Category: Offering

Offering

Build Your Own Retreat: August 7, 8, 9 – 2026

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Join us for the second annual BYOR – a co-created and emergent weekend of practice and presence.

Unplug, relax in nature, explore the forest, swim in the river, sleep under the stars, dream your dreams…follow your own rhythm on 10 acres of beautiful, private, forested land.

The year’s weekend will be lightly facilitated by Kalen and Colleen (bios and schedule below).

Join us for the whole weekend or drop in for a part of it – read on for more details.

⬆️ Snapshots of The Land. More info below

Context: This spacious retreat is rooted in our desire to be in practice, in community, in the natural world. Each day will include a few optional opportunities for guided practice and intentional sharing.

This weekend is best suited for people who are comfortable spending good stretches of time in nature and who already have a basis of some practice(s) to work with – e.g. meditation,
nature connection, movement, art, writing, etc.

We anticipate our group will be small and intimate – maximum 10 people.

The basic structure of the weekend will be:

9-10am – Morning movement, meditation and intention setting

1-2pm – Nature connection practice

7-8pm – Harvest from the day, restorative practice

Quiet time and goodnight

All programming offerings are optional. Other offerings may be added in or even offered by other participants. We encourage you to feel in to your own needs around connection and solitude throughout the weekend.

You are welcome to be in noble silence for part or all of the retreat, or to be in connection with others who are not observing silence.

We fully encourage self- care, rest and reliance on your own inner guide to support you during your time on The Land.

Facilitators will be available for check ins and support as needed.

Things to do while on The Land:
Forest bathing
Self guided meditation practice
Explore the land (10 acres of forest)
Swim in the Koksilah River (25 minute walk)
Walk along the Cowichan Valley Regional Trail
Arts and Crafts
Self-designed ceremony/ritual
Rest and relaxation
Reading
Do whatever you want to do! *But please respect that this is a sober weekend.

Logistics

This is a camping/tenting retreat – choose from a forested spot (a short hike in) or car camping in the clearing

Bring your own food – fridge and food storage, outdoor kitchen, camp stove and basic cookware will be available

Base Cost – $50/night. Includes camping, facilities and 3 hours of programming each day
Sliding scale options are available on an as needed basis – please inquire!

To register email kalenleaf[at]gmail[dot]com. Please indicate whether you’ll be joining for one or two nights or for a day visit.

If you’re curious but hesitant, or just want to talk more about what this weekend could look like for you, please be in touch to discuss!

Facilitator Bios:

Kalen Colson, RCC (they/them) is a nature-based therapist, certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and a land tender. Kalen has been studying meditation and practicing group facilitation for over a decade. Currently delving into the practices of deep ecology and soul work, Kalen loves spending quiet, slow time on The Land.

Colleen Browne (she/her) has been meditating for 15 years. She lived at Tassajara Zen Center (the monastery for San Francisco Zen Center) for 3 years, is a certified Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga Teacher and hosts a weekly meditation gathering at her home in Shawnigan Lake. Lately she has been exploring ancestral work with Perdita Finn and expanding her understanding of Sprit.

Hazel is a hypoallergenic therapy dog who loves to greet and connect with guests on The Land.

More information about The Land

We will be gathering on “The Land” – 10 acres of mostly forested and wild land edging on the Cowichan Valley Regional trail, a 25 minute walk to the Kinsol Trestle and Koksilah River. 

Kalen has been stewarding and hosting small retreats on this land for the past 5 years. Tucked away at the end of a long driveway, we have lots of privacy and won’t be seeing any neighbours or other folks. We may hear cars, children, other neighbourly noises or activity on the nearby Cowichan Valley trail. Generally, the land is quiet and peaceful. We hear lots of birdsong and frogs, see lots of trees and big skies.

Infrastructure on the land includes: The Gathering Space (500 square foot space with a wood stove, art supplies, books), an outhouse (pit toilet), a sometimes temperamental outdoor shower (cold showers are almost always an option), fridge and coolers for food storage, outdoor kitchen, tea station, tent platforms, multiple trails to explore, living altars and more.

