Step Towards Nature, Step Towards Yourself
Restoration Retreat 2020: A Rite of Passage Based Model for Helping Professionals and Care Providers
Everything has meaning.
Everything is intentional.
Through stillness and curiosity with Nature, we may reclaim our purpose, our hope, and our passion.
We invite you to join us on an All-Inclusive, 2 Night-3 Day Immersive Nature Experience for Helpers and Healers.
Be Vulnerable.
Be Open.
“Stepping out of the busyness … is perhaps the most beautiful offering we can make to our spirit.”
~Tara Brach ~
Friday, September 25th: Stepping In…
Check-in between 9-9:45 (please arrive on-time for the program to start at 10 a.m.)
10 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Rite of Passage Introduction, Arrival, and Thresholds
12 p.m.- 1:00 p.m. Lunch (all food will be provided *see food details below*)
1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Solo with Nature: Participants will be guided to explore the following: (Journals provided)
What is vulnerable?
What is chaotic?
What is organized?
What is connected?
What is restorative?
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Gather, Process, Connect, and Community
4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Solo and Settle (check into accommodations *see accommodation details below*)
6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Dinner
7:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Fire Ceremony: Roses and Thorns, Preparations, and Reflections
9:00 p.m. Solo and Unwind
Saturday, September 26th: Meditation, Mindfulness, and Metaphor
7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m. Optional Morning Meditation on the Beach
8 a.m.-9 a.m. Breakfast and Preparation
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Movement-Based Morning: Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge, Mindfulness and Meditation Walk
12 p.m.-1 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Horticulture Afternoon: Meaning and Metaphor through the Plant-Person Relationship (symbols for integration)
How are you rooted personally and professionally?
Do you need to be replanted?
How are you nourished or lacking nourishment?
Do you need space to grow?
How do you fill your pot?
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Gather, Process, Connect, and Community
4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Solo Hour and Reflection
6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Dinner
7:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Fire Ceremony: Burning and Intention, Preparing for Severance, and Integration
9:00 p.m. Solo and Unwind
Sunday, September 27th: Silent Morning
7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m. Optional Morning Meditation on the Beach
8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Silent Breakfast
8:30 a.m.- 10:00 a.m. Final Solo on the Beach
What will you offer the land?
What do you want to leave behind?
What needs to be reclaimed?
What needs to be laid to rest?
What do you need to integrate back?
10 a.m.- 12 p.m. Final Gather, Connect, and Departure/Thresholds
12:00 p.m. Departure
**Food**
Facilitators will be preparing Paleo-Centered family style meals (6 meals- 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners)
Food will be prepared with locally sourced and organic ingredients.
Day Two Wildlife Refuge Trip: Basic Snacks will be provided (bring your own snacks to accommodate special preferences)
Water/Tea/Coffee will be provided
*Allergies need to be communicated with facilitators. Food related accommodations will be considered on a case by case basis. Facilitators will reach out before the Retreat to discuss food accommodation requests further.*
**Accommodations**
Private rooms are limited and will be filled first come first serve!
Anchored House: Accommodates 4 people, Beach Front
Room 1: Private with Queen Bed
Room 2: Private with Queen Bed
Room 3: Shared with Double Bunk Bed (2-Full Sized Beds)
Artist House: Accommodates 8 people, Beach Front
Room 1: Shared with 2 Twin Beds
Room 2: Private with 1 Queen Bed
Room 3: Shared with 2 Bunk Beds (4- Full Sized Beds)
Room 4: Loft with a Day Bed and Deck Access
Refuge House: Accommodates 3 people *Where Facilitators are Staying*, Wildlife Refuge Front (Beach Access)
Room 1: Facilitator
Room 2: Facilitator
Room 3: Private with 1 Queen Bed
Room 4: Shared with 1 Bunk Bed (1-Single Sized Bed, 1-Full Sized Bed)
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FACILITATORS
Laura Marques Brown
Laura is a bi-cultural Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor (LGPC) and received her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with a focus in Nature-based Psychotherapy from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Laura’s expertise is in the field of Nature-based Therapy, also known as “Ecotherapy” or “Ecopsychology”. This field recognizes that our internal environment is connected to our external environment and that these two systems have become disconnected. Laura believes that how we step back into Nature matters. Laura facilitates Ecotherapy programs as an ally, an advocate, an educator, and a student of the natural world. Through her training and experience, Laura has learned that there are some Nature stories that are told over others. Like the ones that romanticize natural landscapes and paint portraits of a man’s escape to Nature for solace, refuge and personal gain. In her work, Laura has discovered a disconnect from within the outdoor industry, in which Indigenous lands, people and stories are left out of programming and experiences. Laura believes in the importance of healing our collective trauma. By creating inclusive programming, she acknowledges language, history and context as an important part of our engagement with Nature. After all, the natural world is not homogeneous. It is diverse, abundant, and inclusive. Earth does not discriminate.
Laura has spent the last ten years exploring the Colorado Rockies, Utah’s red earth and meandering rivers, and the vast plains of the west. Through her decade of work outside, Laura guides others to gently step toward one another, the landscapes they love, and in return, back towards themselves.
Chelsea Haverly
Chelsea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) and is the CEO of Hope Ignited and the Co-Founder of Anchored Hope Therapy, LLC. Chelsea majored in Psychology at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York and received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Chelsea has a Masters Certificate from Cornell University, Johnson School of Business Management, in the Psychology of Business. Chelsea specializes in Trauma-informed organizational change management, creating safe & secure environments, and managing complex change. Chelsea works to identify how people can work better and more effectively in order to take care of themselves and function optimally at the individual, work, and interpersonal levels. A key part to this process is allowing ourselves time to slow down, rest, reflect, and ground ourselves with the earth vs. within the confines of an established business/gym/studio. Chelsea was diagnosed with health issues in 2018 that impacted her quality of life. Chelsea began to work on slowing down, changing her diet and with Nature as a guide to connect with self again, Chelsea started on the path to truly taking care of herself and healing. Chelsea specializes in coaching the change of “stuck” patterns and believes in practicing what she teaches.
She has hiked in Montana, California, New York, Virginia, Vermont, and Maryland so far- while still a novice to backcountry trips, the journey continues for her. Escaping to Nature is different than being in Nature and incorporating Nature into our day to day. Starting to process this connection and allowing energy to flow differently into our bodies has been linked to lowering inflammation and promoting healing. Chelsea’s immunity issues have stabilized, and her overall health has improved with focusing on connecting outdoors, eating a non-inflammatory diet, and with slowing down to be with self again. Chelsea is passionate about helping other people begin their journey to self again.
Chelsea and Laura invite you on this journey to Restoration!
