Our Retreats
Cultivating Mindfulness and Connection
Since 2010, Be Well Now founder Joe Klein has been at the forefront of mindfulness-based self-care training for helping professionals. Over 200 professionals—including teachers, counselors, social workers, and nurses—have completed his eight-week graduate course at Radford University, designed to integrate mindfulness practices into daily life. Joe has also led or co-led more than two dozen daylong and weekend retreats, where participants are guided through immersive mindfulness experiences.
Now, through Be Well Now, Joe is expanding his leadership to offer a variety of daylong, weekend, and 5-day retreats for young adults, helping professionals, and elders throughout central Appalachia. These retreats emphasize relational mindfulness—a practice that fosters connection within yourself and within a community of peers. Participants gain a profound sense of belonging while cultivating awareness of their relationships with others, nature, and the world around them.
Many of these retreats are hosted at Floyd EcoVillage, Be Well Now’s home base, nestled in the beautiful Appalachian region. The EcoVillage offers an immersive natural setting that deepens the retreat experience, with peaceful gardens, walking trails, and sustainable farming practices that support the retreat’s focus on inner care and connection to the natural world. In addition, we also offer retreats at other serene locations throughout Appalachia, bringing the benefits of mindfulness to a wider community. Wherever the location, participants leave with a greater sense of clarity, inner peace, and tools for long-term well-being.
A Ripple of Transformation
The impact of Joe’s retreats extends far beyond individual participants. One powerful example is Captain R. Scott Schwarzer of the Radford City Police Department (RCPD), who attended a weekend retreat and found the experience so transformative that it enhanced both his personal well-being and his professional effectiveness.
Inspired by the benefits he received, Captain Schwarzer invited Joe and his teaching team to bring these practices to his police squad. In 2022, Joe led a series of mindfulness trainings for the RCPD through Instill Mindfulness. Captain Schwarzer has since retired and joined the teaching team, working with other professionals. They have since worked to develop an Inner Situational Awareness Training (iSAT), designed specifically for correctional officers, nurses and other staff at New River Regional Jail. Click here to learn more about this initiative.
Visit our events page to look over upcoming events and register.