There is no wifi on the land and cell service is available but sometimes spotty. We encourage you to consider fully unplugging and enjoying a tech-free weekend.

If you have questions about The Land please feel free to reach out.

Offering, Uncategorized

Soul Calling: The Art of Dreaming on The Land – Sept 2026

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A weekend intensive for exploring dreams and nature connections co-facilitated by Kalen Colson and Lisa Hartwick

Art by @queer_spoon_art

Dreams are one of the primary ways that Soul speaks to us, calls to us to become more whole and connected to our mythic identities. Beyond the ego, Soul carries the thread of our deeper purpose, our unique gifts and reasons for being alive in these bodies, in these times.

This retreat is an opportunity to listen in, with the support of the land, to the dreams that are currently calling our attention. Through practices inspired by Soulcentric Dreamwork, we will engage in dream embodiment, deep listening, deep imagery, art, nature connection and group work to step further into the mysteries of our dream images and characters.

If you are curious about what your nightworld is up to, about how to embody your soul more fully, about connecting in community and with the more-than-human community, this weekend intensive might be for you.

Date: September 19-20. Arrival 10am Saturday, departure 5pm Sunday.

Location: The Land – 20 minutes outside of Duncan, close to the Kinsol Trestle (approximately one hour’s drive from Victoria). More info on The Land below.

Logistics: This is an overnight camping experience. Participants will need to bring their own camping set up and lunches for Saturday and Sunday. Dinner and breakfast will be provided. 

Cost: Sliding Scale options: $475 / $550 / $625


Cost includes:

  • Saturday dinner + Sunday breakfast (bring your own lunches and snacks – fridges/coolers provided)
  • Overnights camping accommodation – both car camping and hike in camping available
    • If camping doesn’t suit you, options are available – see FAQ below
  • Programming throughout the weekend 
  • A preparation Zoom call on Wednesday June 10 at 7pm.

To register please email Kalen (kalenleaf@gmail.com) or Lisa (lisa@lisahartwick.ca)

*If you have trouble remembering your night dreams, we will be offering support and guidance around how to connect with dreams in preparation for the retreat.

Facilitators:

Lisa Hartwick (she/her) MA (Psych) RCC is a gestalt therapist and a lover of the psyche, nature, and dreams. As a transpersonal psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience in the field, Lisa is excited to help people retrieve the power of dreams, connection to self and the natural world.

Kalen Colson (they/them) MA (Psych) RCC is a nature-based therapist specializing in depth psychology, somatics and group work. Kalen is also a community organizer at heart, and believes in the power of connection in community – human and more-than-human – to support our growth and sense of belonging.

FAQs

What’s the vibe of the weekend?

We will be working with ceremony and ritual throughout the weekend to help us drop into a collective, dreamlike, reverent space in which we attuned to the living field.

There will be a good balance of facilitated group connection and solo time to explore and reflect. 

Dreamwork is both personal and intimate – how much of your inner world and experience you share is up to you. We will be encouraging you to explore your edges around vulnerability and connection – with humans and more than humans.

What if tenting doesn’t suit me?

  • If tenting is not your thing, there will be an option to sleep on the floor in the Gathering Space (shared with others who prefer this option). Please bring your own bedding and mat to sleep on
  • If you prefer a more cushy accommodation, we can support you to find a place to stay in the neighbourhood (for an extra fee)

Can you tell me more about the intensive location?

We will be gathering on “The Land” – 10 acres of forested and wild land edging on the Cowichan Valley Regional trail, a 25 minute walk to the Kinsol Trestle and Koksilah River.

Kalen has been stewarding this land and hosting small retreats here for the past 5 years. The Land is tucked away at the end of a long driveway. We won’t be seeing any neighbours or other folks. We may hear some cars, neighbourly noises, or activity on the Cowichan Valley trail which is nearby. Generally, the land is quiet and peaceful. It has the feel of being pretty removed from the city.

