Pathways to Purpose Register

A three-day retreat for Gifted & Distractible adults

Pathways to Purpose

Moving inward. Moving outward. Moving forward.

Three days at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds to slow down, listen to what is already true in you, and leave knowing how to live your life with purpose. With Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D., and Jerry Fishman.

April 13–16, 2027 Asilomar, Pacific Grove, California

Register now See the three days

Questions? Contact us

A group of adults sitting together outdoors under trees, laughing; a woman in a blue shirt in the foreground has her hand on her chest mid-laugh.
Retreat
3 days
To April 16, 2027
Apr 13
Lodging at Asilomar
3 nights
Early bird, shared room
$2,895$3,000

An invitation

Have you ever asked yourself, “Is there more?”

All your life, people have been giving you messages about who you are. You're “too much.” You're “too intense.” You “lack boundaries.” You “overthink everything.”

At Pathways to Purpose, those messages become signposts that point the way toward your purpose.

Questions we will explore

  • What are the messages people have been giving you throughout your life?
  • What have you been giving your energy to?
  • When do you feel most aligned, like you are moving in the right direction?
  • What would you do if you trusted that being fully yourself was enough?

For three days

  • Take off the mask and reveal your authentic self.
  • You don't have to hold up the version of yourself that functions well.
  • You don't have to explain your past choices.
  • You don't have to already know what's next.
Long-exposure photo of waves washing over rocks along the Asilomar coast at dusk, with a band of sunset light on the horizon.

“Your purpose is not something you found. It's something you awakened.”

The three pathways

Three days, three pathways

Tailored to the way you take in information and communicate, we'll use hands-on activities, immersive experiences, and interactive sessions to awaken your purpose.

  1. Day one

    Moving inward

    Focusing on what's already inside of you

    We start by grounding. You step out of the momentum of ordinary life and look at the arc of your experiences so far. Where have you felt most alive? What were you passionate about as a child? What are the gifts and wounds that keep showing up for you?

    • Leaving regrets behind
    • Leaning into all of who you are
    • Finding internal treasures
  2. Day two

    Moving outward

    Broadening perspective and awakening purpose

    Next, we turn our attention outward. Using your powers of observation, inside and out, you begin to listen for your purpose. What feels yours to do? What do the people around you see in you? What would you do if you trusted that being fully yourself was enough?

    • Sharpening your powers of observation
    • Listening for what feels yours to do
    • Seeing yourself through others' eyes
  3. Day three

    Moving forward

    Building momentum and actualizing purpose

    Through immersive experiences, you weave together your epiphanies and your insights. You've pulled the thread on where you're stuck; now you collaborate to create your purpose statement.

    • You listened to your inner voice
    • You named what moves you
    • You remembered your joy

How we work

A growshop, not a seminar

You will not be given answers. You will cultivate your own, through visual, auditory and hands-on practices.

On the second day, partners write each other's purpose on a stone like this one.

The detour board

From objects you find on the grounds, you build a board that holds the detours and regrets that took you out of your flow. At the fire ritual, it goes into the fire.

Forest bathing

A slow, sensory walk among the trees. You notice your surroundings, your body and your senses, and let the forest be your guide.

Purpose stones

You find a stone during forest bathing. Later, a partner writes your purpose statement on it in white, without showing you first.

Painting with water

You paint, then watch the image disappear. It is a way to practice letting go of permanence and allowing things to change.

Purpose Pages

Your journal for all three days. Every prompt, reflection and draft of your purpose lives here.

Purpose partners

In the closing ritual you stand with a partner and promise, “When you forget, I will remind you.”

Who it's for

Created for Gifted and Distractible adults

Pathways to Purpose was created for Gifted and Distractible, or twice-exceptional (2e), adults and for the people who care for them.

Julie and Jerry adapted Jerry's Living on Purpose retreat for the 2e community, with visual, auditory and hands-on activities, time outdoors, and quiet time built into each day.

This retreat is for you if

  • You identify as gifted, twice-exceptional or Gifted and Distractible.
  • You parent or care for a 2e person and want to explore your own purpose.
  • You want to uncover your purpose, even if you don't know yet what it is.
  • You want to take what you have learned about yourself and put it into practice.
  • You are a past or current Haystacker ready to apply your learning toward finding your purpose.

What you'll take home

What you leave with

Your six-word purpose

A personal mantra that distills your purpose into six words.

Your Purpose Pages

The record of your three days: prompts, reflections and what surprised you.

