April 3-5 , 2026 | Whidbey Institute
Shelterwood Retreat
An invitation to return.
To the body after long seasons of holding.
To the land as a teacher of rhythm and restraint.
To community as something that can hold us, too.
As a collective of healers, we are often oriented toward offering care, presence, and steadiness for others.
This retreat is a space designed to gently reverse that orientation — a place to receive, replenish, and be restored
within the layered shelter of land, community, and shared intention
Retreat
The prefix re– comes from Latin, meaning back, again, in response, in return.
It speaks to cycles rather than progress,
to remembering what has been fragmented,
to restoration that comes from returning.
This retreat leans into that movement:
Receive what has been missing
Remember yourself in relationship
Restore nervous systems, creativity, and vitality
Reciprocate when it feels resourced
Land
We will gather at the Whidbey Institute — stewarded land in an old-growth forest on Whidbey Island.
In forestry, a shelterwood is a canopy system that protects new growth through layers of care over time.
This retreat is an expression of that same ethic: a human shelterwood where practitioners are supported, not depleted; held, not harvested.
What to Expect
A gentle pause from the pace of everyday life. This will be designed to create space for you to slow down, reconnect, and return — through guided experiences, restorative space, and time to simply be.
❋ Spacious communal rhythms❋ Nourishing shared meals and time around the table ❋ Land connection and ritual❋ Optional offerings for learning, collaboration, and creativity❋ Somatic healing and movement practice❋ Ample time for rest, wandering, and integrationRetreat as collective practice
You are invited to pause, restore, and reimagine in community.
And, you're invited to co-create this experience.
We are gathering interest to help shape the retreat in conversation with our community.
We'd love to hear from you.