Steady Mind, Mindful Presence:
Foundations of a Dynamic Life-long Practice
with
AAIT® and Mindfulness Practices
with Melanie McGhee and David Patterson
October 2 - 5, 2025
Join us for our annual retreat and discover pathways for Steady Mind, Mindful Presence.
In the heart of Tennessee’s serene countryside at the Well Being Retreat Center join us for a transformative journey designed to anchor you in a steady and enduring personal practice. Amid the silent beauty of Nature, this retreat is your invitation to cultivate resilience, clarity, and a deeper connection to your true self through Acceptance and Integration Training (AAIT) and mindfulness.
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Why This Retreat Matters In these turbulent times, an enduring personal practice is not just a luxury—it’s a lifeline. It is the key to maintaining a steadiness of being and revealing solutions we never knew existed. Through intentional daily practice, we reconnect with our ground of being, discovering a wellspring of peace and possibility within ourselves.
Steeped in wisdom traditions of non-dual teachings, Melanie and David bring personal practice alive with a depth of experience with personal practice, the challenges, the benefits, and practical tools and tips accessible to all. ​​
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Melanie McGhee serves as our guide in AAIT™, Acceptance and Integration Training practices that often reveal higher states of awareness while facilitating psycho-emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
David Patterson ushers us into mindful awareness. With yoga, silent sits, and teaching talks, David’s understanding and teaching comes alive with great good humor and strong intellect.
Kathy White will suppport us into experiencing awareness through movement with Feldenkrais.
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Annalee Bohon will provide some gentle yoga during the retreat.
What Awaits You
Begin with Satori by the River: Experience the profound direct knowing of yourself as pure Awareness, free from identification, in an expanded state of unified consciousness. This foundational (though temporary) experience will set the tone for your journey. ​
Skillful Guidance from Seasoned Practitioners: With over 40 years of daily practice each, David Patterson and Melanie McGhee bring deep wisdom and lived experience to guide you. Together, they will teach you essential skills and practices to establish a sustainable home practice.
Open Practice & Personalized Support: Open practice sessions, with both facilitators available to guide you, answer questions, and deepen your understanding.
Community Discourse: Our gatherings will include a chance to engage in heartfelt conversations, share insights, and learn from the collective wisdom of the group.
Mindful Movement: Kathy White will support our understanding and practice of Awareness Through Movement™ and Annalee Bohon will support us with gentle yoga.
Nourishment for Body and Soul: Enjoy delicious, organic meals made with love that will energize and delight. Surrounded by nature, you will find the quiet to reconnect with yourself and others in meaningful ways.
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. Check-in from 3pm to 5:30pm on Thursday October 2nd
and the retreat ends with lunch on Sunday, October 5, 2025
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Your Facilitators:
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Melanie McGhee, LCSW & David Patterson, Ph.D.
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As Professor Emeritus (UTK) and a certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher, David brings a grounding in science to the pragmatic cultivation of embodied presence.
Melanie is a founding board member of the Alliance for Integrated Awareness and the founder of Acceptance and Integration Training®, an approach to mental health care and spiritual wellbeing that resolves reactivity and uncloaks the true self. A multi decade study of the wisdom traditions enlivens their exploration of seeing into the nature of being and experiencing the wonder of embodied presence.
With Melanie McGhee, L.C.S.W. and David A. Patterson, Ph.D. as light-hearted guides, decades of their shared study and practice illumine a path into resilient, sustainable wellbeing.
Kathy White, MPT GCFP, a long-time champion of With her radiant energy, Kathy brings presence and grace as she guides transformative experiences, blending physical therapy expertise with Feldenkrais principles. Kathy's powerful approach empowers participants to discover self-awareness, bodily intelligence, and personal growth, fostering vibrant well-being.
Annalee Bohon, will lead gentle yoga instruction during the retreat.
Support a Worthy Cause
This retreat is not only an opportunity for growth but also a chance to support the transformative work of the Alliance for Integrated Awareness. All proceeds will go directly to this organization, advancing equity in mental health care and fostering thriving communities.
I feel more present, hopeful, and at ease. I’m grateful to have shared this experience with wonderful people in a beautiful place.
~ Retreat Participant
About the Venue
These retreats are an opportunity to come back to yourself in community with others sharing a similar intention. Surrounded by the beauty of East Tennessee, the gorgeous Powell River, and good company, it’s a chance to remember who you are and what life is while eating THE BEST FOOD! The food offered at the Well Being Center is infused with love and awareness, much of it grown on the land in season.
We sure hope you can join us for our fundraising retreat for the Alliance for Integrated Awareness. Your participation not only serves you, it supports our mission to advance equity in mental health care with AAIT™. We believe in equity and see a world where communities prioritize the emotional and mental wellbeing of all people. Thank you for being a part of that.
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Well Being Retreat Center offers comfortable accommodations and ample meeting space that inspires an awareness of silence and simplicity. Surrounded by nature, we will have access to a labyrinth, riverside Pavilion, Fire Circle, hiking and beauty at every turn. Our sessions will take place in the comfort of the Main Conference Building or the beauty of the outdoor pavilion alongside the Powell River.
Accommodations and Meals
Food provided will be mostly gluten-free, non-vegetarian with a vegetarian option at each meal. Vegetarian may include eggs and limited dairy. Lodging is available on a first come, first serve basis; there are a limited number of private cabins. The Tiny Houses and the earth-sheltered private cabins by the river are both listed as "Private Cabins." For pictures of the lodging options, go here. For accommodation policies click HERE.
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Contact & Questions
Contact Melanie McGhee if you have any questions about the content of the event: (865-384-4104, Melanie@aait.solutions)
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Contact patty@wellbeingcc.org or call her at 423-626-9000 if you have questions about facilities or accommodations.
Please use the form below to register for tuition and accommodations.
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After you "Preview Your Submission," scroll again to bottom of page to "Continue to Payment." (The Payment screen takes a few seconds to appear.) Your registration is complete when payment is made.
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