Infrastructure on the land includes: The Gathering Space (500 square foot shelter with a wood stove), an outhouse (pit toilet), outdoor shower (cold showers are almost always an option, the hot water system sometimes fatlers), fridge and coolers for food storage, basic outdoor kitchen, coffee and tea station, tent platforms, multiple trails to explore, living altars and more.

There is no wifi on the land. Cell service is available but sometimes spotty.

If you have questions about the Land please feel free to reach out to Kalen.

What will I need to bring with me?

NEED TO HAVE

Durable plate/bowl, cutlery and travel mug
Water bottle
Whistle (in case of emergenct)
Benadryl for anyone with life-compromising allergies (in addition to your Epi Pen)
Tent
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Layers! Mornings and evenings tend to be cool, days can be hot
Day pack/backpack to carry things around the land/to the river, etc.
Light Scarf/Shawl – there are, at times, buzzy mosquitoes in the forest – it can be helpful to cover your upper body and head with a light scarf to keep them at bay.
Sun hat / Toque
Sunscreen
Personal toiletries
Personal hand sanitizer
Personal journal


MIGHT BE NICE TO HAVE

Wristwatch to track time without a phone
Camp chair (if you don’t bring one be prepared to sit on the ground)
Pillow
Insect repellent – fragrance free and non-toxic please!
Towel
Sunglasses
Yoga mat
Musical instrument
Personal art supplies (we will also have many art supplies available)

PLEASE LEAVE AT HOME

Drugs, mind-altering substances and alcohol

Offering, Uncategorized

Landing: An outdoor ecotherapy group – June 2026

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Facilitated by Kalen Colson (they/them)

A series of 4 Thursdays in June, 1-4pm @ an accessible location in Victoria, Lekwungen Territory
Exact location details provided upon registration

Cost: $45-$75 sliding scale per 3 hr session
10 participants max

**PLUS join in for one or both drop-in groups
April 23 & 30, 1-4pm to get a sense of this offering**
$20-$60 sliding scale

Join us as we gather to explore themes of relationship and interconnection – with land, fellow humans, the more than human world and more. 

Each week will include elements of group sharing and witnessing, invitations into intentional solo wanders on the land, and related nature-based therapy activities. We will be weaving in practices and skills that will help you explore your own way of connecting to the land, to Self and to each other. 

Facilitation will be emergent – themes over the course of the group are likely to include:

  • Ecopsychology
  • Local ecology
  • Soul work
  • Dreamwork
  • Grief work
  • Community – human and more than human
  • Self-designed and collective ceremony/ritual
  • Mindfulness
  • Embodiment practices

This group is best suited for those who are interested in learning about or deepening:

  • Nature connection practices and ways of being in relationship with the land 
  • Being in relationship with other humans, being present and authentic in group settings – often a vulnerable undertaking!

This group is not intended to suited for those in active mental health crises

This group will be held with an anti-oppressive frame and a decolonial lens

Rain or shine – Bring your rain gear and warm tea! We will meet regardless and find drier places to be as needed.

To register or have a consult call about joining this group, contact Kalen – kalenleaf[at]gmail.com

Offering, Uncategorized

When Things Fall Apart: Book Club & Meditation Practice Group, Starts October 17

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It’s not a question of if but when. Things, they fall apart. Then what? This beautiful book by Pema Chödöon is a clear articulation of Buddhist philosophy, with accompanying practices to explore these principles in action.

I personally read this book every few years and this year I want to read it in community.

Join me and fellow explorers for a book club and practice group. No previous meditation or mindfulness experience necessary.

Friday mornings, 7-8am PST/10-11am EST – 8 meetings total.

Dates: October 17, 24, 31, Nov 7, 21, 28, Dec 5, 19.

Each session will include a discussion of the assigned reading, a practice period, and small group sharing. Spots are limited.

Email kalenleaf@gmail.com to register.

