3-days of story-immersion
with michael mcray
April 9-12, 2026
Bask Retreat Center
90 miles west of Nashville
YOu’re standing at the threshold of a new story.
you can feel it.
You’ve outgrown the life you’ve been living — the rhythms, the roles, the expectations, maybe even the version of yourself you became to survive.
You know something needs to shift…
but perhaps you don’t yet know what that shift is.
You’re not broken.
You’re between stories.
And the in-between can feel disorienting, lonely, or quietly painful — even when your life looks fine from the outside.
If you’re honest:
You’re craving clarity about who you are now.
You’re tired of performing “okay.”
You’re longing for a pause — a real one.
You want connection that feels human, not polite.
You want to feel at home in your own body again.
You’re ready for a deeper kind of transformation.
This retreat exists for you.
Welcome to the wild way retreat
Hosted at
A three-day immersion into your story, your soul, and the wild in and around you.
Held in the sacred landscape of Bask Retreat Center—42 lush acres of biodiverse healing ground,
flowing streams,
preserved wetlands,
native grasslands,
star-filled skies,
and beautifully crafted spaces designed for inner renewal.
This is not a typical retreat.
It’s a threshold crossing.
A place to shed the old story with tenderness and step toward the truer one emerging beneath your skin.
Past retreatants said…
“Michael is a rare gift of a facilitator, and this retreat was one of the most worthwhile weekends I have ever spent.”
— Julie
“Perfect mix of internal exploration and reflection in small group setting. I can honestly say I will never listen to someone’s story the same way again! My heart grew…”
— Sheri
“A fulfilling and mind-calming retreat. I now know how I can convey my personal story to others and receive and honor others’ stories as a gift from them to me.”
— Sherry
“I came in all bundled up with nerves … I left rested, restored, and restoried.”
— Susan
Anyone carrying…
A story you’ve avoided but can no longer ignore
Grief, anxiety, or overwhelm that has nowhere to land
Exhaustion from performing a life that doesn’t feel aligned
Loneliness masked by competence or busyness
A longing to reconnect with your intuition, your body, and your voice
A desire for a path forward that isn’t prescriptive, but soul-led
If you’re reading this and thinking,
“Yeah… that’s me,”
then you already understand why this retreat matters.
who should attend this retreat?
What you’ll receive?
(Book your room below!)
This weekend is designed to offer
clarity, belonging, and transformation without force.
narrative clarity.
On the one you’ve been living.
The one that’s ending.
And the one your life is asking you to write next.
nervous system reset.
You will breathe differently here.
You will think more slowly.
Your body will remember what calm feels like.
genuine connection.
Through beautifully facilitated story circles, you will be seen — the real you — with gentleness and respect.
You’ll leave hearing your intuition again, not the noise of obligation, fear, or performance.
inner wisdom.
tools for the wild way forward.
Practices that help you live your next chapter with clarity:
story excavation
narrative reframing
somatic grounding
curiosity-based inquiry
rituals for transition and return
What you’ll experience during the three days:
Guided experiential storywork and narrative exploration
Live myth and folktale oral storytelling
Reflective exercises
Group circles where you can be deeply seen
Guided and unguided time in nature for solitude or connection
Fireside conversations
Morning grounding practices
Access to cold plunge, sauna, and yoga
Extraordinary, healthy, nourishing meals by a private chef
Spaciousness — unhurried, uncluttered time
A balance of inner journey and communal warmth
investment
All-inclusive tickets
start at $1,497
for shared lodging in stunning accomodations.
Private lodging also available.
All options detailed below.
Shared and private rooms in buffalo lodge
SHARED ROOMS // $1,497
PRIVATE ROOMS // $1,797
The site’s epicenter of gathering spans 5,200 sqft and features seven thoughtfully designed bedrooms with a mix of private (king, queen) and shared (double, triple, quad) options.
Buffalo has a fully stocked kitchen with dining for 24, two cozy living rooms, 40 ft stone fireplace, library, massage room, and cozy covered patio.
private geo dome
$1,997
On the west end of the property nearest to the expression space, these moss, clover, and iris geo domes each feature a queen bed for up to 2 guests—luxury glamping under the stars with the creature comforts of a city hotel.
A deck for morning reflection and a gorgeous tiled showerhouse just steps away.
