An Invitation to Slow Down
Winter Rest Retreat
Step away from your busyness and unlock your potential to rest
January 30-31, 2027 | St. Brigid’s Villa, Guelph, ON
A Weekend Day Retreat:
Cozy up at the St. Brigid’s Villa during the day and return to the comfort of your home at night
Early Bird Rate: $620 CAD (meals included)
Regular Rate: $675 CAD (applies to sign-ups after January 1, 2026)
Bonus: As a Registered Psychotherapist, 70% of this retreat may be eligible for insurance reimbursement.
What if rest wasn’t something you had to earn?
What if it was always yours, waiting beneath the noise, the guilt, and the pressure to get things done?
What if your body already knew the way?
Winter knows how to rest.
So do you.
This retreat is your invitation to remember that rhythm.
To soften, slow down, and root into the season that supports hibernation.
Why a rest retreat?
Maybe you’ve tried to rest before, but ended up feeling even more restless.
You're on the couch, in a yoga class, or away on vacation, but your brain keeps spinning, and guilt creeps in like an uninvited guest. Your thoughts quicken. Breath shortens. Muscles tense.
Sometimes, keeping busy feels easier than facing the discomfort of stillness.
I get it. I’ve been there. A LOT.
That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
It means you’re human, with a nervous system designed to protect you.
Real rest doesn’t ignore that. It works with it.
What Makes This Retreat Different
This isn’t about “learning how to relax.”
It’s about creating the right conditions for your body to naturally shift into a more restful state.
Together, we’ll explore:
Somatic tools to help you notice what arises when you slow down
Nervous system insights to better understand your inner experience
Nature-based invitations to connect with the land and let it guide your pace
Permission to meet yourself kindly, curiosity over control, compassion over criticism
You’ll become detective of your own inner experience:
What thoughts emerge?
What emotions stir?
What support feels good?
This relationship, with your own rhythms, is the beginning of a new way of being with rest.
Not prescribed. Not perfect.
This is body-led rest. Informed by somatics. Guided by nature.
Join us at the 4th Annual Winter Rest Retreat and explore what real rest might feel like, together.
Picture This (Yes, This Is for You)
You arrive in a cozy space, warmed by a woodstove and the quiet stillness of winter.
There’s no pressure to perform. No small talk. No fixing.
Just lots of choice, deep breaths, kind community, and space to feel yourself settle.
Your thoughts begin to slow. Your breath deepens.
Your body softens into the ground below.
Your nervous system sighs in relief.
You begin to feel a little clearer…
a little lighter…
maybe even a little giddy from doing nothing and letting that be enough.
This Retreat is for You if...
You’re tired of trying to rest and want to actually listen to your body
You crave support that’s gentle, grounded, and rooted in body awareness
You’ve felt like rest “should” be simple, but it never is
You want to untangle from capitalism’s toxic beliefs around rest and productivity
You’re ready to explore rest without guilt or pressure
This isn’t about forcing rest.
It’s about creating the conditions to meet yourself where you are.
At a Glance
🗓 January 30–31, 2027
📍 St. Brigid’s Villa, Guelph ON
💲 $620 Early Bird | $675 Regular Rate
🧘♀️ Qi Gong | Music Meditation | Nature Walks
🥣 Catered meals + follow-up support
🤍 Gentle, nervous-system-informed rest
✨ Yes, this kind of rest is for you.
Keep reading to see what’s included or reserve your spot now.
What’s Waiting for You
What’s Waiting for You
This isn’t a retreat chasing bliss or bypassing the real stuff. We are creating space to learn to be with what arises when we slow down.
The Retreat Includes:
Nourishment for Body & Soul
Morning Qi Gong with Lisa Clendening, a moving meditation to ground and gently energize
Guided Nature Walks to clear your head and connect with the winter landscape
Evening Music Meditation: let the rhythms of music carry you into deep rest
Free time to nap, journal, colour, or simply do nothing at all
Delicious meals to nourish your body and warm your soul
All inside a cozy, woodstove-lit space surrounded by peaceful winter woods
💫 Gentle Learning & Restful Wisdom
Learn how your nervous system responds to rest and how to work with it instead of against it
Explore the cultural expectations and beliefs that keep us in busy mode, and how to gently move beyond them
Take away ideas, reflections, and somatic practices that will help you carry rest into daily life.