Investment: $240

Offering

Soul Calling: The Art of Dreaming on the Land – Sept 2025

kc

A weekend retreat for exploring dreams and land connection

Dreams are one of the primary ways that Soul speaks to us, calls to us to become more whole and connected to our mythic identity. Beyond the ego, Soul carries the thread of our deeper purpose, our unique gifts and reasons for being alive in these bodies, in these times. 

This retreat is an opportunity to listen in, with the support of the land, to the dreams that are currently arising for us. Through practices inspired by Soulcentric Dreamwork, we will engage in dream embodiment, deep listening, deep imagery, art, nature connection and group work to step further into the mysteries of our dream images and characters.

If you are curious about what your nightworld is up to, about how to embody your soul more fully, about connecting in community and with the more-than-human community, this retreat might be for you.

Date: September 20-21. Arrival 9am Saturday, departure 5pm Sunday.

Location: The Land – 20 minutes outside of Duncan, close to the Kinsol Trestle (approximately one hour from Victoria). 

Logistics: This is an overnight camping experience. Participants will need to bring their own camping set up and lunches for Saturday and Sunday. Dinner and breakfast will be provided. 

Price: $390 early bird registration (by July 30); $425 regular registration.

Some sliding scale spots available, please be in touch for more information.

To register please email Kalen (kalenleaf@gmail.com) or Lisa (lisa@lisahartwick.ca)

*If you have trouble remembering your dreams, we will be offering support and guidance around how to connect with dreams in preparation for the retreat.

Facilitators: 

Lisa Hartwick (she/her) MA (Psych) RCC is a gestalt therapist and a lover of the psyche, nature, and dreams. As a transpersonal psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience in the field, Lisa is excited to help people retrieve the power of dreams, connection to self and the natural world.

Kalen Colson (they/them) MA (Psych) RCC is a nature-based therapist specializing in depth psychology, somatics and group work. Kalen is also a community organizer at heart, and believes in the power of connection in community – human and more-than-human – to support our growth and sense of belonging.

Offering

Build Your Own Retreat: August 9-12

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Come unplug, relax in nature, explore the woods, swim in the river, sleep under the stars, dream your dreams…follow your bliss for a few days on a beautiful piece of private, forested land.

Here are some snapshots to give you a taste of The Land…
Forest bathing, outdoor kitchen, Hazel!
The Koksilah River (pictured last) is a 25 minute walk along the trail away.

Context: Some of you may already know that I have had the privilege of stewarding land in the Cowichan Valley (close to the Kinsol Trestle/Cowichan Station) for the past four years. This year, I’ll be offering opportunities for folks to connect with the land, starting with Build Your Own Retreat, from August 9-12.

My intention with this offering is to give people a chance to spend time on the land in their own way, at their own pace, with a light structure. Come up for an afternoon nature-based therapy session or sink in for a few nights… You know best what it is that you need.

Below is a loose schedule that you can orient around:

August 9 – Join us for Landing: Bringing Ourselves Back Home – a day of nature-based meditation practices (9am-5pm)

August 10-12 Offerings (Not mandatory – join in if you feel called)

7:30-8:30 – Morning movement, meditation and intention setting

1:30-2:30 – Nature connection practice

7:30-8:30 – Evening sit, group sharing (optional)

Things to do on your own:
Forest bathing
Explore the land (10 acres of forest)
Swim in the Koksilah River (25 minute walk)
Bike on the Cowichan Valley Regional Trail (bring your own bike!)
Bring your own creative project
Self guided meditation practice
Self-designed ceremony/ritual
Explore the area (lots of hikes and swimming nearby – feel free to come and go from The Land)
Do whatever you want to do! But please respect that this is a sober retreat.

You can also book yourself in for:

Nature-based therapy session
Art therapy session
Dreamwork on The Land

*Sessions can be booked for an added cost

Accommodations are camping – choose from a forested spot (hike in) or car camping in the clearing

Bring your own food – a camp stove and some basic cookware will be available

Base Cost – $100/night. Includes 3 hours of programming – two meditations each day and a nature connection activity.
Sliding scale options are available on an as needed basis – please inquire!

