Events

Sage Summit Retreat- Spring 2027

Date: April 19-20

Location: Denver Botanic Gardens:

Time: 9:30-4:30

With the  Denver Botanic Gardens as our backdrop, Sage Summit Retreats unfolds in a space where nature itself becomes part of the discussion. The Gardens offer more than a scenic setting — they create a rare environment for reflection, artistic expression, and genuine inspiration, inviting us to slow down and reconnect with ourselves. 

Agenda

Day: 1

Hour: 9:30–10:00am

Type: Welcome

Title: Welcome & introductions

Hour: 10:00–11:00am

Type: Discussion

Title: Healthy Aging

Speaker: Margit Cox Henderson, Ph.D. - Keynote Speaker

Description: Dr. Margit Cox Henderson will share her insights and explore how we can debunk aging myths and offer a positive outlook for the future.  Dr. Henderson will share secrets to long-term resilience that offer the possibility of transforming aging concerns into excitement for the future.  If you have worried that aging is synonymous with an inevitable decline, your future self will thank you!

Hour: 11:15 - 12:15 pm

Type: Workshop

Title: Menopause Empowerment

Speaker: Julie Lemoine, MD

Description: Dr. Lemoine will explore the complex and ever-changing world of evidence around perimenopause, menopause, aging, and our bodies in this phase of life.  She will share her passion for educating women about what we can expect, who we can talk to, and how we can navigate this phase of life.

Hour: 12:15–1:00pm

Type: Lunch

Title: Breakout session with Dr. Lemoine (limited sign ups)

Description: Provided by Flower Child. While we share a healthy meal from a Denver local favorite, some of our participants will be able to join Dr. Lemoine in a more intimate setting.  Please see registration information for details.

Hour: 1:00–2:30pm

Type: Exercise #1

Title: Values Card Sort + Matrix

Description: Begin by exploring what matters most to you. In a self-guided exercise, you’ll sift through cards naming core values, such as connection, creativity, health, and freedom, and choose the handful that feel most true for this season of your life. Then, together, we’ll bring those values into the Matrix, a simple visual tool for noticing what pulls you toward the life you want and what pulls you away.

Hour: 2:30–3:30pm

Type: Exercise #2

Title: Garden Reflection

Description: Step out into the gardens so we can fully appreciate why we chose this setting. Using your journal and watercolors, you’ll follow a prompt to explore how you feel in midlife and capture it in imagery. No art experience needed. We’ll then share in small groups, and finally with the larger group.

Hour: 3:30-4:30pm

Type: Guided Practice

Title: Mindfulness, Wrap Up and Goodbye

Description: Day one closes with foundational skills and interactive exercises in mindfulness and emotion regulation. You’ll leave with a small take-home practice to carry into day two.

Day: 2

Hour: 9:30–10:00am

Type: Exercise #1

Title: Good Morning & Mindfulness

Description: Start the day by reflecting on the homework and the themes from day one. After grounding ourselves with breath work, we’ll try a playful activity that has us imagining ourselves as aliens.

Hour: 10:00–11:00am

Type: Session

Title: Sleep in Midlife

Speaker: Keri Johns, Ph.D.

Description: Dr. Johns will share her expertise on sleep during perimenopause and menopause.  Even for those of us who were once champion sleepers, how do our hormones create challenges in getting our zzzzzz's.  Dr. Johns will explore sleep tips and strategies to get us back on track.

Hour: 11:15am–12:15

Type: Workshop

Title: Style and Confidence

Speaker: Hardie Cobbs

Description: Through what Hardie has learned from her own story,  she will offer a paradigm shift in our beliefs around aging.  How do we align our inner narrative or confidence with our outward choices? How do we age with intention and style, especially if our bodies look and feel different?  

Hour: 12:15–1:00pm

Type: Lunch

Title: Breakout Session with Hardie Cobbs (limited sign up)

Description: Meal Provided by Mad Greens. While we enjoy another healthy meal, participants who signed up will enjoy extra time with Hardie.  In this smaller group setting, you can ask questions, share your own tips, or get personalized style guidance. 

Hour: 1:00–2:00pm

Type: Session

Title: Self-Compassion

Speaker: Arnica Buckner, Ph.D.

Description: Dr. Buckner will help us understand how self-compassion changes our relationship with ourselves and helps us to develop more meaningful ways of living. What is self-compassion, why it’s especially helpful in the aging journey, and how can I practice it in my everyday life?

Hour: 2:00–2:45pm

Type: Exercise #2

Title: Small Group Reflection

Description: In groups of three or four, you’ll spend 20 minutes with three guided questions about the themes of the day, then come back together to share what emerged. We’ll close with a brief mindfulness meditation.

Hour: 3:00–4:30pm

Title: Final Experiential exercise and Goodbyes

Description: We’ll conclude our two days together with intention setting and exploring how we want to move forward. Our final goodbye is a group mindfulness activity that brings together the energy, fun, and community we’ve built along the way.