Includes simple handouts + follow-up support to keep the rest going
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Qi Gong (pronounced "chee-gong") is a moving meditation that melts stress, clears your mind, and recharges your body. Sounds like magic, right? It kind of is.
It combines gentle movements, mindful breathing, and meditation to help balance and cultivate your life energy (known as "qi") for total well-being.This ancient practice is like yoga with a little more spiritual sparkle.
Whether you're looking for relaxation, mental clarity, or simply to tune into your spiritual flow, Qi Gong is all about harmonizing your body, emotions, and spirit.
Led by Lisa Clendening, whose teachings are all about helping you feel whole, connected, and alive. Many participants say they leave feeling grounded or more connected to themselves—but how this lands is uniquely yours.
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Content coming soon
Words from past retreaters
“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.”
“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 the tone of non-judgement toward self and others at the beginning and throughout the ‘experience.’”
“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 honors what your body needs each day.”
“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, particularly so for women as they strive to juggle the demands of home and work life. This course helps women become self-aware and more critical of the cultural norms we have around work. Participants are provided with tools to help them challenge these norms in very real and achievable ways in their daily lives.”
The Energy of the Weekend
Playful. Grounded. Unrushed.
Real rest isn’t about forcing ease.
It’s about creating safety. And that’s what we’ll build, together.
What You’ll Take With You
Permission to rest (yes, we’ll even give you a certificate 😉)
An experience of physical and emotional nourishment
Fresh perspectives and ways of relating to your inner world
Non-performative rest
Simple tools to bring rest into everyday life
A circle of women valuing rest as a lifestyle and walking a similar path toward more ease.
The Space: St. Brigid’s Villa, Guelph, ON
Tucked into 500 acres of forests and fields, this space is pure winter sanctuary.
Restored by the Jesuits and lovingly tended for over a century, St. Brigid’s is quiet, grounded, and wrapped in nature that invites you to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with yourself.
The trees are not in bloom. The fields are not rushing. And neither are you.
Let the stillness of the land help you remember how.
What to Bring?
Come comfy, PJ vibes encouraged.
Here’s what you might want (more detailed list upon registration):
A cozy blanket, pillow, slippers, anything that helps you feel completely at ease.
A journal and pen to capture your thoughts and reflections.
Warm layers for those crisp outdoor walks and fresh air.
Meet your guide: Angela
Hi, I’m Angela, a Somatic Experiencing Psychotherapist, lover of slow mornings, student of nature’s wisdom and fierce advocate for real, reachable rest.
My work is rooted in nervous system regulation, body awareness, and making rest feel real and possible. I won’t tell you to “just relax,” but I will walk with you as you explore what rest feels like for you.
Having walked my own journey of learning to slow down, listen to my body’s needs, and tune into nature’s pace, I’m here to guide you toward embracing the restful life you deserve. You’ll find me somewhere between the woodstove, the snowy trails, and journal table, holding space with warmth, curiosity, compassion, and a sprinkle of play.
“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 within the subject matter in a way that felt we were on a journey with an accomplished, wise, and experienced guide.”
“The experience was great! I love your genuine, warm nature and the ability to provide a safe space for rest.”
Your Investment in Rest
Early Bird Rate: $620 CAD (until January 1)
Regular Rate: $675 CAD
This includes everything you need to rest and restore:
A trauma-informed program designed to help you relax deeply
Therapeutic exercises and teachings crafted with care
Two Qi Gong sessions to move energy and calm your system
Music Meditation and Guided Nature Walks to deepen your experience
Therapy handouts and a follow-up Zoom call for continued support
Hearty catered meals
Bonus: The group therapy portion of this retreat (70% of total) may be eligible for reimbursement through your extended health benefits. Check your plan for coverage of Registered Psychotherapist-led group therapy.
Need Financial Flexibility?
I believe rest should be accessible, no matter your budget. If cost feels like a barrier, let’s chat! Payment plans are available. No questions asked, your rest matters.
Ready to Rest Differently?
Come exactly as you are.
You don’t have to wait for permission.
You don’t have to earn it.
Winter is already showing you how.
All you have to do is listen.
Reserve Your Spot!
✨Spots are limited, so don’t wait!
Sign up today or if you’re almost ready but have some questions, please reach out.
Claim your spot at Winter Rest Retreat!
📲 Follow @wellness_in_the_woods for updates and glimpses into retreat life.
💌 Questions or curiosities? Reach out,