To register, send me an email (kalenleaf@gmail.com) with the dates you’d like to join.

If you’re curious but hesitant, or just want to talk more about what your time on The Land could look like, please be in touch to discuss!

Offering

Living Room: A process therapy group – rolling registration

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A Process Group? What’s that?

A Process Group is a confidential, experiential, co-created space where folks can connect, share, and support each other. It’s a place to feel seen, heard, and understood in your humanity. Being witnessed by others in a safe and caring space can be deeply healing; it can ease feelings of isolation and emotional pain. The group will explore how we relate to one another, which can offer insights into our relational experiences in other parts of life. A process group acts like a microcosm of the bigger world, but with safety and intentionality built into the container. By practicing openness and vulnerability, members are encouraged to navigate misunderstandings and conflict together. This process often leads to powerful, healing emotional breakthroughs during group, which can also impact relationships outside of group. It can challenge you in uncomfortable ways and lead you to expand your own comfort zone. This kind of difficult work can lead to amazing transformations.

Group Details

The group will be facilitated by Kalen Colson (they/them) and Roxy Humphrey (she/her). Kalen is a Registered Clinical Counselor (RCC) and is passionate about the power of groups and community connections as catalysts for growth and healing. Roxy is an RCC who works with individuals and couples. she has facilitated groups as a guide, teacher, and retreat leader.  She sees how fostering authentic relational spaces in groups can have a transformative impact, differently than what individual therapy can offer.

Dates: Weekly on Mondays, beginning September 15th, 2025

Time: 11am-1pm

Location: Fairfield.  More location details will be provided upon registration.

Who is this group best suited for? 

  • People who want deeper connections.
  • People who want to grow in their capacity to relate to others (and be related to) more authentically. 
  • People who want a ‘safe enough’ container to work through relational challenges they experience in other areas of life such as vulnerability, power, conflict, honesty, presence, anxiety.
  • People who have had experience in individual counselling and have an awareness of their own areas for growth.

Who is this group not suited for?

  • People who are in acute states of crisis or seeking trauma therapy.
  • People who have not had experience in individual therapy. 

(Note: if you are interested and have not had individual therapy before, we would require you to book a session with one of us prior to joining the group so we can determine together whether this would be a good fit.)

Cost: $80/session (sliding scale spots available, please inquire as needed)

Registration/Inquiries: email kalenleaf@gmail.com

Offering

TransMission Peer Process Group – Rolling Registration

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An experiential group space for trans and nonbinary folx to come together and be seen, heard, and witnessed by others in our shared humanness

Come fill your cup and be in gender expansive community. 

When: 8 Tuesdays, 11am-1pm on Zoom

Who: 18+ Trans and non-binary identifying/questioning folx (closeted or out, wherever you’re at in your gender journey)
Cost: $80/session (sliding scale spots available, please inquire as needed)

The group will be limited to 10 participants.

“There is no human deed or thought that lies fully outside the experience of other people.”

— Irvin Yalom, master group therapist

A Process Group? What’s that?


A Process Group is a confidential, co-created space where folks can connect, share, and support each other. It’s a place to feel seen, heard, and understood in your humanity.

Being witnessed by others in a safe and caring space can be deeply healing, easing feelings of isolation and emotional pain. The group will also explore how we relate to one another, offering insights into our experiences in other parts of life. The group can be a microcosm of the bigger world, but with safety and intentionality built into the container.

By practicing openness and vulnerability, members are encouraged to navigate misunderstandings and conflict together. This process often leads to powerful, healing emotional breakthroughs during group and outside of group. It can challenge you in uncomfortable ways and lead you to expand your own comfort zone. This kind of difficult work can lead to amazing transformations

Group Details

The group will be facilitated by Kalen Colson (they/them) and Beckham Ronaghan (they/them). Kalen is a Registered Clinical Counselor (RCC) and is passionate about the power of groups and community connections as catalysts for growth and healing. Beckham is Registered Social Worker (RSW) and feels very called to gather trans community to cultivate healing and joy, especially in these uncertain times.

