Men's Backpacking Retreat: Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas

"I felt as if I was in a rut with the shame of my inadequacies on one side and the weight of perceived expectations on the other. I began looking for a way to break out and go on a 'vision quest' of sorts. Then I received an email invitation from Conor McMillen, and I was all in."

"I joined Conor and 4 amazing men who truly showed up, ditched the technology, and engaged in the good work of mature masculinity surrounded by incredible and nourishing nature. The hiking in shook loose my fears, the conversations were healing and supportive, and we were all able to be fully present with one another as Conor skillfully created space for us men to be our true selves. To say this trip was life-changing would be an understatement. I was and continue to be held up by the blessings of these men and by hearing my own true self speak for the first time in years."

"This experience felt deeply meaningful in a way that's hard to put into words. Spending the week immersed in the Ouachita National Forest, completely off devices and away from the constant stimulation of daily life, was profoundly regulating for my nervous system and felt like a genuine reset."

"What impacted me most was the combination of that setting with the depth of connection that emerged within the group. There was such a wide range of joy, laughter, honesty, and vulnerability that felt rare and beautifully human. Conor's grounding in Internal Family Systems, along with his depth of life experience, created a sense of emotional safety that allowed the experience to unfold naturally, without pressure to perform, exaggerate, or force some kind of breakthrough."

"I left with the sense that something subtle but deeply important shifted in me -- not as a dramatic peak experience, but as a new texture in my life that will stay with me for a long time."

"It was a rare and surreal experience to be off my phone and in nature for this amount of time. I'm still feeling the impact of it, as it generated a real nervous system and heart reset. I notice that I am still in the effects of this break, much more present and able to do the things that I want to do in my life."

"There is a specific kind of camaraderie and friendship that comes only from doing a hard thing together. Getting through this rugged trail forged our group into a band of brothers. There's a kind of bond here that you just don't get doing normal things."

"So many insights came to me during the guided men's work, in particular around a sense of unworthiness. Doing this with a group of men, in nature, is a kind of healing I didn't know I needed. I also gained an appreciation for the warrior archetype, and have begun a process of enlisting my inner warrior to protect and defend my inner lover and magician."

"Conor is an excellent outdoorsman, confidant and facilitator who creates an extremely curated and safe experience. I have rarely felt I am in such competent, loving and visionary hands. If you're on the fence about this experience, just do it. The rewards can't be overstated."

"This was a highlight for me. I was immediately struck by the joy I found in simple tasks, away from the sparkle of social media. Suddenly, I found so much appreciation in nature, in connection, in setting up camp, and being in tune with my inner world. I was amazed at how I could drop in so quickly, and was grateful that my relationship to tech has changed significantly on my return."

"I was actually surprised by the mental challenge. When you see 26.8 miles over 4 days, you think that's going to be easy. But the ridges were particularly intense, in a good way, and having the group spirit really made those moments more manageable and obviously bonded everyone more deeply. I was able to get in touch with some deeper parts of myself, especially around my capacity to do hard things and stay present in the journey and pain."

"Conor's solid guidance and wisdom was a real highlight for me. He is clearly deeply connected to nature and to himself, and this shows up in his guided work with men. I was struck by everyone's openness, right out of the gate; there was no beating around the bush with the vulnerability, which really set the stage for some deep connecting work with a solid group of men."

"I've always had a really tough time trusting men and I've also never backpacked before. I felt like this was a really good opportunity to explore connecting intimately with other dudes doing something hard and fun, while getting a really good detox from my phone, women, work, and all of the other sticky distractions in my life."

"As a 35 year old in tech, I find it easy to get into these states of busyness where I think I'm being useful but I'm just being really good at avoiding my feelings. The space that Conor created here allowed for me to connect with those feelings I've been running from, in a safe place, held by other men I can trust, and held in nature."

"Not only is Conor an expert at navigating an extended hiking and camping journey through uncharted territory, he's also an expert at generating a container of love that allows men to show up exactly as they are and feel cared for and accepted fully."

"This trip was not just hard work and reflection but also an insane amount of fun. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. The sessions at night after setting up camp were sincere, playful, and honestly more loving than I've felt around other men before. Backpacking is such a perfect and beautiful conduit to doing men's work. I will definitely be coming back."