Winter Rest Retreat
3rd Annual Rest Retreat
A Rest Retreat that supports you to unlock your potential to rest
February 8-9 2025
This year, we are expanding the Rest Retreat for even more REST and NOURISHMENT!
NEW for this year:
2 days instead of 1!
Join us each day at St. Brigid’s Villa, in Guelph, and return to your own bed at night. For those coming out of town, local air bnbs can accommodate you
2 Special Guests to offer unique, embodied practices to support more rest
Delicious, warm catered food!
Follow up Zoom call for support with integration
“This was an amazing experience! Prior to this retreat, I never allowed myself the time or ability to rest, but now I am making rest a priority and part of my “to do” list”
“While society may give lip-service to the importance of rest, in reality that is not what is happening. The pace of life is becoming increasingly frantic, arguably particularly so for women as they strive to juggle the demand of home and work life. This course helps women become self-aware, and thus more critical, of the cultural norms we have around work. Along with this, participants are provided with tools to help them challenge these norms in very real and achievable ways in their daily lives.”
“A cozy day for learning, connecting and supporting one another to take time to rest.
Great experience! Thank you so much!”
So, why a Rest Retreat?
Ever find yourself at the end of a busy day, or on a retreat, vacation, or even at a yoga class, and you keep telling yourself to rest but nothing changes?
In fact, your stress actually starts to increase instead! Your thoughts become faster, your demands to rest get louder and your body gets more tense. It is so frustrating that you just give up or find an activity to numb out.
Trust me! I have been there! Lots of times!
The good news is, You can rest! You do not have to force it or earn it!
Our bodies innately know how to move into a state of rest when we have the right conditions.
Winter is a great time to unlock your potential for true rest.
The days are shorter, and the weather colder, we naturally want to follow the natural world in slowing down to rest.
Instead of forcing ourselves to rest, we will explore the obstacles that keep us from resting and learn to work with our body’s natural ability to rest.
We will come together in safe community to play, explore and experience what true rest could really be like.
Imagine, for a moment, what it would feel like to be connected with people that actually celebrated you for resting. And even more so, imagine what your body could feel like if it was even just a little more rested.
“Angela is a wonderful teacher and facilitator! She offers a blend of education and experiential learning in a relaxed and comfortable setting. She is compassionate and supportive of your needs. Angela offers the opportunity for you to experience the teachings in a practical way, while inviting you to do what’s right for you and your body. It was a wonderful retreat and just what I needed!”
This retreat will include:
Nourishment
Two Morning Qi Gong Practice led by, psychotherapist, Lisa Clendening
Guided nature mindfulness walk
Evening Music Meditation: Lay down and receive Sounds of the Amazon presented by Mario Cabal
Free time for napping, nature walks, journaling, colouring, or whatever feels restful
Delicious catered meals
All in a cozy atmosphere surrounded by trees and fields, warmed by a woodstove
Education and Skill-Building
Education on the nervous system and tools to map your own nervous system patterns around rest
Support to identify societal and internal beliefs that keep you locked in busyness
Skills and tools to help unlock your beliefs and move through your unique obstacles that keep you from rest
Handouts to support your learning and understanding of your own pathway to rest
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Lisa believes that wellness is more than the absence of disease. It involves the wholeness and interconnectedness of our mind, body, emotions, and spirit.
As someone who has learned to thrive with a significant mental health issue, she is passionate about creating healing, transformation, and lasting wellness in the lives of her clients.
Qigong (pronounced "chee-gong") is a mind-body practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine that combines gentle movements, focused breathing, and meditation to cultivate and balance life energy, or "qi." Often described as a moving meditation, qigong is used to enhance physical health, reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and promote overall well-being. Whether for relaxation, spiritual growth, or healing, qigong offers a holistic approach to harmonizing the body, mind emotions, and spirit.
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The Compassionate Amazon music ritual aims to explore the connection between Amazonian sounds, music, and well-being. This exploration fosters an experience for emotional and spiritual healing, as well as opens up to deeper rest.
The guided meditation includes a contemplative practice with traditional Amazonian instruments. Mario will play music to invite your body to calm, tune into the ancestral sounds of the Amazon and explore your relationship with your own musicality; allowing you to move into a deeper restful state.
These sounds are not merely music but are seen as carriers of ancestral wisdom, tapping into the vibrational frequencies that Indigenous cultures believe resonate with the earth, the body, and the cosmos.
Daniel Levitin said, "Music as medicine." Indigenous communities in the southern region of Colombia, where I grew up, use ancestral medicine and music to heal and return to the resonance of compassion in their bodies. This fosters a deeper, ongoing capacity for compassionate listening to ourselves, others, and the world.
There will be choice in all activities. Every activity will be explained, and you can always choose what level of engagement feels possible. Even if that means curling up with a blanket in the room and taking a nap! This will be a chance to play with listening to your body
“We have permission to rest!… And to listen to our bodies and do what is needed for ourselves. We don’t need to adhere to societal pressures for productivity and hustle culture. It’s ok to choose a different path for yourself. One that is healthier for you and honours what your body needs each day.”
“I am allowed to rest because rest is needed. I don’t have to earn or perform to have it.”
What you will take away from this Retreat:
Permission to rest (and a certificate to prove it!)
