. Let’s let go together, so your creativity can rise, unforced and untamed.

Alexander Lovell, PhD of Life As I See It

May 2025 - Getting “Out There”

Being a Vulnerable, Fearless and Compassionate Writer

Writing and sharing our words publicly can be a daunting task, and this combined with the pressure to get publication credentials that validate us, can steal the joy from our creative process. But when we write from the heart and allow our vulnerabilities and compassion, for ourselves and others, to pour onto the page, the fears we feel about our right to write can fall away as we know that we are doing true work that matters. Whether you are writing fiction, memoir or personal essays, this workshop can help you to use your fears and vulnerabilities to write compassionately through tools, writing prompts and ideas that will give you the confidence to publish and share your insights into being human.

Amanda Saint of The Mindful Writer & WestWord

Amanda Saint is the founder of The Mindful Writer, WestWord and Retreat West. She's an author and writing coach dedicated to helping writers find their voice and keep the love of writing alive, while using their stories to bring more positive human connection to the world. Amanda believes that writing is a journey of self-discovery, and she helps people to embrace their creativity through courses, workshops and 1-1 coaching that combine mindfulness with creative writing. Amanda is the author of two novels, As If I Were A River (2016) and Remember Tomorrow (2019) and a novella-in-flash, Pressure Drop (2024). Her short stories, flash and micro fictions have been widely published in journals and anthologies, placed and listed in many international prizes, nominated for Best Small Fictions 2023, and in 2024 three were selected for the Top in Fiction Substack. She has a Diploma in Journal Therapy and is studying towards a Diploma in Life Coaching and another in Positive Psychology (all three of which are accredited by The Complementary Medical Association). She has combined these practices with the teaching of fiction, memoir, and life writing, the latter with a focus on using creative writing for wellbeing.

June 2025 - Work/Play Balance

Embracing Joy and Play in a World of Perfectionism

As creators, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to control the process, but creativity doesn’t work like that—it has its own rhythm. When we obsess over making everything "perfect," we often end up stifling the very flow we’re hoping to nurture. Perfectionism can turn our creative process into a mental maze, and before we know it, the magic slips away. This work playshop is all about finding that sweet spot between getting things done and allowing space for creativity to unfold naturally, without forcing it with rigid expectations.

Sherry Taveras of Momtemplative

I write about life beyond motherhood, sharing the journey from a decade of raising kids to a more mindful life in a small town in the Dominican Republic. I’m learning from nature, and through my words, I hope to inspire, uplift, and perhaps offer a moment of joy along the way.

July 2025 - Branding Your Identity

Turn Your WEIRD Into Your Biggest ASSET

Are you struggling to fit in on Substack (and life)? Do you feel like nobody really gets your unique blend of weird? Are you worried that if you actually show up in all your weird wonderfulness you’ll only hear a solo cricket scratching its ass? Ooof. Join Megan Lee from Shame Sandwich as she shares her own struggle with feeling ashamed to show up as herself, and like she never fit in to leveraging her weirdness and turning it into her greatest strength. In this workshop, you get a giant ass permission slip to let your weirdest weird out, with Megan leading you through brainstorming exercises and, walking you through your WEIRD Substack Brand Checklist and answering your burning brand questions.

Megan Lee of Shame Sandwich

Some people call her Megan. But her friends call her funny, her kid calls her moooomm!!!!!, her ex calls her bitch, and she calls herself Jim Carrey in female form.

When she’s not writing her little heart out over at her Shame Sandwich newsletter trying to expunge all of the shame she’s been carrying her entire life (what’s that, you didn’t have a cult-ish childhood?) you can find her dancing in her home office (fancy for: small portion of her bedroom) swearing profusely at bad drivers, or trying and failing at being the worlds best single mom.

Her dream is to one day spend an entire day eating popcorn. And be a published author with a side of comedian.

August 2025 - Engagement

When the Heart Says Yes: The Art of Receiving

This is a 90-minute immersion in breath, body, and creative expression. It is designed to help you reconnect with the natural intelligence already moving through you.

We begin by naming the resistance to receiving. Each of us holds places where receiving feels complicated: where care, generosity, attention, or ease arrive and we subtly turn away. This may show up in collaboration, intimacy, visibility, or the simple act of being supported.

From there, we move into the body.

A gentle sequence of breath and back-based movement prepares us for a focused Kundalini meditation that opens the lungs, heart, and diaphragm. The meditation is active and enlivening. It invites you to feel the energy of receiving as something living, something already within reach.

Following the meditation, a guided visualization creates space for softening. Into sensation. Into awareness. Into a fuller experience of what it means to let yourself be met.

The second half of our time is a space for integration.

You’ll be guided through a series of invitations to express what has stirred. This may take the form of writing, speaking, listening, or simply being present. There may be words. There may be silence. There may be moments that ask to be shared. Everything that arises is welcome. There is structure to hold you and space to be exactly where you are.

This is a space where permission does the work.
To feel. To move. To notice. To express.

Bring your breath.
Bring your presence.
Bring whatever part of you is ready to feel more fully alive.

NOTE:

There is no experience necessary :) No equipment necessary. No fitness level necessary. If you have a yoga mat, great. Otherwise, a blanket and a pillow is recommended!

Alex Lovell of Life As I See It

Alex Lovell builds sanctuaries.

