Who is it for:

The Healing Retreat  is for adult survivors* of childhood sexual trauma, defined as any sexual violation experienced by someone under the age of 18. The Healing Retreat is open to participants over 18 years old of all genders, racialized identities, and sexual orientations. This retreat is intended for those who have already begun their healing journey and are seeking more support by working with others within a sacred circle.

 *We use the term survivor, and acknowledge that this may not be the term all folks who have experienced sexual trauma may use to describe themselves. 

Retreat Location:

The Healing Retreat is held at the Whidbey Institute, Washington State, located on the territory of the Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Suquamish, and Snohomish tribes—the island Tscha-kole-chy, named Whidbey Island by colonial settlers. The Whidbey Institute has been a home for transformational learning since for over 50 years.

APPLY HERE by MAY 1st!

Healing Retreat for survivors of child sexual trauma

Co-Facilitated by Marisa Withey Byrne, Katie Spataro, Kari Stettler and Jay Wade with Tere Carranza

August 17 - 20, 2023

Now is the time for survivors to unite and together free ourselves from the effects of trauma on our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits. This Healing Retreat offers a ceremonial container for a small group of participants to honor, grieve and celebrate the trials and triumphs in the journey of healing from childhood sexual abuse. We use a holistic approach to unravel the pervasiveness of isolation, silence and shame, and to weave together our collective stories while being witness to one another’s individual experience.

This retreat uses a variety of modalities to explore how childhood experiences are held in the different aspects of self and offers opportunities for release, clearing and healing through talking circles, somatic practice, movement, visualization, singing, a grief ritual, and quiet integration time.

Who is it for:

The Healing Retreat is for adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma, defined as any sexual violation experienced by someone under the age of 18. More information about what defines child sexual abuse from the organization Generation Five.

The Healing Retreat is open to participants of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. This retreat is intended for those who have already begun their healing journey and are seeking more support by working with others within a sacred circle.

*We use the term survivor, and acknowledge that this may not be the term all folks who have experienced sexual trauma may use to describe themselves.

5 Wednesday evenings ~ 6/7, 6/21*, 7/5, 7/19, 8/2

6:30-9pm

On the deck at Gold Ridge Gardens (Sebastopol, exact location given when registered)

Open to all bodies and genders

This is a committed series

We gather as a small group (8 ppl max) on the deck in the black oak canopy to explore our natural impulses through movement...to allow these movements to bring shape to our personal and collective stories of initiation, transformation and celebration that we are living in this high summertime.  Our evenings together may include time for checking in with one another, somatic tracking practices, breathing practices, group movement practice (some without and some with music), witnessing and being witnessed, recall to support integration, movement/verbal councils, drawing/sketching/journaling, *solstice ritual on 6/21 and epic summertime sunsets (if the coastal fog cooperates!).  Facilitation by Kari Stettler and will draw from modalities Authentic Movement, Soul Motion, Triyoga & Somatic Experiencing.

A 7-moon Journey spanning November 2022 - May 2023

4 In person gatherings with a week long vision fast in California Desert

We (Kari and Jen) are excited and honored to hold this space for you–our local community of change makers– to resource ourselves in the writings and practices of our elder and teacher, Joanna Macy. This 10th Anniversary Edition of Active Hope, released in 2022, follows a spiral journey, from “Gratitude” to “Honoring our Pain for the World” to “Seeing with New Eyes” and “Going Forth”. The wisdom of these teachings is rooted in Joanna’s 50+ years of study in Buddhism, systems theory and Deep Ecology, and includes meditations, partner inquiries, connecting with future beings, and much more.

In this book group, we will:

• Have vibrant discussions on the readings (2-3 chapters per week)

• Practice Interactive Work that Reconnects exercises from the book

• Create a brave space for expression of emotion

• Help expand your personal practices for resiliency and creativity

• Uplift each other’s work and service on behalf of life.

We look forward to getting to know you and sharing in this compassionate, visionary book and practice with you all.

For more information and to register, please visit ACTIVE HOPE REGISTRATION

Healing Retreat for survivors of child sexual trauma

Co-Facilitated by Marisa Withey Byrne, Katie Spataro, Kari Stettler and Tere Carranza

August 18 - 21, 2022

Now is the time for survivors to unite and together free ourselves from the effects of trauma on our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits. This Healing Retreat offers a ceremonial container for a small group of participants to honor, grieve and celebrate the trials and triumphs in the journey of healing from childhood sexual abuse. We use a holistic approach to unravel the pervasiveness of isolation, silence and shame, and to weave together our collective stories while being witness to one another’s individual experience.

This retreat uses a variety of modalities to explore how childhood experiences are held in the different aspects of self and offers opportunities for release, clearing and healing through talking circles, somatic practice, movement, visualization, singing, a grief ritual, and quiet integration time.

Who is it for:

The Healing Retreat is for adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma, defined as any sexual violation experienced by someone under the age of 18. More information about what defines child sexual abuse from the organization Generation Five.

The Healing Retreat is open to participants of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. This retreat is intended for those who have already begun their healing journey and are seeking more support by working with others within a sacred circle.

*We use the term survivor, and acknowledge that this may not be the term all folks who have experienced sexual trauma may use to describe themselves.

Co-Facilitated by Marisa Taborga Byrne, Katie Spataro, Kari Stettler & Tere Carranza (for bios, click here)

August 19-22, 2021

Now is the time for survivors to unite and take a step towards embodying liberation from the effects of trauma on bodies, hearts, minds and spirit. This Healing Retreat offers a ceremonial container for a small group of participants to honor, grieve and celebrate the trials and triumphs in the journey of healing from childhood sexual abuse. We use a holistic approach to unravel the pervasiveness of isolation, silence and shame, and to weave together our collective stories while being witness to one another’s individual experience.