You will learn to build a compassionate relationship to your internal thoughts and emotions
You will discover your body’s innate ability to rest
Experience nourishment from real rest
Bring home practical ways to continue to integrate more rest into your life and combat the guilt
A community that can witness and support your journey to more rest
“I have been listening to my body more in the past few days and feeling less guilt about rest. I would normally get groceries and complete all my chores on Sunday but I was tired when I got home so I rested and did it Monday. Today after work, I was exhausted. So I listened to my body and napped for an hour (guilt free)! :)”
“ I am continuing to pay closer attention to the needs of my body and prioritizing rest when needed.”
What to Bring
Let’s embrace true rest by coming in your most comfy clothes possible!
All comfortable wear are fully welcomed – even your pyjamas! Also, bring your favourite cozy blanket, pillow, slippers, mugs and anything else that helps your body sink into rest.
Warm outdoor clothes to walk outside and a journal and pen is also highly recommended.
Location
The rest retreat will be held on the edge of Guelph, Ontario within St. Brigid’s Villa. The villa is nestled in the fields and forest of the lands of Ignatius Jesuit Centre. The Jesuits have tended to these 500 acres of land for over one hundred years. They have restored farmland into forest, a brook into a thriving river and have involved the community in many tree planting projects. THe land also contains a hearty organic farm and community garden plots, labrynths and more. Trails run throughout the property that take you through the varying landscapes. It truly is a special, sacred place that welcomes all those that are weary and in need to rest in nature.
Meet Your Facilitator
“Angela does a very good job of leading from the middle. She was just openly authentic enough, sharing her own experience snd growth so we didn’t feel she had an air of superiority but also moved with in the subject matter in a way that felt we were in a journey with an accomplished, wise and experienced guide.” Past Rest Retreater
“I really liked Angela’s teaching style. She ensured everyone had a chance to speak and never forced anyone to participate.
I appreciate Angela’s humour and vulnerability. It was well coordinated and I felt safe to you lead us.”
“Angela has a calmness and gentleness that makes me, (and I’m sure others), feel safe. Her facilitation skills were both professional and “real” and it never felt rehearsed or disconnected. Her teachings were honest, true, heartfelt and accessible.
Angela’s compassion set at tone of non-judgement toward self and others at the beginning and throughout the ‘experience.”
Angela’s playful and gentle spirit informs her work as a Somatic Experiencing Psychotherapist. Angela offers a safe and compassionate therapeutic experience that facilitates the body-mind-nature connection.
Angela has been on her own journey of unlocking her potential to rest as she has been experiencing her own health problems that have forced her to come face to face with beliefs that stop her from being able to rest. Angela continues to return to nature to support her own understanding of slowing down and has been able to touch into real rest. Angela believes we all have the capacity to experience true rest when we start treating our bodies as nature, and not machines.
“The experience was great! I love your genuine, warm nature and the ability to provide a safe space for rest.”
Your Investment
Groups is a cost effective way to get all the benefits of therapy - plus more!
Early Bird Rate $425 Until January 8 Full Rate: $450.00
This price includes:
Intentionally formatted retreat program based on trauma-informed practices
Therapeutic teachings and exercises Angela has carefully crafted through extensive trainings of Somatic Experiencing, Inner family Systems and Nature therapy .
Angela’s therapeutic presence and support
2 Qi-Gong sessions
Music Meditation session
Guided Mindfulness walk
Therapy skill based handouts.
Follow up Group Zoom call for further integration
***I am a Registered Psychotherapist so this retreat can be claimed under some insurances***
Additional Fees:
Two Catered Lunches and Dinner for Saturday night. Price to be announced soon
Note on Finances
Eek - even the word finances can make my stomach feel queasy. This is the part of my job that I feel challenged with. I am constantly struggling with balancing honouring my time, training and costs with wanting my services/programs to be accessible. Everyone has the right to access services to support their well being! There are a lot of challenges within finances, and array of levels of income and ability to pay for services. I want to acknowledge the fee of this retreat may feel inaccessible for some. And, I am willing to explore options in how to make this more accessible through sliding scales and payment plans. Happy to have a conversation with you - no questions asked! So, if you are interested in this rest retreat, but the finances are a barrier - let’s talk!
Winter Solstice Ritual
Saturday December 21, 2024
7:00pm-8:00pm on Zoom
Take an hour to slow down, reflect on the themes of winter, and set intentions
Fee: Pay what you can
$10.00-$45.00
As winter solstice is upon us, nature slows down, yet we ramp up.
It is vital for our well being to follow nature’s example and give ourselves moments to slow down, breath and come back to what is important.
Angela Herzog, Registered Psychotherapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner will guide you to:
safely connect to your body,
connect to wisdom of the solstice through nature connection and a solstice meditation
to set intentions as we officially start the winter season (prompt questions will be provided, if needed
Feel free to join the zoom call in any way that feels possible
Simply stay off screen and watch
Stay off screen and participate in some of the invitations
Stay on screen but just listen
Share your experience through words or text
There is so much choice
Can’t make the live event, but still want to do a ritual?
Sign up for the pre-recorded guided ritual package, instead!
You will receive an audio file of Angela guiding you through the ritual to be used at your own pace.
Sign up now!
Fall Wonder Walks
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world
〰️
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world 〰️
November Wonder Walks
4 Sundays in November
10:30am-12:00pm
Sundays November 3, 10, 17, 24
Drop in Style - Come to one, two or as many as you want!
$25.00 or $20.00 each if you bring a friend
Save money and buy a package of 4 for $90.00
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Can’t attend a walk but interested in donating to the Wonder Walk Scholarship Fund?
