NCJFCJ Symposium 2026 | Centering Ourselves for Leadership

The NCJFCJ is excited to present an innovative training opportunity focused specifically on enhancing judicial leadership and well-being skills. To be held at Beltane Ranch in the California Sonoma Valley, participants will engage in honest conversations about what it means to be a judicial officer while developing practical tools necessary to avoid burnout and nurture personal resilience. The program is designed to support the process of increasing a judge’s quality of life off and on the bench. This training will be limited to six judicial officers to enrich the experience and stimulate discussion and reflection. Beltane Ranch offers a rustic setting with quality lodging and meals, encouraging disconnection from electronic devices. Attendees will develop tools for dealing with stress and burnout, achieve equanimity and compassion for fair resolutions, apply wisdom from increased awareness, listen attentively, and promote better outcomes for justice-involved children and families. The symposium includes curriculum on effective leadership styles, difficult conversations, conflict resolution, understanding emotions, polyvagal theory, breathwork, mindfulness practices, developing empathy and compassion in the judicial setting, the judge’s role in community outreach, connecting to diverse communities, and creating an effective and responsive justice system.