Welcome to Serenity Sit Down, a podcast series brought to you by The Retreat in Wayzata, Minnesota. This unique blend of inspiration and information is designed for those touched by addiction and behavioral health concerns, as well as addiction treatment professionals. Hosted by Father Jim, a seasoned veteran with over 35 years in the 12-Step Fellowship, this series dives deep into stories, strategies, and topics related to recovery, intervention, and prevention. Today, we’re thrilled to share a special episode featuring Jack Curtis, the Principal and Director of The Retreat. Below is an edited transcript transformed into a blog post for theretreat.com. Let’s explore the origins, mission, and magic of The Retreat through this heartfelt conversation.
Jack has been at the helm of The Retreat for over 26 years, guiding it from a bold idea to a thriving community dedicated to affordable, accessible recovery. I asked him to take us back to the beginning
Jack’s story begins in 1991 when he was Vice President of Hazelden International Continuum, part of the renowned Hazelden Foundation. At the time, the addiction treatment landscape was shifting dramatically. “The cost of treatment was skyrocketing, access was diminishing, and managed care was tightening the bottleneck,” Jack recalls. “It was getting harder for people to get help.”
During a think tank that year, Jack met Dr. George Mann, the founder of Saint Mary’s Treatment Center in Minneapolis—one of the first hospital-based 12-Step programs. Together with medical directors, business leaders, and long-time recovered individuals, they tackled a pressing question: Where will alcoholics get help in the future? The group recognized that traditional treatment was becoming unaffordable, often breaking the family bank. They needed a new way.
Inspired by the history of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Jack looked to High Watch Farm in Connecticut, established in 1939 as a retreat center where alcoholics could study the newly written Big Book and learn the 12 Steps together. “Bill W. had this vision of AA retreat centers across the country, but Rockefeller wouldn’t fund it,” Jack explains. “So, he and Marty Mann created High Watch instead.”
At Hazelden, Jack taught the Minnesota Model, a framework born from a desire to move alcoholics out of psychiatric hospitals—where they faced poor treatment and overmedication—and into a more dignified recovery process. “Hazelden started as a retreat center too,” he says. “People would listen to lectures on the Big Book and the Steps. But over time, it grew into a full multidisciplinary program with licensure, accreditation, and rising costs.”
Insurance companies began prioritizing co-occurring issues over spiritual recovery, shifting the field toward a clinical, biopsychosocial focus. “That’s important,” Jack acknowledges, “but what got lost was teaching the basic principles of 12-Step recovery and its spirituality.”
In 1995, Jack wrote a business plan for a “20-bed experiment” he tentatively called “The Retreat.” The name stuck. By 1998, after much prayer, he left his secure job at Hazelden to launch this vision with four employees, a handful of volunteers, and their first guest—Jimmy P. from West Palm Beach, Florida, a former counselee of Jack’s from 16 years prior. “It was the right idea at the right time,” Jack reflects. “Everyone was concerned about rising costs and the over-pathologizing of the human condition. We wanted a simpler, more basic approach.”
So, what makes The Retreat different? Jack’s answer surprises even him. “The greatest revelation was that it wasn’t about an isolated staff delivering recovery to guests. It was God working through community.”
When The Retreat opened, Jack and his team reached out to “bright light” AA groups—pockets of enthusiasm known for service work, sponsorship, and a Big Book focus. “We asked them not just to hold meetings, but to help deliver our curriculum,” Jack says. “They jumped at the chance.”
Today, The Retreat boasts 400 monthly volunteers and 88 AA and Al-Anon groups who bring meetings to campus. “When you’re a guest here, you’re surrounded by people who look and sound like you,” Jack explains. “You see what they have, and recovery becomes attractive. That’s the miracle of our model—God shining a bright light on the possibilities of recovery through community.”
Father Jim shares a story that captures this spirit. “We were at lunch, and a young man with tattoos came over to clear our plates. His eyes were shining as he said, ‘Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have done this. But now I know it’s about service.’ That’s what we teach here—a shift from self-centeredness to being other-centered.”
Jack nods. “I got sober at 23—48 years ago now. That transition from ‘me, me, me’ to noticing the amazing messengers around you is the spiritual awakening we foster.”
At The Retreat, you won’t hear terms like “patients” or “counseling sessions.” “We call them guests,” Jack says. “We share experience, strength, and hope—not clinical jargon. We’ve altered the lexicon to keep it supportive and educational, not cold and medical.”
Father Jim agrees. “In healthcare, there’s a distance—a ‘personality disorder in room 303.’ Here, it’s Jimmy, scared but wanting a happy, sober life. We keep it personal.”
Everyone at The Retreat—from the board to volunteers—is in recovery. “You can’t look anywhere without seeing a living example of what you want,” Jack says. “If you can’t be happy sober, you won’t stay sober. We’ve grown from 20 beds to 171, with 12 or 13 locations worldwide replicating this model. My challenge now is: How do we grow and stay small, intimate with the people we serve?”
Unlike many treatment programs, where guests might only reach Steps 1-3, The Retreat takes them through Steps 1-8. “We want you to acknowledge your powerlessness, find where the power comes from, and act on it,” Jack explains. “Eighty percent of our guests have been to one to five previous treatments. They know the words but can’t hear the music. We teach them the music.”
Steps 6 and 7—addressing character defects and seeking change—are critical. “Most relapses happen three to eight weeks post-treatment because people hit these steps head-on,” Jack says. “Recovery isn’t just about not using—it’s about changing how you live.”
The Retreat also includes a four-day residential family program within its $6,900, 30-day stay—a fraction of the $40,000-$80,000 charged elsewhere. “Families are just as powerless as the addict,” Jack notes. “Our Al-Anon immersion connects them to a community that’s been there.”
The Retreat has tracked outcomes for 17 years, finding that 54% of guests remain sober for 12 months—a rate at or above industry standards. A new three-year study with Harvard and Dr. John Kelly of the Recovery Research Institute is underway, promising even deeper insights.
Jack’s final message is one of hope. “If you or a loved one is struggling, don’t give up. Call us at 952-476-0566. Even if we’re not the right fit, we’ll guide you to hope.”
Thank you for joining us on Serenity Sit Down. Tune in next week as we continue exploring strategies for healing and joyful recovery. Visit fatherjimtalks.com for more resources, and call The Retreat to learn how we can support your journey. Until next time, may you find purpose and peace.