Therapy is expensive these days and sadly, not accessible to many. My vision for Wonder Walks is to have these events as accessible as possible to all levels of income.
These walks are more than just walks. They offer trauma-informed emotional regulation skills, nervous system education and a sense of community.
These are the foundational skills I teach in Individual Somatic Experiencing sessions at a much higher financial commitment.
I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and practice these life skills in a safe community.
Your donation will allow individuals to access this experience they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own!
Scroll below to sign up form to connect with me to donate today!
About this event
Join a safe community as we discover the wonders of the natural world together.
You might think, ‘I walk outside all the time. Why do I need to join a group to do the same?’
The short answer is cause neuroscience says so!
The long answer:
There is something magical that happens when we walk together in nature. Not only do we start co-regulating, we also start discovering wonders we would have missed by ourselves.
My Somatic Experiencing teacher once told me that when fireflies come together, their bodies start to glow in unison.
That is what neuroscience calls co-regulation. The same thing happens when we come together.
By ourselves, our nervous system, may struggle to slow down, and our thoughts easily take over, but when we come together, we can start slowing down with the rhythm of the group.
As the group comes into more regulation, there is more possibility for our senses to take in the wonders around us. And, multiply the sets of eyes, noses and ears, and all of a sudden, even more can be discovered. As we take in the wonders, a feeling of aw seems to permeate the group and an openness and playfulness ripples through. Forgetting the stresses of the week, we enter deeply into the experience of being together in nature and walk away feeling peace, joy and connectedness.
Walks will include:
Trauma -informed practices to support mindfulness and engaging the senses
Nervous system and trauma education based from the cutting edge trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing
Grounding meditation to begin
Gentle guidance to explore nature
Participation in restoration projects (seasonal)
Walks are Ideal for:
Anyone who goes finishes a walk and realizes they have been in their head the whole time
Individuals recovering from trauma, stress or burnout
Individuals that are in therapy and needing a safe space to practice somatic skills
Individuals on waitlist for therapy
Nature lovers - or haters - maybe this experience may change your mind
Individuals looking for trauma-informed community
Wonder Walk Location
We will meet at 53 Cross Creek Blvd (see map above)
From there, we will explore the Old Growth Forest Project. A special land that has been intentionally tended to by the Jesuits for many years to restore it back from farmland and logging.
Sign up now
First hand account of a Wonder Walk
“Ice was our teacher during our Wonder Walk last winter.
We quickly realized when we are focused on staying safe and not slipping, our senses were not as available to take in our surroundings. Just like when we have other stressors, and traumas, our attention goes to survival vs taking in the beauty.
Instead of judging ourselves, we got curious about what supports can we bring in so we don't have to orient to threat as much.
Some of us put ice treads on. They quickly realized that that support allowed them to feel safe and they could start looking around and orienting to their surroundings with their senses.
Another walker suggested we link arms! So, for a portion of the walk, 4 of us walked together, arms linked, settling into a lovely rhythm that allowed each of us to feel secure and supported.
And then, naturally we started to laugh more, take in our surroundings with our senses and find wonder around us and feel the warmth within us!
What a gift!! Truly a wonder to experience how safe connection allows us to become more present.”
SEPlay Day Retreat
What to Bring
To further embrace play, an optional invitation is to come wearing bright coloured clothes!
Journal, pen and any other comfort items
Clothing for outdoor play
There will be an optional take-out lunch option. More details to follow. If you prefer to bring own lunch, there is a kitchen available for storing and heating up food.
Healthy snacks and tea will be provided
Please note there is always choice in how you engage with the activities and options to adapt the experiences for varying accessibility levels
Curious?
Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Ready to play? Sign up now!
Women in the Woods
4 Week Outdoor Program
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Discover your Natural Self within the Natural World
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4 Week Outdoor Program ~ Discover your Natural Self within the Natural World ~
Do you find yourself giving all of your energy and time to everyone but yourself?
Do walk around feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, yet keep pushing yourself to make others happy?
Do you find no matter what you do, you never feel good enough?
Do you get overwhelmed with emotions and have no clue what to do with them?
About this event
If you said yes, to any of these questions, you aren’t alone.
So many of us women have been socialized to lose sight of who were are and live for everyone else around us. It feels good when we see our loved ones happy, especially, when we had something to do with it. But, what about your happiness? When was the last time you were able to follow your passions and interests? Do you even know what they are?
When, our identity starts forming around making sure everyone else is ok, we tend to push our own needs away and we lose sight of what we really want and who we are. We start going through the motions, and feel empty inside.
Plus, we are immersed in a society that tells us to keep striving, keep doing, keep earning, keep learning and then happiness will be found. That is exhausting. Our attention continues to get pulled outside of ourselves and moving towards some elusive goals that may not even be resonant to who you are.
No wonder so many of us women are walking around burnt out, feeling empty and lost.
There is a way to find your way back home to yourself.
And, you don’t have to do it alone.
Women in the Woods is a group inviting women to come together and discover your natural self within the natural world.
The group will follow an arc of understanding and identifying survival patterns and roles, and discovering who you are outside of those roles, with the help of nature. Angela will be bringing together Somatic Experiencing, neuroscience, inner family systems and nature therapy in a playful, unique way to support you to connect with yourself and others in a safe way.
Topics will include:
Understanding your own body as nature
Learning and Listening to your nervous system
Self Compassion around your survival patterns
Living outside of survival
Boundaries
Following Fascination and aliveness
Each week you will be invited to show up in a way that feels safe for you. There will always be choice with every activity, with full permission to engage to the level that feels possible for you.
