What we’re about
Conscious Girlfriend: We Help Lesbians & Queer Women Date Wisely and Love Well.
Welcome to our Meetup group! Conscious Girlfriend offers free workshops and teleclasses, many free articles and videos on our website (www.consciousgirlfriend.com) plus a variety of other offerings - including in-depth online classes and live weekend retreats - all focused on helping lesbians and queer women find, create and sustain the happy, healthy love we want and deserve.
Our work is based on neuroscience, psychology, spirituality and other tools of transformation -- and it can help you find the partner of your dreams, and create the relationship you've always wanted.
I'm Ruth L. Schwartz, Ph.D., and I co-founded Conscious Girlfriend with Michelle Murrain back in 2013. Here's a bit about the professional background that went into that: I have a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology and have helped individuals and couples grow and heal since 2003. I also trained in relationship coaching with Gay and Katie Hendricks, authors of Conscious Loving and many other books, and with the Somatica Institute, which offers a pioneering, experiential approach to sexuality and intimacy coaching.
But most importantly, I walk my talk and live Conscious Girlfriend principles every day in my own intimate relationship! I'm very transparent, not a "guru," but a real live person on my own growth path. I came out in 1982 and am completely committed to learning more about love, and loving in healthier and more intimate ways, each and every day -- and to learning what I teach, teaching what I learn, and supporting our community!
About You
If you're a single lesbian or queer woman who's seeking a new relationship sometime soon...
If you're not sure you want another relationship, but you do know for sure you don't want any more heartbreak...
If you know you're not ready now, but want help gaining skills and tools so that someday you can create the kind of deeply fulfilling, healthy love you've always wanted...
Or if you're in a relationship now, and want tools and skills to make your love as intimate, joyful, harmonious and satisfying as it can be...
We hope you'll join this Meetup group, and take advantage of some of our offerings!
We are very compassionate and inclusive. If you identify as a woman and are interested in loving a woman, you're welcome (whether you're trans, queer, lesbian, gay, genderqueer, just coming out, bisexual, monogamous, poly, or however else you might identify.)
For more information, check us out at [www.consciousgirlfriendacademy.com](http://www.ConsciousGirlfriend.com).
In love,
Ruth
(Ruth L. Schwartz, Ph.D.)
Upcoming events
2
- Network event
Lesbian Learning & Friend-Making Four-Night Florida Retreat
Location not specified yet4 attendees from 26 groupsWhat would it be like...
...To spend four nights and five days in a peaceful place on a river, surrounded by thoughtful lesbians who are curious about themselves and about you, building real community and friendships in a safe, supportive environment?
To feel accepted exactly as you are, whether you're in your 30s or your 80s, or anywhere in between... whether you've been out for decades, or are just coming out now... and have fun, go deep, and gain skills for your life as a woman or non-binary person who loves women?
Dancing. Walking. Swimming. Sun-bathing. Canoeing. Playing conversation games that help you really get to know people. And attending what some members have called "lesbian university," with classes that help you make lasting changes to create the dating and love life you really want.
For many lesbians, a retreat like this one is a dream come true, a chance to break out of isolation and make connections that will last for the rest of your life.
Here's what a few recent participants have said.
Our March 2026 retreat sold out so fast that we added this January retreat, and we're making it available to women* new to Conscious Girlfriend Academy, as well as existing members. (All of our work is open to all self-identified women and adjacent non-binary people who love women, or want to. Late-in-lifers are warmly welcome!)
For more info or to sign up, visit our retreat page here.
The Academy is a truly unique LGBTQ space, both online and offline. In a world that sometimes seems to have gone mad, full of disconnection and dysfunction, we create an oasis in our own lives and for the lesbian/queer community. We're the authors of the Amazon bestselling book Conscious Lesbian Dating & Love (start reading the book for free right here) and have changed lives in 25 countries.
Academy work is based on cutting-edge neuroscience and attachment research, combined with decades of real-life lesbian and queer hard experience. Our teachers and coaches have been through many trainings, including the "school of hard knocks," and we're dedicated to making YOUR journey easier.
Together, we shift isolation... into connection.
We transmute heartbreak... into healing and empowerment.
We help lesbians and queer women create the friendships and love we've always wanted.
And in the process, we make life better for all of us :)
Learn more at www.consciousgirlfriendacademy.com -- and visit soon if you can, because annual memberships are on sale for 20% off through December 1.