We have felt called to create this group due to the current political and social climate often leading gender diverse folks to have increased internalized transphobia, body dysphoria, and feelings of fear or shame. We intend to create a space to explore these feelings and find community. We want gender diverse folks to find their power and beauty through sharing vulnerable space with one another. 

Dates: Tuesdays, 11am – 1pm. Participants are asked to commit to attending a minimum of 8 sessions.

Location: ONLINE via Zoom

Cost: $80 per session, sliding scale available. Depending on your insurance, these group therapy sessions may be eligible for coverage by RSW or RCC. 

We offer sliding scale pricing for the group sessions, the sliding scale is based on the Green Bottle model. Please have a look at and figure where you fit on that. Our sliding scale is $35-$80.

Size of group: Max 10 participants

How to register: Contact Kalen (kalenleaf@gmail.com) or Beckham (ronaghantherapy@gmail.com ) to set up a free consultation call to explore if this will be a good fit for you! If you decide to register we can set up an intake appointment which is 1 hour in length and costs $125 (sliding scale pricing available upon request). In the intake appointment or the consultation we discuss confidentiality, group guidelines, how the group works, and we will ask you some questions about yourself and your mental health journey. 

On Diversity: Our intention is for this space to be safe and accessible to people of all backgrounds. We acknowledge that we are two white-bodied facilitators. We are doing our best to work from an anti-oppressive framework and to welcome all lived experiences in the space.

What to expect:

  • We will co-create a safe space for trans folx to connect with each other in a therapeutic container/group setting. 
  • Our work will be guided by loving kindness. We encourage interactions with self and others to come from the heart.
  • By sharing from the heart and encouraging relational exchanges (e.g. “I feel that too, or I notice my own shame come up when I hear/share that…”), we will foster a sense of connection, authenticity and community.
  • Support outside of the group will be available – brief check-ins after groups, through group text, or by booking in full sessions as needed.
  • Transness and Queerness will at times be a focus and at other times not be a focus of the group, but it is a common denominator that connects all of us. You are welcome to speak to your queerness, gender identity, race, or other markers of difference or any other part of you that feels alive.
  • Light facilitation and structure – we will be inviting emergence (ie, there’s nothing that needs to happen in any given session; we’ll work with what’s in the room).

Ground Rules:

  • Confidentiality – whatever happens in the group stays in the group. There is no sharing of experiences other than your own with anyone outside of the group.
  • Step in/Step back – please come and take up space – this is a place for you to talk, process, connect, relate. We also ask that you be mindful of making space for all group members.
  • Commit to attending each session for the full time (unless you’re really sick). 
  • If you’re feeling resistance, we ask you to push through and show up at least with your feet (you don’t have to actively participate but your presence is expected). Resistance is normal, let’s work with it!
  • Invite and welcome discomfort as a space for learning 
  • Name any access needs you have; we’ll do our best to meet them.
  • This is a space for all of us to show up as fully as we can. We will build the container of the group together so that we create something that meets each of us and our needs as a community.
  • This is an anti-oppressive feminist space where we are focused on showing up for ourselves and each other. Instances of discrimination will not be tolerated.
  • Engaging in any kind of ongoing discriminatory behavior towards other groups members is grounds for dismissal. Facilitators will offer the group member in question opportunities for learning prior to dismissal. However, if the group member is unable to demonstrate attempts to change the behavior(s) in question, the group member will be asked to leave the group. 
  • Cancellation – TransMission is a weekly group that functions best when everyone attends, weekly. If there is a week that you can’t make it, we require 24 hours notice. Without notice we will charge your regular fee ($80 per session or your sliding scale amount). If the reason you can’t attend is because of illness or an emergency, we will waive the fee. Reasons for missing such as sleeping in, double booking, and/or not feeling in the mood do not qualify as reasons to waive the fee. 
  • Leaving Group – If you feel it is time for you to step out, we request two weeks notice before leaving. This will give us a chance to create a closure process to support your exit and the container of the group.

Email Kalen or Beckham for more info