Each Group session will include:
Opening Circle
Teaching segment
Nature connection activity
Individual Reflection activity
Closing Sharing Circle
This group starts September 17 and and will run every Tuesday until Oct. 1.
Mainly outdoors and under a covered pavillion, if needed
1:30-3:30pm
Investment
Group therapy is a cost effective way to get all the benefits of therapy - plus more!
The cost is $165.00 per week. This equates to $82.50 per hour! More than half the price of One Hour Individual Therapy
The total amount comes to $660.00
EARLY BIRD RATE UNTIL Aug 15 $600.00
***I am a Registered Psychotherapist so this group can be claimed under some insurances***
***Payment plans and Sliding Scale available***
Follow on social media for all the up to date info on Women in the Woods and more!
Curious? Ready to Sign up?
Due to the nature of the group, it is important to gather a group that feels like a good fit. Sign up for a fitting call to explore if this group is right for you!
Hi, I am Angela, the creator of Wellness in the Woods. This group, Women in the Woods, feels really close to my heart. I have been on my own healing journey for many years, and the last couple years, I have been forced to come face to face with the roles I have played in my life to keep me from feeling a deep dread of being not good enough. As I leaned into the support of nature, I slowly walked away from the roles, and was able to discover my inherent goodness. And, I wish the same for you.
This group is an accumulation of my studies, trainings, individual therapy work, past outdoor groups and my own personal healing journey. It truly will be a special space for us women to play, discover and connect. I would love to have you there.
Women in the Spring
You are invited to gather together in circle and tune into the wisdom of spring
Are you caught in the endless self improvement loop?
Forcing and pushing yourself to be well, but, not even sure what well is anymore?
Are you tired of the messages that you just have to keep learning new skills, go to therapy, practice gratitude, meditation, breathing, etc etc
What if we entered the spring season, like nature does?
Offering yourself nourishment that supports natural growth, instead of pushing.
Trusting your innate impulse towards growth
You can feel more ease this spring
Spring is a season of transition. The natural world slowly wakes up from winter slumber, sap begins to flow, seeds are planted, and buds form. The rain and sun provide the nourishment for growth to begin and prepare for the bountiful season of summer.
Yet, we keep hustling no matter what season it is.
We push, strive, force and reach towards the elusive goal of self improvement. Always rushing to the next task, seeking out the fastest way of reaching goals and desires. Sometimes, we may find ourselves rushing without any even idea what we are rushing towards. Stuck on a hamster wheel.
Why Seasonal Celebrations?
Taking time to slow down and intentionally connect to yourself and nature, at the start of a new season, allows your body to start tuning into another rhythm. Instead the rhythm of productivity, you are tuning into the natural world’s wisdom of cycles and seasons. This allows you to build a different kind of relationship to your own body so you can listen and honour your own cycles and seasons. It gives you permission to slow down and trust your body’s wisdom and your innate impulse towards real wellness.
What is Women in the Spring?
Women in the Spring is a women’s circle that is intentionally creating a safe space so you can reflect on your life and where your energy wants to be directed in the upcoming season.
Just like we prune trees in the spring, to allow the branches to grow more. So must we prune back aspects of our own lives, so the real growth can emerge.
In individual, dyad and group reflections, we will:
Untangle from productivity culture’s perspective of self
improvement
Align your body to spring’s wisdom around growth
Reflect on what can be pruned away from your life
Identify the seeds that you want to plant in your life
Learn to let go of urgency and trust the slow growth
Discover what nourishes your growth
Start your spring with reflection and intention
“Angela is a wonderful teacher and facilitator!”
“I really liked Angela’s teaching style. She ensured everyone had a chance to speak and never forced anyone to participate”
“Angela does a very good job of leading from the middle. She was just openly authentic enough, sharing her own experience and growth so we didn’t feel she had an air of superiority but also moved with in the subject matter in a way that felt we were in a journey with an accomplished, wise and experienced guide.”
Past Group Participants
Location
We will come together in circle on the lands of the Old Growth Forest Project on the edge of Guelph.
Meeting place will be 53 Orchard Park Road and we will walk together to circle location. There is a covered pavillion if there is light rain.
If there is heavy rain, we will meet inside at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre
Your Investment
Groups is a cost effective way to get all the benefits of therapy - plus more!
Your investment is $50.00 plus tax
Pay in full to claim your spot!
***I am a Registered Psychotherapist so this workshop can be claimed under some insurances***
***Sliding Scale available***
Meet Your Facilitator
“Angela has a calmness and gentleness that makes me, (and I’m sure others), feel safe. Her facilitation skills were both professional and “real” and it never felt rehearsed or disconnected. Her teachings were honest, true, heartfelt and accessible.
Angela’s compassion set at tone of non-judgement toward self and others at the beginning and throughout the ‘experience.’
~Past group participant
Angela’s playful and gentle spirit informs her work as a Somatic Experiencing Psychotherapist. Angela offers a safe and compassionate therapeutic experience that facilitates the body-mind-nature connection.
Angela has been on her own journey of aligning her body to nature’s rhythms. Experiencing her own health struggles have forced her to come face to face with internalized toxic beliefs around productivity and ablism. Angela continues to return to nature to support her own understanding of slowing down and has begun the lifelong journey of untangling herself from the toxic beliefs so she can live a more authentic life. Angela believes we all have the capacity to experience true rest, and aliveness, when we start treating our bodies as nature, and not machines. Find more about Angela here.
“Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love.”
Sign up now!
Free Annual Earth Day Community Celebration
Every year around Earth Day, let's come together to celebrate, and give back, to the earth
Mark Your Calendars for next year April 27, 2024
Wonder Walks
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world
〰️
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world 〰️
Winter Wonder Walk
Start your Family Day Weekend off with getting outside together!
Saturday February 16 , 2024
10:30am-11:45pm
$25.00 or $20.00 each if you bring a friend
-
Can’t attend a walk but interested in donating to the Wonder Walk Scholarship Fund?
Therapy is expensive these days and sadly, not accessible to many. My vision for Wonder Walks is to have these events as accessible as possible to all levels of income.
These walks are more than just walks. They offer trauma-informed emotional regulation skills, nervous system education and a sense of community.
These are the foundational skills I teach in Individual Somatic Experiencing sessions at a much higher financial commitment.
I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and practice these life skills in a safe community.
Your donation will allow individuals to access this experience they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own!
Scroll below to sign up form to connect with me to donate today!
About this event
Join a safe community as we discover the wonders of the natural world together.
You might think, ‘I walk outside all the time. Why do I need to join a group to do the same?’
The short answer is cause neuroscience says so!
The long answer:
There is something magical that happens when we walk together in nature. Not only do we start co-regulating, we also start discovering wonders we would have missed by ourselves.
My Somatic Experiencing teacher once told me that when fireflies come together, their bodies start to glow in unison.
That is what neuroscience calls co-regulation. The same thing happens when we come together.
By ourselves, our nervous system, may struggle to slow down, and our thoughts easily take over, but when we come together, we can start slowing down with the rhythm of the group.
As the group comes into more regulation, there is more possibility for our senses to take in the wonders around us. And, multiply the sets of eyes, noses and ears, and all of a sudden, even more can be discovered. As we take in the wonders, a feeling of aw seems to permeate the group and an openness and playfulness ripples through. Forgetting the stresses of the week, we enter deeply into the experience of being together in nature and walk away feeling peace, joy and connectedness.
Walks will include:
Trauma -informed practices to support mindfulness and engaging the senses
Nervous system and trauma education based from the cutting edge trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing
Grounding meditation to begin
Gentle guidance to explore nature
Participation in restoration projects (seasonal)
Walks are Ideal for:
Anyone who goes finishes a walk and realizes they have been in their head the whole time
Individuals recovering from trauma, stress or burnout
Individuals that are in therapy and needing a safe space to practice somatic skills
Individuals on waitlist for therapy
Nature lovers - or haters - maybe this experience may change your mind
Individuals looking for trauma-informed community
Wonder Walk Location
We will meet at 53 Cross Creek Blvd (see map above)
From there, we will explore the Old Growth Forest Project. A special land that has been intentionally tended to by the Jesuits for many years to restore it back from farmland and logging.
Sign up now
First hand account of a Wonder Walk
“Ice was our teacher during our Wonder Walk last winter.
We quickly realized when we are focused on staying safe and not slipping, our senses were not as available to take in our surroundings. Just like when we have other stressors, and traumas, our attention goes to survival vs taking in the beauty.
Instead of judging ourselves, we got curious about what supports can we bring in so we don't have to orient to threat as much.
Some of us put ice treads on. They quickly realized that that support allowed them to feel safe and they could start looking around and orienting to their surroundings with their senses.
Another walker suggested we link arms! So, for a portion of the walk, 4 of us walked together, arms linked, settling into a lovely rhythm that allowed each of us to feel secure and supported.
And then, naturally we started to laugh more, take in our surroundings with our senses and find wonder around us and feel the warmth within us!
What a gift!! Truly a wonder to experience how safe connection allows us to become more present.”
Women in the Winter
What if we worked with winter, and not against it?
Are you tired of just surviving winter?
Do you want to rest more this season, but that just seems impossible?
Do you push keep pushing through, even when you are exhausted?
Or maybe you have been noticing you have been resting and feeling more sad, but you are calling yourself lazy and getting worried this will never change?
About this event
If you said yes, to any of these questions, you aren’t alone.
Winter can be a challenging time for so many of us. Naturally, our bodies respond to the shorter days, and little sunshine. The impulse is to stay inside and keep activity low. Yet, we keep acting like it is summer, and expect our bodies to maintain the same pace.
And, if we don’t, we criticize ourselves by calling ourselves lazy, we panic that we are depressed forever, or we just keep pushing through. This will quickly lead to us feeling even more self critical, tired, hopeless, alone, and a deep sense of not being good enough.
This isn’t your fault! We are immersed within a toxic productivity culture that expects us to work more like machines than humans! We don’t even realize how much we have been influenced until we start stepping away and orienting to a different pace. Your body is nature, therefore, orienting to nature’s pace, can help us learn how to live in a way that support’s our body’s rhythm as we align with the seasons.
Let’s gather and learn to winter together
Imagine having a weekly space to gather with women who all have the intention to slow down and learn from the wisdom of nature?
We can’t do this alone.
It is in our nature to respond and match our environment. And so, as society’s pace quickens, we are also quickening, and judging ourselves if we can’t keep up to others. What if, together, we started to learn how to match ourselves to nature instead? What if we tuned into nature’s pace, instead of the rat race of productivity culture?