This retreat uses a variety of modalities to explore how childhood experiences are held in the different aspects of self and offers opportunities for release, clearing and healing through talking circles, somatic practice, movement, visualization, singing, a grief ritual, and quiet integration time.

APPLY HERE

We live in unprecedented times. In this workshop, we co-create a brave space, a sound container in which to meet grief and develop an ongoing relationship with it. We will learn somatic tools and practices for regulating our nervous systems in stressful times. We will also explore grief as a fractal experience, tending to both the macrocosm of our grief for the state of the earth and world and the microcosm, our own personal losses. From this place of allowing our hearts to break open, we have more access to joy, love and vibrancy.

In this Initiation journey for womb carriers, we bring consciousness to our FOUNDATION.

MARCH - JUNE, 2020

In the Foundations Journey, we lay out a map for healthy practices, make connection with our wholeness and build relationship with the natural world around us and the earth underneath us, as well as the unseen world.

This is a 4 month journey out on the land, growing intimacy with yourself and the elements of fire, earth, air & water within a circle of womb carriers that includes peers, mentors and elders.

The journey ends with a 3-day culminating Honoring Ceremony that includes solo time out on the land.

Co-Facilitated by Marisa Taborga Byrne, Katie Spataro, and Kari Stettler (for bios, click here)

JANUARY RETREAT IS FULL - PLEASE SUBMIT INQUIRY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INFORMED OF FUTURE HEALING RETREATS IN 2020 AND BEYOND.

Within the context of growing awareness and action in our social world around sexual trauma, this is a time for survivors to unite and together undo the effects of trauma on the body, mind and spirit. 

Along the path of healing/wholing lies an unraveling of the pervasiveness of silence and shame, and the need for sacred spaces for connecting with others, grieving, and being held and witnessed within community.

The intention of this retreat is to create a safe space for honoring and expressing fullness in the context of a small group of survivors. The retreat will include a variety of modalities to explore how these childhood experiences are held in the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of self and offers opportunities for release, clearing and healing through talking circles, movement, visualization, singing, a grief ritual, and quiet integration time. Participants will have the opportunity to be honored and witnessed in their individual experience while being held within the container of the group.

We live in unprecedented times. In this workshop, we co-create a brave space, a sound container in which to meet grief and develop an ongoing relationship with it.  We will explore grief as a fractal experience, tending to both the macrocosm of our grief for the state of the earth and world and the microcosm, our own personal losses. From this place of allowing our hearts to break open, we have more access to joy, love and vibrancy.

In this 6 week committed series for Women, we explore MOVEMENT AS MEDICINE for nourishing body, mind, heart and spirit. Inquiries will be drawn from practices of Authentic Movement, Soul Motion and Somatic Experiencing. 

2nd and 4th Tuesday evenings of month, 6-8pm (September-November)

Begins Tuesday, September 10th, 6-8pm, ends November 26th

Register by September 1st to hold your space!

In this 8 week committed series for Women, we explore the “movement in depth” practice of Authenticity in Movement.  In this introductory series, we will learn to listen to and follow our authentic movement impulses. We will cultivate and strengthen our internal non-judging witness, and create space for a fuller acceptance of ourselves. We will invite ourselves into a more relaxed, liberated state of presence and being.

1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings of month, 6-8:30pm (September-December)

Begins Tuesday, September 3rd, 6-8:30pm, ends December 17th

Register by August 25th to hold your space!

In this 6 week committed series for Women, we explore MOVEMENT AS MEDICINE for nourishing body, mind, heart and spirit. Inquiries will be drawn from practices of Authentic Movement, Soul Motion and Somatic Experiencing. 

Tuesday evenings, 6-8pm

Begins Tuesday, June 25th 6-8pm, ends June 30th

Register by June 15th to hold your space!

Summer Series for Young Women ages 15-18yrs at Green Lotus in Morro Bay with Silvia Suarez and Kari Stettler

June 24-28th, 10:30am-1pm

In this series, we will build healthy and nourishing relationships with our own bodies and with others. Through movement and creative expression, we dive into the question “who am I?” and approach and experience our bodies from within, focusing on our senses. We analyze and de-construct the beauty parameters promoted in marketing and messaging from the media and society. We develop building blocks to relate with our own bodies and with others from a solid foundation of self love and self respect.

Cost for 5 days is on a sliding scale, pay what you can basis of $150-300.

To register, please paypal your fee to karistettler@gmail.com or mail a check made out to:

Kari Stettler, 1997 Geneseo Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446

A Soul Motion® Inquiry June 18-19th

Tuesday evening 7-9:30pm, Wednesday daylong 10am-5pm

Through Movement Inquiries and Council we explore and learn ways to stay resilient in the face of the times we are living in.

We live in unprecedented times. In this workshop, we co-create a brave space, a sound container in which to meet grief and develop an ongoing relationship with it.  We will explore grief as a fractal experience, tending to both the macrocosm of our grief for the state of the earth and world and the microcosm, our own personal losses. It has been our experience that if we truly care, we continue to grieve.  From this place of allowing our hearts to break open, we have more access to joy, love and vibrancy.

In this Somatic Resourcing Retreat for Women, we will slow down from the fast pace of life, connect with self and each other, spend time on the land, move our bodies in somatic inquiry and share in nourishing meals and sharing together. Guided by Kari Stettler, Shelley Kilcoyne and Laura Creps.

We live in unprecedented times. In this workshop, we co-create a brave space, a sound container in which to meet grief and develop an ongoing relationship with it.  We will explore grief as a fractal experience, tending to both the macrocosm of our grief for the state of the earth and world and the microcosm, our own personal losses. It has been our experience that if we truly care, we continue to grieve.  From this place of allowing our hearts to break open, we have more access to joy, love and vibrancy.