One of McKinney’s most respected family therapists has expanded her business to fill an unmet need. Dr. Suzanne Hales has opened the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center to provide a serene, natural setting for fellow therapists and counselors to hold workshops, group sessions and retreats.

The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center is also available for area nonprofits, churches, scout troops, quilters, scrapbooking enthusiasts, corporate retreats, families or anyone else looking for a natural locale with luxurious accommodations in which to unwind. It’s the ultimate natural retreat.

“The Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center is a special, spiritual place, and I opened it to help people heal, achieve peace and realize their true potential,” says Dr. Hales, a licensed professional counselor who in 1986 opened McKinney’s first family therapy center, Counseling and Consulting Associates (CCA) of North Texas. CCA serves clients from throughout Collin County and the surrounding region. Dr. Hales is also a Jungian analyst-in-training who deals with the unconscious, such as a person’s dream life.

“The Crescent Moon caters to anyone who wants a beautiful, calming environment at an affordable price,” Dr. Hales says. “I have had many conversations with colleagues – and we all have been wishing for a place like this. When I opened the Crescent Moon, I wanted to make sure it would be welcoming to everyone, and I am so honored to be able to do so.”

The centerpiece of the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center is a beautiful 5,000-square-foot log lodge, which is situated on 160 acres of wooded hills in the Kiamichi Wilderness in Rattan, Oklahoma, just across the Texas-Oklahoma border. Driving to the Crescent Moon is a pleasant, easy trip from the Dallas-Fort Worth area as well as Oklahoma City and all surrounding points.

Amenities include sleeping accommodations for 24, three bathrooms, a large open living area with a stunning oversized stone fireplace, a full kitchen, a wrap-around porch and a hot tub. Visitors enjoy panoramic views, cultivated gardens, a five-acre pond, three docks, a river, catch-and-release fishing, bird and wildlife watching, a stone labyrinth and trails for jogging, hiking and exploring. Farm-to-table group meals prepared by a chef are available upon request. Please plan to bring your own soap and shampoo. For details and photos, please go to www.crescentmoonlodge.com.

Although it’s been open only for a short while, the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center has already received rave reviews.

“I recently returned from a weekend at the Crescent Moon Lodge and Retreat Center. A sense of peace and serenity permeates the entire environment,” says Carol Smith, a Jungian analyst from Oklahoma City. “Watching the birds, enjoying the flowers that abound, and taking in the peacefulness of the ponds and quiet land brought an incredible sense of inner renewal. The lodge itself is warm and inviting and echoes the tranquility of the surrounding acreage.

“As a psychotherapist, I believe this retreat is perfect for weekend workshops. For families, the Crescent Moon is the perfect place for reunions or weekend getaways. I plan to return and highly recommend this wonderful place if you are looking for a break from our busy world,” Smith says.

Several workshops are planned in the upcoming months. Please go to the Events section of the Crescent Moon website, www.crescentmoonlodge.com/events/, for updates.

To make a reservation, please go online to www.crescentmoonlodge.com/reservations/ or call 214- 926-2074.