Together, we can start to untangle from society’s messages, stop comparing ourselves to machines, and orient to nature’s wisdom. We can support each other by giving each other permission to rest, helping each other identify when the critic takes over, and replace that with compassion. We will become a team of women willing to try something different in a society that pushes productivity year round. Through this, you can learn new ways to slow down and live in the winter months with more ease
Topics will include:
Understanding your own body as nature
Learning and listening to your nervous system
Identify your internalized societal and family messages around rest
Emotional Regulation around rest: learn to be with, but not let take over, the thoughts, behaviours, feelings that show up when you start to rest
Tending to the underlying fears that keep us from resting
Self Compassion and curiousity
The healing power of permission to rest and play
Each week you will be invited to show up in a way that feels safe for you. There will always be choice with every activity, with full permission to engage to the level that feels possible for you.
Angela integrates her cutting edge psychotherapy trauma training, Somatic Experiencing, along with Inner Family Systems, Nature therapy, and more, to design this five week indoor winter program.
Each Group session will include:
Opening Circle
Teaching segment
Facilitated Group discussion/experiential activity
Individual Reflection activity
Closing Sharing Circle
Starts Tuesday February 13 and will run every Tuesday evening until March 12.
We will gather together within a cozy room within The Ignatius Jesuit Centre
6:30-8:30pm
Move beyond stress and busyness and into your ability to rest and enjoy the slower pace of winter with others
Your Investment
Group therapy is a cost effective way to get all the benefits of therapy - plus more!
My goal is to create safe and accessible space for women to gather and step away from the toxic productivity culture. That is why I am implementing a new fee structure for my groups. I am continuing to explore how I can both balance my desire to keep groups accessible, and still honour the amount of time, energy, training, and money I pour into each of my programs.
Payment Fees will be structured in a three tier Model as show below:
-
$150.00 plus tax/week
Those that can use health insurance or have double income that results in financial flexibility after bills/expenses
-
$100.00 plus tax/week
Those that have income, but are less financially flexible due to high expenses and debt
-
$50.00 or less plus tax/week
Those that have limited income and struggle to keep up with expenses
Upon sign up, please let me know what tier fits you, no questions asked!
If you are interested, but still unsure about the finances or which tier you fit in, let’s chat and work something out that feels good for us both!
***I am a Registered Psychotherapist so this group can be claimed under some insurances***
**Please note that this group is a 5 week series. When you sign up, you are committing to all five weeks to ensure consistency for the group. If you can’t attend a session, payment is still required
Follow on social media for all the up to date info on Women in the Winter and more!
Curious? Ready to Sign up?
Due to the nature of the group, it is important to gather a group that feels like a good fit. Sign up for a fitting call to explore if this group is right for you!
Hi, I am Angela, the creator of Wellness in the Woods. This group, Women in the Winter, is something I am very passionate. Not only am I one of the few that loves winter, I also have been struggling with chronic illness that has forced me to learn how to slow down. I have had to come face to face with the beliefs and fears that keep me from rest. I was familiar with the dread of feeling not good enough. As I leaned into the support of nature, I slowly learned to trust my body, soothe my fears, and was able to discover my inherent goodness. And, I wish the same for you.
This group is an accumulation of my studies, trainings, individual therapy work, past outdoor groups and my own personal healing journey. It truly will be a special space for us women to connect, share and support. I would love to have you there.
Wonder Walks
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world
〰️
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world 〰️
Winter Wonder Walk
January 19, 2024
1:30-3:30pm
$25.00 or $20.00 each if you bring a friend
-
Can’t attend a walk but interested in donating to the Wonder Walk Scholarship Fund?
Therapy is expensive these days and sadly, not accessible to many. My vision for Wonder Walks is to have these events as accessible as possible to all levels of income.
These walks are more than just walks. They offer trauma-informed emotional regulation skills, nervous system education and a sense of community.
These are the foundational skills I teach in Individual Somatic Experiencing sessions at a much higher financial commitment.
I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and practice these life skills in a safe community.
Your donation will allow individuals to access this experience they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own!
Scroll below to sign up form to connect with me to donate today!
About this event
Join a safe community as we discover the wonders of the natural world together.
You might think, ‘I walk outside all the time. Why do I need to join a group to do the same?’
The short answer is cause neuroscience says so!
The long answer:
There is something magical that happens when we walk together in nature. Not only do we start co-regulating, we also start discovering wonders we would have missed by ourselves.
My Somatic Experiencing teacher once told me that when fireflies come together, their bodies start to glow in unison.
That is what neuroscience calls co-regulation. The same thing happens when we come together.
By ourselves, our nervous system, may struggle to slow down, and our thoughts easily take over, but when we come together, we can start slowing down with the rhythm of the group.
As the group comes into more regulation, there is more possibility for our senses to take in the wonders around us. And, multiply the sets of eyes, noses and ears, and all of a sudden, even more can be discovered. As we take in the wonders, a feeling of aw seems to permeate the group and an openness and playfulness ripples through. Forgetting the stresses of the week, we enter deeply into the experience of being together in nature and walk away feeling peace, joy and connectedness.
Walks will include:
Trauma -informed practices to support mindfulness and engaging the senses
Nervous system and trauma education based from the cutting edge trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing
Grounding meditation to begin
Gentle guidance to explore nature
Participation in restoration projects (seasonal)
Walks are Ideal for:
Anyone who goes finishes a walk and realizes they have been in their head the whole time
Individuals recovering from trauma, stress or burnout
Individuals that are in therapy and needing a safe space to practice somatic skills
Individuals on waitlist for therapy
Nature lovers - or haters - maybe this experience may change your mind
Individuals looking for trauma-informed community
Wonder Walk Location
We will meet at 53 Cross Creek Blvd (see map above)
From there, we will explore the Old Growth Forest Project. A special land that has been intentionally tended to by the Jesuits for many years to restore it back from farmland and logging.
