Embody Retreat ~ day retreat for somatic self care

Sign up early so you don’t miss out on this unique and transformative experience…

In this day-long retreat in the bright and beautiful space of the Riverdale Hub, you will learn how to listen to the wisdom of your body and recognize subtle signs of dysregulation and practice self-regulation techniques. 

This intimate and transformative experience includes: 

• Experience an energizing yoga and movement practice you can incorporate into your morning routine
• Learn about your nervous system and practice a variety of somatic tools to expand your capacity to respond to stress in your daily life
• Cultivate self-compassion and explore boundaries through an experiential yin yoga and meditation-based workshop
• Participate in a live Yoga Nidra session to support integration of new learning
• A delicious, locally sourced lunch from the Riverdale Hub Cafe (the “greenest building in East Toronto”) with fresh ingredients from their green roof
• A follow-up list of resources and practices to continue integrating somatic self-care in your daily life

About your Facilitators:

Eva Still (MSW, yoga teacher & therapist, embodiment coach,and grief educator), and Sehr Athar (MSW/RSW, psychotherapist, yoga educator and Reiki practitioner) met while completing our Masters of Social Work at the University of Toronto in 2006. Since then, our journeys have taken us on different paths, Eva to Colombia where she has a yoga & wellness center and offers therapies for nervous system regulation and Sehr to her psychotherapy practice in Toronto. We reconnected around our mutual passion for supporting individuals through difficult times using practices that connect physical and emotional experiences and have had the amazing experience of running immersive local and international retreats.

About the Riverdale Hub:

The Riverdale Immigrant Women Enterprises (RIWE), commonly known as the Riverdale Hub, is strives to sustain a vibrant organization that balances the socio-economic, cultural, environmental and artistic needs and aspirations of minority communities.The Riverdale Hub is in the east end of Toronto, and houses Free Spirit @ Riverdale Hub, Riverdale Gallery, unique Event and Workspaces, Community Gardens and Work-based Training Programs.

Who would benefit from this retreat?

• This retreat is for anyone who wants to reconnect with the wisdom of your body and respond more effectively to stress.
• Healthcare workers, therapists, educators, and anyone supporting people’s wellbeing and mental health
• This retreat is for all bodies, shapes, sizes, states of mobility and energy levels.

• No yoga and meditation experience is necessary. Safe and trauma-informed.
• Note that there will be opportunities to learn from one another but sharing is optional (you will not be asked to share anything you do not want to share).
• If finances are a barrier to participation, please contact us for a reduced rate.

What our past international retreat participants have said:

 "I have already recommended this retreat to a few of my other friends who have experienced loss and I think, the embody retreat feels like the perfect combination of self-care , somatic practice and yoga. Some theory, some spiritualness, but not too much of one thing. It’s a very supportive retreat, and I feel blessed to have been able to attend. Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you."

"This retreat is great for anyone dealing with grief, loss, burnout or any complex emotional experience. It is very valuable to gain deeper insight into emotional pain can impact the body and physical health. Eva and Sehr were so supportive! I would highly recommend this experience."

"I appreciated the mix of experience and Sehr and Eva´s  ability to guide us so compassionately, gently, gracefully, kindly. I learned a great deal in the workshops by the facilitators' willingness to share examples from their own lives, to help us better understand the concepts shared."

"I've attended a lot of workshops/retreats in my time, and I commend the facilitators for designing something so effective, enjoyable, lovely, meaningful, valuable."

"Since the retreat I’ve been much more mindful about my self talk and my breath. This helped me sooooo much when I was struggling through some tough days and I’ve been allowing myself to feel more emotions around grief and the confusion around what to do with my life now. Acknowledging the challenging thoughts rather than just trying to push them away."