2010 has not started yet, but already I know what I will be doing May 27-31, 2010! Do you?
Because our experience at the Edenvale Retreat Centre was so great last year, we booked our retreat with them again this year. Edenvale is a wonderful site with everything we need. The staff is amazing, the food healthy and tasty, and the location is charming.
Our team of facilitators will also be amazing this year. We are very fortunate to have the expertise and the support of wonderful ladies. For the second year in a row, Janie Brown, Executive Director of Callanish Society in Vancouver and counsellor, Jennifer Bos, our super nurse, and Danielle Lowe, counsellor and yoga instructor, will join us in the adventure.
Before registering, many people ask us what we do at Retreats. We will try and post more details soon, but here is some information that should help you get a better feel of what happens in those weekends.
The main purpose of the retreat is to meet people who understand what you are going through and to connect with them. We also reserve some time to share experiences, stories, the good times and the bad times.
We can split the Retreat in four big streams of activity:
1. Welcoming and Introduction: To start on the right foot, we take some time to get to know each other.
2. Small group discussions: Exchange on topics relevant to you and chosen by you. For example, in the past we had talks on relationships, family and friends, sexuality and intimacy, fear of recurrence, etc. The entire group decides on 4 main topics and we discuss each one throughout the weekend. Of course, many other discussions spontaneously happen all throughout the weekend, some serious and some lighter, and many of them fun.
3. Information and tools: We try and give you an update on the situation of young adult cancer survivors in Canada and also give you some tools to help you on your day to day life.
4. Free time: The free time is a mix of structured and non-structured activities. Depending on the weather, some people will just go out for a walk, swim in the pool, play basketball or volleyball, or just take a little afternoon nap. We also have a game night where we get together and play!
There are optional activities as well like Yoga sessions or meditation. We also have an art table available the entire weekend.
In short, this is what a retreat looks like, but we try to be flexible with our schedule. Every group we have is different and we adapt our activities accordingly.
Retreat Yourself West has limited space (23 maximum), so it’s better to register sooner than later. For more information or to register.
Hope to meet you there!