Sign up now
First hand account of a Wonder Walk
“Ice was our teacher during our Wonder Walk last winter.
We quickly realized when we are focused on staying safe and not slipping, our senses were not as available to take in our surroundings. Just like when we have other stressors, and traumas, our attention goes to survival vs taking in the beauty.
Instead of judging ourselves, we got curious about what supports can we bring in so we don't have to orient to threat as much.
Some of us put ice treads on. They quickly realized that that support allowed them to feel safe and they could start looking around and orienting to their surroundings with their senses.
Another walker suggested we link arms! So, for a portion of the walk, 4 of us walked together, arms linked, settling into a lovely rhythm that allowed each of us to feel secure and supported.
And then, naturally we started to laugh more, take in our surroundings with our senses and find wonder around us and feel the warmth within us!
What a gift!! Truly a wonder to experience how safe connection allows us to become more present.”
Autumn Rest Retreat
A Rest Retreat that supports you to unlock your potential to rest
Ever find yourself at the end of a busy day, or on a retreat, vacation, or even at a yoga class, and you keep telling yourself to rest but nothing changes?
In fact, your stress actually starts to increase instead! Your thoughts become faster, your demands to rest get louder and your body gets more tense. It is so frustrating that you just give up or find an activity to numb out.
Trust me! I have been there! Lots of times!
The good news is, You can rest! You do not have to force it or earn it!
Our bodies innately know how to move into a state of rest when we have the right conditions.
Instead of forcing ourselves to rest, we will explore the obstacles that keep us from resting and learn to work with our body’s natural ability to rest.
We will come together in safe community to play, explore and experience what true rest could really be like.
Imagine, for a moment, what it would feel like to be connected with people that actually celebrated you for resting. And even more so, imagine what your body could feel like if it was even just a little more rested.
This retreat will include:
Finding nourishment in nature with a mindfulness walk and hanging out with a tree
Individual, dyad and group activities to identify societal and internal beliefs that keep you locked in busyness and then the opportunity to re-imagine and unlock your potential to rest
Rest meditation
Choice in all activities. Every activity will be explained, and you can always choose what level of engagement feels possible. Even if that means curling up with a blanket in the room and taking a nap! This will be a chance to play with listening to your body
Tea and snacks will be available throughout the day
What you will take away from this Retreat:
You will learn to build a compassionate relationship to your beliefs and your body’s wisdom to keep you safe
Discover your body’s wisdom to rest through nervous system education and exercises
Experience nourishment from real rest
Bring home practical ways to continue to unlock your potential for rest
A community that can witness and support your journey to more rest
Your Investment
Groups is a cost effective way to get all the benefits of therapy - plus more!
Your investment is $195.00 plus tax This equates to $32.50 per hour!
10 spots available for this retreat. Pay in full to claim your spot!
***I am a Registered Psychotherapist so this retreat can be claimed under some insurances***
***Sliding Scale available***
What to Bring
Let’s embrace true rest by coming in your most comfy clothes possible!
All comfortable wear are fully welcomed – even your pyjamas! Also, bring your favourite cozy blanket, pillow, slippers, mugs and anything else that helps your body sink into rest.
Warm outdoor clothes to walk outside and a journal and pen is also highly recommended.
Bring a packed lunch - access to kitchen for storage and heating food up
Meet Your Facilitator
“Angela has a calmness and gentleness that makes me, (and I’m sure others), feel safe. Her facilitation skills were both professional and “real” and it never felt rehearsed or disconnected. Her teachings were honest, true, heartfelt and accessible.
Angela’s compassion set at tone of non-judgement toward self and others at the beginning and throughout the ‘experience.’
~Past group participant
Angela’s playful and gentle spirit informs her work as a Somatic Experiencing Psychotherapist. Angela offers a safe and compassionate therapeutic experience that facilitates the body-mind-nature connection.
Angela has been on her own journey of unlocking her potential to rest as she has been experiencing her own health problems that have forced her to come face to face with beliefs that stop her from being able to rest. Angela continues to return to nature to support her own understanding of slowing down and has been able to touch into real rest. Angela believes we all have the capacity to experience true rest when we start treating our bodies as nature, and not machines. Find more about Angela here.
“You are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn rest. Rest is not a luxury, a privilege or a bonus we must wait for once we are burned out. ”
Sign up now!
Wonder Walks
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world
〰️
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world 〰️
New round of Wonder Walks Coming up!
Weekly from Friday Nov 14-Dec. 12
1:30-2:45pm
Drop in Style - Come to one, two or as many as you want!
$25.00 or $20.00 each if you bring a friend
Save money and buy a package of 4 for $90.00
-
Can’t attend a walk but interested in donating to the Wonder Walk Scholarship Fund?
Therapy is expensive these days and sadly, not accessible to many. My vision for Wonder Walks is to have these events as accessible as possible to all levels of income.
These walks are more than just walks. They offer trauma-informed emotional regulation skills, nervous system education and a sense of community.
These are the foundational skills I teach in Individual Somatic Experiencing sessions at a much higher financial commitment.
I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and practice these life skills in a safe community.
Your donation will allow individuals to access this experience they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own!
Scroll below to sign up form to connect with me to donate today!