His Substack, Life As I See It, is a place of rest, renewal, and sacred honesty. His stories gently untangle the noise in your head and return you to the deeper wisdom already living inside your body. He doesn’t just write about burnout and identity—he walks with you through those liminal spaces, barefoot and curious, pointing out the beauty you forgot was there.

In The Creator Retreat, he brings all of this—and more.

September 2025 - Sales & Marketing

How to Self-Promote When You Loathe Self-Promoting

Whether we like it or not, standing behind our work and promoting it is a necessary evil in today's loud world. But despite how much some of us may despise it, we can design ways to make it not only tolerable, but fun. In this workshop, we will dive into actionable ways to promote your work in a way that feels authentic to you. In addition, we will work together to design promotional material for a piece of your art.

More times than not, those who shy away from self-promotion are the very voices the world needs to hear the most. What I'm excited about most is sharing ways for sensitive and thoughtful people to better stand behind their work and get excited about revealing themselves to the world.

Michael Thompson of shy by design & Writing to L(Earn)

Michael Thompson is a storytelling coach, communication strategist, and author of the best-selling book Shy by Design: 12 Timeless Principles to Quietly Stand Out. Over the last decade, he's worked with hundreds of thoughtful people — ranging from CEO to second graders — to ensure their voice is heard and their words are read. His work has been featured in Fast Company, Big Think, Forbes, and the Blog of Steven Pressfield. When he's not helping his client's words to rise, he can be found exploring the Mediterranean with his wife and two boys.

October 2025 - Integrity

Write Like A Compass - Wielding Badass Leaving Haters Spinning

Critics, haters, and self-doubt—oh my! The road to authentic writing isn’t just filled with obstacles; it’s practically a jungle. But what if you had a built-in compass that could guide you through the noise and straight to your true creative north? Spoiler alert: You do.

In this workshop, we’ll uncover the intuitive tools you already have to silence self-sabotage, reframe criticism, and create with clarity and confidence. You’ll learn how to transform outside judgment into rocket fuel for your most fearless writing yet. This isn’t about ignoring the haters—it’s about leaving them so dizzy in your wake that they can’t keep up.

Through playful, hands-on exercises and actionable insights, we’ll dive into how to ground yourself in purpose, harness your creative instincts, and write in a way that truly resonates with your audience. Whether you’re building a Substack empire or just want to stop second-guessing your words, this workshop will help you write boldly, unapologetically, and—dare we say it—like a badass.

So, let the critics spin out. You’re here to chart your own course.

Beckett Johnson of Quantum Nomad

Beckett is a creator, writer, and intuitive maverick behind Quantum Nomad, a Substack that blends heartfelt stories, sharp wit, and bold insights to explore creativity and life’s biggest questions. Known for turning criticism into creative rocket fuel, Beckett helps others silence self-doubt, embrace their unique voice, and write with unapologetic confidence.

After a journey of reinvention that involved overcoming challenges most would write memoirs about, Beckett discovered the secret to fearless writing: trusting your inner compass and leaving the haters spinning. His workshops combine practical tools, intuitive practices, and a dash of humor, guiding participants to unlock clarity, purpose, and bold creativity.

Through Quantum Nomad and beyond, Beckett inspires audiences to chart their own course, connect with their true north, and write like the compass-wielding badasses they are.

November 2025 - Define Your Success

Let Your Soul Lead Your Success

“Success occurs in the privacy of the soul." Rick Rubin said that. And if you were simply a soul, success would be that simple. However, you're not. When you were a toddler, you began building a second self to protect your soul. We call that second self the ego, and it has a very different definition of success. Your ego defines success as acheivement of your ambition, while your soul defines success as attunement with your intuition. Your ego is heard in your mind. Your soul is experienced in your body. In this session, learn about these two engines which are always propelling your creative life, and learn how you can harmonize the two as you go public with what you're passionate about.

Kelly Flanagan of Humaning with Dr. Kelly Flanagan

Dr. Kelly Flanagan is an author, speaker, relationship coach, and licensed clinical psychologist with two decades of expertise in interpersonal relationships. His thought leadership has been featured in The 5 Love Languages, the TODAY Show, Reader’s Digest, HuffPost, and Success Magazine. Kelly’s two non-fiction books, Loveable and True Companions, debuted as #1 New Releases in Interpersonal Relations, and his national bestselling first novel, The Unhiding of Elijah Campbell, has earned multiple literary awards. Kelly’s gift for communicating relationship wisdom in humorous and heartfelt ways has made him a sought-after speaker across various industries, from real estate to professional athletic organizations including the Green Bay Packers. On his Substack, Kelly enjoys helping kind people navigate the complexities of human connection. Join more than 15,000 people who are doing the inner work that makes relationships work.

The Creator Retreat

The Creator Retreat is a sanctuary—a place to pause the hustle, embrace stillness, and move forward with clarity. Like finding joy in a "mundane" job, stepping back from hyper-focus on business can spark unexpected breakthroughs. This isn’t about hustle—it’s about softening, letting go of perfection, and finding ease in the process.

The Creator Retreat invites you to breathe, connect, and see the forest through the trees. Let the magic unfold when you stop forcing and start flowing.

Become a paid subscriber. Paid subscribers have onDemand access to workshops and material. This is especially perfect for those who want to go at their own pace.

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