Wondering if we're the right fit for you? Visit our retreat page to learn how to schedule a free 1:1 chat with our outreach director so you can get better-acquainted with our program. Do it today, and tomorrow you'll be glad you did :)1 attendee from this group - Network event
Conscious Lesbian/Queer Retreat In The Sunshine, March 2026
Dayspring Retreat Center, 8411 25th St E, Parrish, FL, US28 attendees from 26 groupsOpen-Hearted. Growthful. Fun. Friendship-Making.
Welcoming all women-loving-women and adjacent non-binary people.
Tampa Bay Area, Florida
March 8-12, 2026
Conscious Girlfriend Academy Retreats are for our members only. Learn more about the retreat, and about becoming a member, here.
FAQs About Conscious Girlfriend Academy Retreats
Q: What are Conscious Girlfriend Academy's lesbian retreats like?
Conscious Girlfriend Academy is the leading global online community and learning hub for growth-oriented lesbians, queer women and adjacent non-binary people. Our retreats are focused on heart connections and learning. These multi-day events invite you to:
- Connect with approximately 60 lesbians and queer women in open-hearted ways
- Experience a non-hookup, community-focused environment
- Explore workshops and conversations that support personal growth and authentic connection
For some, CGA retreats are their first time in a group of lesbians. It's a safe, welcoming space to step into community. For others, CGA retreats rekindle the joyful spirit of past decades of lesbian gatherings.
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Q: What is the setting of this retreat?
Dayspring is a warmly welcoming 97-acre retreat center on the Manatee River, with kayaks, trails, gardens, wetlands, a labyrinth, great food and cozy retreat lodging. It's about 45 minutes from the Tampa International Airport. Temperatures in March should be in the mid-70s to low 80s during the day, and low 60s at night.
Q: Who are Conscious Girlfriend Academy retreats for?
CGA retreats are especially for single lesbians and queer women seeking community and friendship, though couples are warmly welcome, too. Each retreat brings together approximately 60 attendees.
- Most attendees are ages 30s-80s.
- Women who are just coming out, are bisexual or are exploring their queer identity are embraced here.
- Longtime lesbians looking to reconnect with lesbian culture and community will feel like ducks in water :)
It’s the perfect space if you’ve been longing for meaningful connection without the pressure of a bar or dating scene and if you are a growth-oriented woman-loving-woman who wants to hang out with and/or date people committed to conscious, healthy relationships.
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Q: What can I expect to experience at the retreat?
At our Conscious Girlfriend Academy retreats, you can look forward to:
- Workshops for self-discovery and personal growth
- Morning meditation or mindful walks
- Structured opportunities to make new friends and go deep
- Evening gatherings that foster joy and belonging, including campfires and maybe even s'mores (gluten-free for some of us)
- Fantastic meals
- Time to relax, reflect, and recharge in warm-hearted company, welcoming to introverts, extroverts and everyone in between
Many participants say the true magic is in the friendships and confidence they take home with them. And yes, some conscious romances have begun at our past retreats, too :)
Learn more about the retreat and membership at www.consciousgirlfriendacademy.com
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Q: I’m just coming out. Will I fit in?
Absolutely! This retreat is crafted for inclusivity and comfort, offering a gentle landing for those:
- Newly coming out
- Exploring their lesbian or queer identity
- Seeking their first connection with lesbian community
You’ll be surrounded by growth-oriented, open-hearted women who will support, uplift, and welcome you exactly as you are.
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Q: What makes this lesbian retreat unique?
Unlike a larger event or party-focused weekends, Conscious Girlfriend Academy retreats offer:
- A non-intimidating, community-first atmosphere
- Workshops and activities that prioritize self-acceptance, learning, and authentic connection
- Opportunities to bond with other single lesbians without the pressure of a hookup or dating-focused event
- An opportunity to meet in person with your past, present or future classmates in the Conscious Girlfriend Academy, the world's only online school and community devoted to helping lesbians and adjacent queer people live our best lives, date wisely and love well.
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Q: Why do you have to be an Academy member in order to attend?
- Academy membership creates a culture based on being conscious, compassionate and curious, and this container transfers over to our retreats, making them both richer and more relaxed. When you're at a Conscious Girlfriend event, you can expect genuine warmth, not a frenzied focus on "meeting someone." You will definitely "meet someone" -- lots of someones! That said, all of our retreats yield friendships, and some of those, in the fullness of time, also turn into romantic relationships.
- Most Academy members find that the Academy dramatically uplevels their capacity for higher-quality, authentic friendship and relationships. So it's a special perk to be able to spend F2F time with those women you've previously seen in the Zoom squares, and see what blossoms.
- Learn more about the retreat and membership here.
1 attendee from this group
Past events
402