About this event
Join a safe community as we discover the wonders of the natural world together.
You might think, ‘I walk outside all the time. Why do I need to join a group to do the same?’
The short answer is cause neuroscience says so!
The long answer:
There is something magical that happens when we walk together in nature. Not only do we start co-regulating, we also start discovering wonders we would have missed by ourselves.
My Somatic Experiencing teacher once told me that when fireflies come together, their bodies start to glow in unison.
That is what neuroscience calls co-regulation. The same thing happens when we come together.
By ourselves, our nervous system, may struggle to slow down, and our thoughts easily take over, but when we come together, we can start slowing down with the rhythm of the group.
As the group comes into more regulation, there is more possibility for our senses to take in the wonders around us. And, multiply the sets of eyes, noses and ears, and all of a sudden, even more can be discovered. As we take in the wonders, a feeling of aw seems to permeate the group and an openness and playfulness ripples through. Forgetting the stresses of the week, we enter deeply into the experience of being together in nature and walk away feeling peace, joy and connectedness.
Walks will include:
Trauma -informed practices to support mindfulness and engaging the senses
Nervous system and trauma education based from the cutting edge trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing
Grounding meditation to begin
Gentle guidance to explore nature
Participation in restoration projects (seasonal)
Walks are Ideal for:
Anyone who goes finishes a walk and realizes they have been in their head the whole time
Individuals recovering from trauma, stress or burnout
Individuals that are in therapy and needing a safe space to practice somatic skills
Individuals on waitlist for therapy
Nature lovers - or haters - maybe this experience may change your mind
Individuals looking for trauma-informed community
Wonder Walk Location
We will meet at 53 Cross Creek Blvd (see map above)
From there, we will explore the Old Growth Forest Project. A special land that has been intentionally tended to by the Jesuits for many years to restore it back from farmland and logging.
Sign up now
First hand account of a Wonder Walk
“Ice was our teacher during our Wonder Walk last winter.
We quickly realized when we are focused on staying safe and not slipping, our senses were not as available to take in our surroundings. Just like when we have other stressors, and traumas, our attention goes to survival vs taking in the beauty.
Instead of judging ourselves, we got curious about what supports can we bring in so we don't have to orient to threat as much.
Some of us put ice treads on. They quickly realized that that support allowed them to feel safe and they could start looking around and orienting to their surroundings with their senses.
Another walker suggested we link arms! So, for a portion of the walk, 4 of us walked together, arms linked, settling into a lovely rhythm that allowed each of us to feel secure and supported.
And then, naturally we started to laugh more, take in our surroundings with our senses and find wonder around us and feel the warmth within us!
What a gift!! Truly a wonder to experience how safe connection allows us to become more present.”
Wonder Walks
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world
〰️
Get out of your head and ignite your senses as we explore the wonders of the natural world 〰️
About this event
Join a safe community as we discover the wonders of the natural world together.
You might think, ‘I walk outside all the time. Why do I need to join a group to do the same?’
The short answer is cause neuroscience says so!
The long answer:
There is something magical that happens when we walk together in nature. Not only do we start co-regulating, we also start discovering wonders we would have missed by ourselves.
My Somatic Experiencing teacher once told me that when fireflies come together, their bodies start to glow in unison.
That is what neuroscience calls co-regulation. The same thing happens when we come together.
By ourselves, our nervous system, may struggle to slow down, and our thoughts easily take over, but when we come together, we can start slowing down with the rhythm of the group.
As the group comes into more regulation, there is more possibility for our senses to take in the wonders around us. And, multiply the sets of eyes, noses and ears, and all of a sudden, even more can be discovered. As we take in the wonders, a feeling of aw seems to permeate the group and an openness and playfulness ripples through. Forgetting the stresses of the week, we enter deeply into the experience of being together in nature and walk away feeling peace, joy and connectedness.
Walks will include:
Trauma -informed practices to support engaging senses
Nervous system and trauma education Tidbits
Grounding meditation to begin
Gentle guidance to explore nature
Participation in restoration projects some weeks
Walks are Ideal for:
Anyone who goes finishes a walk and realizes they have been in their head the whole time
Individuals recovering from trauma, stress or burnout
Individuals that are in therapy and needing a safe space to practice somatic skills
Individuals on waitlist for therapy
Nature lovers - or haters - maybe this experience may change your mind
Individuals looking for trauma-informed community
Upcoming Wonder Walk Dates
Sept 8 10:30-12:00
Sept 15 10:30-12:00
At the Old Growth Forest Project. See map above
Your investment: $25.00 Bring a friend and each come for $20.00
Sign up now
First hand account of a Wonder Walk
“Ice was our teacher during our Wonder Walk last winter.
We quickly realized when we are focused on staying safe and not slipping, our senses were not as available to take in our surroundings. Just like when we have other stressors, and traumas, our attention goes to survival vs taking in the beauty.
Instead of judging ourselves, we got curious about what supports can we bring in so we don't have to orient to threat as much.
Some of us put ice treads on. They quickly realized that that support allowed them to feel safe and they could start looking around and orienting to their surroundings with their senses.
Another walker suggested we link arms! So, for a portion of the walk, 4 of us walked together, arms linked, settling into a lovely rhythm that allowed each of us to feel secure and supported.
And then, naturally we started to laugh more, take in our surroundings with our senses and find wonder around us and feel the warmth within us!
What a gift!! Truly a wonder to experience how safe connection allows us to become more present.”