I Went on Sutton Foster’s Canyon Ranch Women’s Retreat While Pregnant—Here’s What I Learned

There I stood: 22 weeks pregnant and the most uncomfortable in my body I’d ever been, inches from a woman I didn’t know, watching her blue eyes stare directly into my brown ones in total silence.

“Now, move a little closer.”

Any insecurities I entered the room with were heightened. The minutes felt like hours.

Luckily, by this point, I was about 75 percent through Broadway star Sutton Foster’s “Leading Women” retreat at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts, and I’d already learned quite a few new tools for both pushing myself to do hard things and recognizing my reactions without judgment.

Essentially, we were practicing being seen. Next, we’d work on receiving compliments (no humble eye rolls, just acceptance!) and flower arranging. Then, after dinner and a moonlit hike through the woods, we were all looking forward to an exercise we affectionately labeled “burning shit”—AKA writing down things we wanted to let go of from our lives on pieces of paper and then lighting them on fire.

Canyon Ranch’s Berkshires location is a sprawling integrative wellness resort with plenty of programming to fill every day for those who visit on their own—from fitness classes and nature walks, to spa services and pickleball, to painting and cooking sessions—plus optional medical assessments and a vitality studio with top-of-the-line red light therapy, infrared technology, and compression equipment. But the resort also offers themed retreats for couples looking to reconnect, people in need of a midlife reset, women navigating menopause, and more.

Foster’s retreat, her second at Canyon Ranch and not her last, was focused on “blending movement, mindfulness, and self-expression,” promising we would learn to “be the leading lady in our own lives.” Desi Valentine, trusted shaman to both Foster and her partner, actor Hugh Jackman, among other celebrities, led spiritual workshops and breathwork, while trainers from popular dance studio The Limit taught dance cardio and strength classes. In between, there was bonding over healthy meals, crafts (famously Foster’s favorite), hikes, games, and trivia. And yes, Jackman made a few friendly appearances too.

“I have been going to Canyon Ranch for over 20 years,” Foster told me. “It’s been my go-to place to rest, restart, feel nurtured, centered, realigned, and inspired as my work requires so much output of energy. I love doing the morning hikes with outdoor sports and getting spa treatments in the evening. I often go solo.”

Many of the 35 women who headed to Canyon Ranch for the March retreat were going through difficult times in their personal lives or trying to find themselves again after decades of caretaking—but the mood was decidedly joyful, not somber. They were thrilled to connect, share the weight of common challenges, and draw inspiration from the talent and energy that has won Foster multiple Tony Awards and scores of adoring fans. There was some fangirling, as is to be expected, but most of the time, the actress was just another woman in the room, being vulnerable and making new friends.

Foster was on a solo visit last March when she ran into an old friend who happened to work with Canyon Ranch and suggested she lead a retreat of her own. “My first thought was, ‘Who am I to lead a women’s retreat?'” she said, “but then I realized that I’ve been working towards something like this my whole life. My love of nature, crafting, dance, community, spirituality, games, food … and that it could all come together at my favorite place, Canyon Ranch? It’s been incredible. And also, it satisfies a real need to connect … to find genuine connection with other strong, amazing women.”

As for me, I was there to observe, but I couldn’t help feeling myself drawn into this circle of empathetic, supportive women, especially at this stage of my life. Just over halfway through my first pregnancy, I was forced to finally pause and face the new version of my life I’m headed toward—and suddenly, it didn’t feel quite so intimidating anymore. I met new mothers, grandmothers, aspiring mothers and grandmothers, and those who, like myself not long ago, were uncertain about becoming mothers. Every one of them took the time to check how I was feeling, share in my excitement, and offer words of encouragement.

At the end of the retreat, the word I burned in the fire—the thing I decided I most wanted to let go of—was “self-doubt.” After spending just a few days surrounded by women who were bravely pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and, for once, putting themselves first, I found a new sense of clarity around the example I hope to set for my daughter. I realized I don’t want to spend the next few months (or worse, years) questioning my ability to “do it all” and avoiding my expanding figure in the mirror.

Foster’s retreat served as a timely reminder that women are impressive whether we’re gracing Playbill covers or just quietly starring in our own daily one-woman show. We inherently spend so much of our lives caring for and worrying about others, but it’s important we start with caring for and believing in ourselves.

The next “Leading Women: A Sutton Foster Retreat” at Canyon Ranch Lenox takes place May 18-21. Rates start at $1,850 per person per night.