Cozy, colorfully-appointed, and nestled at the forest’s edge. One private queen room downstairs adjacent to the kitchen / living area and an upstairs platform with 3 single beds per cabin – perfect for intimate groups seeking privacy amid nature.
Shared woodland cabin
$1,497 (must book with at least one other person)
(he/him/his)
Michael is Nashville-based facilitator, experiential life coach, and story-practitioner. He’s the author of multiple books, including his 2025 release The Wild Way: Navigating the Space Between the Old Story and the New, and I Am Not Your Enemy, which won the 2020 Best Book Award in Social Change from the American Book Fest. His writing has received praise from internationally acclaimed authors, like Ishmael Beah, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Raja Shehadeh, and National Book Award winner Colum McCann.
Michael’s work in storytelling has focused on everything from organizational storytelling, to storytelling for advocacy and social change, to narrative-driven strategy, to storytelling for empathy and connection, to storytelling for entertainment and community cohesion. Michael’s story experience and expertise are sought after by all types of organizations—from VMware and Cigna to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and even NASA.
During his graduate studies in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, he lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland and fell in love with the transformative power of telling our personal stories. Since 2013, he has produced and hosted Tenx9 Nashville, a monthly community storytelling event that has elevated nearly 1,100 local stories on stage.
His list of credentials is long—with certifications and training in experiential coaching, mediation, public narrative, integrated somatic trauma healing, conflict coaching, and more. And yet, beyond all these lines on a resumé, Michael’s greatest credential is his own human experience of turning his pain into purpose. Out of a story of self-loathing, self-harm, and attempted suicide, Michael has spent a decade healing, digging deeply into what’s buried in his own past so that he can live with radiant contentment.
Michael speaks across the United States on the themes of story, curiosity, and conflict, and was a featured speaker at TEDx Nashville in 2022.
Michael lives in Nashville, TN, pursuing his purpose: to use the power of story to make meaning, heal harm, and repair relationships.
Relevant certifications and training:
Masters, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, Trinity College Dublin at Belfast
Certified Experiential Coach (Level 2 of 3), International Society of Experiential Professionals
Certificate of Completion, Integrated Somatic Trauma Therapy, The Embody Lab, online, 60-hours
Executive Certification, Public Narrative, Harvard Kennedy School, USA, Online
Certification, Conflict Coaching, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University, USA, Online
Certified Mediator, Dialogue for Peaceful Change, Northern Ireland
Training, Psychodrama, International Society of Experiential Professionals, 68 hours
Tent of Seven Doors Summer School with Dr. Martin Shaw, School of Myth, Devon, England
Storywork: A Summer School in Narrative Practice with Pádraig Ó Tuama, Corrymeela Community, Northern Ireland
YOUR RETREAT LEADER
Michael mcray
Hear Michael share some of his story of pain to purpose in this 2025 keynote from STORY in Nashville, TN.
Michael's skills as a Storytelling Coach have earned him a spot on the Coach Foundation, one of the biggest names in the coaching industry.
the wild way is calling.
People don’t come to a retreat like this on accident.
You come because your life is whispering: It’s time.
This is your invitation to pause, breathe, release, remember…
and reenter your life with clarity, groundedness, and wholeness.
FAQs
Is there an extra cost for meals?
No, the retreat price includes everything—even constant access to coffee, tea, cold drinks, and snacks. Top-notch meals will be provided by a private chef with locally sourced whole-food ingredients. If you have any dietary needs, please include those in the sign-up form.
Will the rooms have private bathrooms?
There are multiple bathrooms in the Buffalo Lodge available for the private and shared rooms. There’s a state-of-the-art bathhouse with private showers and stalls for the Geo Domes, and a full bathroom in each of the cabins. You will have ample bathroom privacy with any booking you make.
can couples come?
Absolutely! The Geo Domes are perfect for this. Book a dome as a couple and your individual ticket price drops to $1,397 instead of $1,997! Other options are available as well. Contact Michael for options.
Is this a religious retreat?
No, though you are most welcome to attend if you are a person of faith! No one will be denied based on religious affiliation.
Is this a writing retreat?
No. A couple of processes allow for short bits of writing, and there will be some unstructured time when you can write if you wish. The focus will be on our time together and the conversations we have.