A daily practice

One small daily ritual to help you get back to your truth.

Purpose partners

Real-life support from people who were there with you.

Jerry's six words

Walk purpose, awaken humanity, move worlds.

In their words

From people who have worked with Jerry and Julie

My family is so lucky we found Julie early in our neurodivergent journey. Julie really excels at sharing and providing things that are actually useful.
DL · 2e adult
The wooden boardwalk through the Asilomar dunes at sunset, with yellow lupine on one side and rocks in the Pacific beyond.

The place

Asilomar Conference Grounds

Asilomar sits at the edge of the Pacific in Pacific Grove, California. Its historic buildings were designed by Julia Morgan, California's first licensed woman architect.

The grounds are wooded, with paths to walk between sessions. You can walk down to the beach, or follow the coast toward Pebble Beach.

Fly intoMonterey (MRY), about 15 minutes away
Or drive fromSan Jose (SJC) or San Francisco (SFO)
NearbyMonterey Bay Aquarium, Pebble Beach
RoomsShared or private, on the grounds

Your guides

Julie Skolnick and Jerry Fishman

Julie Skolnick speaking into a microphone at a bookstore event, seated beside a copy of her book Gifted and Distractible.

Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D.

Founder, With Understanding Comes Calm · Author, Gifted and Distractible

Julie is the founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC, and the author of Gifted and Distractible. She guides families through complex situations, works with parents of Gifted and Distractible children around the world, trains educators, and mentors twice-exceptional adults.

She and her husband parent three twice-exceptional children. As she tells her course participants, her parent clients sometimes think she has a crystal ball, because she can finish their sentences. That comes from raising her own three, and from hundreds and hundreds of clients around the world.

  • Author of Gifted and Distractible, published by Penguin Random House. Over 31,000 copies sold, and a three-time award winner
  • Secretary to the Maryland superintendent's State Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Students
Jerry Fishman smiling at the water's edge, with curly gray hair, glasses and a navy jacket, under a cloudy sky.

Jerry Fishman

Founder, Living on Purpose

Jerry Fishman is a lifelong creator and leader of change with over 40 years of experience bridging artistry, personal development, and social impact.

As a professional performer for 30 years, Jerry excelled as a singer, actor, dancer, director, and choreographer, performing in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Chorus Line and founding Kilroy Productions, where he created original works Off-Broadway and internationally.

With over a decade of executive experience, Jerry has led thousands globally and served on the Board of Directors for Cherish Our Children International, creating ground-breaking programs for vulnerable youth.

In 2025, Jerry launched Living on Purpose, a new company empowering people to discover and live their life's work with artistry, meaning, and heart.

Investment

Tuition and lodging

Shared room

Early bird rate

$2,895$3,000

Per person, double occupancy. $3,000 after the early bird deadline.

Register

Private room

Early bird rate

$3,295$3,695

Per person, single occupancy. $3,695 after the early bird deadline.

Register

Early bird pricing ends December 1, 2026.

Included

  • Three nights' lodging at Asilomar
  • Meals on the grounds
  • All sessions, rituals and materials
  • Your Purpose Pages journal and purpose stone

Not included

  • Travel to and from Pacific Grove
  • Airport transfers

Questions

Frequently asked

What does Gifted and Distractible mean?

Gifted and Distractible is Julie's term for twice-exceptional (2e) people: those who are highly able and who also face challenges such as ADHD, anxiety or a learning difference. It is also the title of her book.

Do I need to know my purpose before I come?

No. You don't have to already know what's next. Purpose is not something you invent. It is something you uncover, and the retreat is designed to help you do that.

Is this therapy?

No. This retreat is not a substitute for medical, psychological, or psychiatric care.

How big is the group?

The retreat is planned for a small group of about 20 participants.

What is the daily schedule like?

Sessions run through the day with regular breaks, quiet time at lunch, and an evening fire ritual on the first two nights. Arrival and departure times will be shared when you register.

How do I get there?

Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is about 15 minutes from Asilomar. San Jose (SJC) is about 90 minutes by car and San Francisco (SFO) about two hours.

What is the cancellation policy?

All payments are non-refundable unless otherwise stated in writing. If the facilitators cancel the retreat, you will receive a full refund or a credit toward a future retreat.

April 13–16, 2027 · Asilomar

Reserve your place

Choose a shared or private room. Early bird pricing is $2,895 shared and $3,295 private.

Register: shared room Register: private room