Stay tuned for NEW dates this fall!

 


Financial assistance available

 

Ready to write the next chapter of your life? The Retirement Academy is your guide to turning retirement dreams into reality. Led by experienced coaches, our 8-week program is your personal toolkit for embracing this exciting new phase. Our enthusiastic alumni are a testament to the program's incredible value and effectiveness.  Whether you’re fresh off of a job or just thinking about retirement, we’re here to help you create a life filled with purpose, passion, and connection. Let's explore new possibilities together!

Are you a good fit? 

  • Retired within 5 years, nearing retirement, or planning a few years away.
  • Looking for expert guidance and a supportive learning environment?
  •  Want a small group experience to build new relationships?
  • Ready to step into the next chapter of life with purpose and a plan?
  • Money matters, but it's not everything. Our program is about discovering what truly fulfills you in retirement; finding purpose, deepening relationships, prioritizing your well being, and creating a lasting legacy. Let's design a future that lights YOU UP!! 

What to expect...

  • Become aware of how the retirement transition impacts you socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually.
  • Recognize your strengths, passions, and skills.
  • Adopt practices that promote greater health and well-being.
  • Explore new possibilities for meaningful leisure time creativity, travel, and more.
  • Develop new and richer relationships with family and friends.
  • Create a personalized blue print with next steps/plans for your next chapter.
  • Find camaraderie, support, and joy with new Cohort member friends. 

8-Week Outline

1. Welcome
2. Transition and Purpose
3. Purpose, Values, and your impact on others
4. Relationships
5. Productivity & Leisure
6. Well-being
7. Legacy & Spirituality
8. Personalized Road Map


"People may call what happens at midlife ‘a crisis,’ but it’s not. It’s an unraveling—a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you’re ‘supposed’ to live. The unraveling is a time when you are challenged by the universe to let go of who you think you are supposed to be and to embrace who you are.”
- Brené Brown

 

 

Faculty Bios 

 

Marsha Berkson (Facilitator) is an Executive Coach, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Co-Active Certified Coach (CPCC), and Member of International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Certified Retirement Coach. Marsha is a seasoned facilitator with a history as a founding member of the JCC Retirement Academy program. Her expertise lies in cultivating inclusive and supportive learning environments where participants can engage in meaningful dialogue. With a keen focus on program development, Marsha has curated rich and impactful content to enhance the overall participant experience. Her commitment to fostering camaraderie and joy within the cohort is evident in her facilitation style. Within fifteen years of experience as a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and Executive Coach, Marsha brings a depth of expertise to her role. Clients consistently commend her insightful and candid approach. Her passion for fostering connections, evident in her coaching practice, seamlessly translates to her work at the Retirement Academy.

 

Julia Holladay (Facilitator) is a Board Certified Coach (BCC), with two additional certifications in retirement coaching. She is a life transition and leadership coach/facilitator, specializing in the second half of life. In her own second half, she went back to school to earn a Master’s degree in Leadership from USD, before completing her professional certification with The College of Executive Coaching. Julia’s passion centers around helping clients positively pivot from one life stage to another. A skilled communicator and keen listener, her goal with clients is to facilitate personal growth and self-awareness to promote positive actions. Julia capitalizes on strengths and prior experiences, both her own and those of her clients, to identify practical strategies and concrete steps to move forward and flourish. Her group work has been especially satisfying as she fosters connection, curates resources, and creates momentum to build trust, and confidence, and deepen relationships.

Julia is a lifelong learner who loves to share research related to vitality, longevity, positive psychology, and aligning personal strengths and preferences to inform choices that are life-affirming. She believes that as we age it becomes even more vital to reimagine and redefine a new life script. In addition to her MA, she earned a BS in Communication from Emerson College and is an active member of the Retirement Coaches Association and San Diego Rotary.