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Growing in Wholeness & Holiness:

Living & loving with an Integrated Heart

October 3rd - 5th 2025

An IFS Retreat for Religious Sisters

This weekend retreat invites Catholic Religious Sisters to explore the experiences of their inner world through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS)—a compassionate, evidence-based model of inner healing that beautifully complements the Catholic vision of the human person. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a popular and proven approach to understanding the human person. 

This retreat offers religious sisters an introduction to IFS, guided by Jody Garneau, who is dedicated to bringing this model to the Catholic population in a way that is deeply rooted in the truth and wisdom of our faith. Jody has worked with clients from various religious communities in a way that appreciates the unique dynamics found in religious life. 

The weekend will include foundational teaching on how to use IFS for your own interior growth, as well as time for guided reflection and personal prayer. You'll be invited to explore the “parts” of your system — the thoughts, emotions, and patterns that shape your inner world — and to meet them with compassion in the healing presence of Christ.

Through this process, we can grow in self-understanding and freedom, become more compassionate toward ourselves and others, and live our vocations with greater integration, peace, and love.

Come, rest, learn and be renewed in the quiet beauty of Westminster Abbey

More about Jody!

Jody Garneau is a Canadian-based, Level 3 Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. A faithful and committed Catholic, she brings the depth of her spiritual beliefs into every facet of her therapeutic work—especially when leading retreats for religious sisters.

Jody holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College in California, where she immersed herself in philosophy, metaphysics, and theology. She furthered her academic journey by earning a Master’s in Clinical Counselling from Divine Mercy University (Virginia), focusing on trauma recovery.

With over 25 years of experience parenting and homeschooling her four children, Jody’s life has been a testament to faith lived and shared. Drawing from that rich life experience, she discovered Internal Family Systems—a blend of psychological insight and spiritual integration that profoundly shaped both her personal and professional path.

In addition to her core IFS certification (Levels 1–3), Jody has specialized training in EMDR, Flash techniques, and couples therapy (Intimacy from the Inside Out). Her compassionate, faith-informed approach has made her a sought-after guide—not only for individuals, couples, and families, but also for Catholic professionals and sisters seeking spiritual and emotional integration.

With Jody leading. this will be a faith‑centric IFS retreat for religious sisters. She will integrate therapeutic depth with prayer, scripture, and Catholic tradition, helping participants align their inner systems with a Spirit-led, integrated heart. It's a powerful peace‑filled journey rooted in both professional excellence and devout Catholic identity.

Retreat Highlights

  • Foundational IFS Integration: Participants learn the basics of Internal Family Systems (IFS) through a Catholic lens, exploring parts work, Self-leadership, and how this model fosters inner freedom and healing.

  • Emotional Clarity & Compassion: The retreat welcomes emotions as morally neutral and informative, helping sisters befriend inner critics, make sense of emotional and physical trailheads, and respond with compassion.

  • Healing Through Self-Awareness & Polyvagal Theory: Tools like Polyvagal theory and the “Notice, Name, Need” approach equip participants to navigate emotional flooding, shutdown, and reactivity with regulation and grace. Gain helpful tools for increasing self presence and inner harmony.

  • Relational Wisdom & Boundaries: Sisters gain practical skills in setting and maintaining boundaries, including the U-Turn for responding mindfully when triggered, cultivating healthier and more respectful relationships.

  • Discernment for Support & Growth: The retreat clarifies what can be held with self/peer support versus when to seek professional therapeutic help—empowering participants to care for themselves and others with appropriate boundaries.