Why I Created an 8-Week Women's Circle
A retreat can change a weekend. A circle can change the way you live between them.
I've been thinking about that a lot lately.
I love retreats.
There is something incredibly powerful about bringing a room full of women together and giving ourselves permission to step away from everyday life for a while.
We breathe.
We move.
We learn about our nervous systems.
We laugh.
Sometimes we cry.
We have conversations we don't always make time for in our everyday lives.
And for a day or a weekend, we get to experience what it feels like to slow down enough to actually hear ourselves again.
But then we go home.
The laundry is still there.
The emails start coming.
Someone needs something.
Work gets busy.
Family life happens.
And suddenly we're trying to figure out how to take what we experienced at retreat and actually live it.
That's why I created the Rooted, Rising & Radiant Women's Circle.
Healing Doesn't Only Happen in the Big Moments
We often think transformation happens during the breakthrough.
The big breathwork session.
The emotional release.
The realization that suddenly makes everything make sense.
And those moments can absolutely be meaningful.
But I've come to believe that some of the most important work happens afterward.
It's noticing that your body is getting tense during a conversation and pausing before you respond.
It's realizing you're about to automatically say yes when you actually want to say no.
It's recognizing that you're overwhelmed before you've completely depleted yourself.
It's remembering to breathe when you're stressed.
It's allowing yourself to rest without having to earn it first.
It's asking:
What do I need right now?
And then actually listening for the answer.
Those small moments matter.
Because healing isn't only something we experience.
It's something we practice.
What If We Had Eight Weeks to Practice Together?
That's the idea behind this circle.
For eight Tuesday evenings, the same small group of women will come together.
Not 30 women.
Not 40 women.
Just eight.
Small enough that we can actually get to know one another.
Small enough that every woman has room to speak.
And small enough that no one has to disappear into the back of the room.
We'll explore nervous system education, somatic practices, guided reflection, meaningful conversation, and real-life integration.
Each woman will also have an opportunity to experience Somatic Coaching within the support of the circle.
And one evening will be devoted entirely to a small-group Conscious Connected Breathwork experience.
But perhaps just as importantly, we'll have time.
Time to come back the next week and say:
"Here's what I noticed."
"Here's what I tried."
"Here's where I got stuck."
"Here's something I'm really proud of."
And then we begin again.
There's Something Powerful About Being Witnessed
One of the things I see again and again in my work with women is how much we carry privately.
We may have loving partners.
Good friends.
Families who care about us.
And still, there are pieces of ourselves we rarely give space to.
Women's circle creates a different kind of space.
You don't have to have the answer.
You don't have to make anyone else feel better.
You don't have to perform.
And you never have to share something you don't want to share.
Sometimes you speak.
Sometimes you listen.
Sometimes another woman says something and you quietly think:
Me too.
There is something powerful about discovering that although our stories may be different, many of the things we feel aren't ours alone.
The Connection Continues Between Tuesdays
I also didn't want this to be something that disappeared for six days every time we left the room.
Throughout our eight weeks, we'll stay connected through a private Telegram community.
I'll share several short audio messages each week with reflections, encouragement, nervous system education, and simple practices.
Women can share wins.
Ask questions.
Notice patterns.
Or simply read along and know the circle is still there.
Because the real practice isn't just what happens during our two hours together.
It's what happens on Wednesday morning.
Friday afternoon.
Sunday evening.
In the middle of a difficult conversation.
Or during an ordinary moment when you suddenly realize:
I'm responding differently than I used to.
That's the work I'm most interested in.
You Don't Have to Have Attended a Retreat
This is important.
While this first circle grew naturally from women wanting to continue the work they've experienced at my retreats, you don't have to attend a retreat before joining a Women's Circle.
You don't need experience with breathwork.
You don't need experience with somatic practices.
And you certainly don't need to arrive feeling grounded, healed, or like you have everything figured out.
Come exactly where you are.
We'll begin there.
Our First Circle Begins August 18
Our inaugural Rooted, Rising & Radiant Women's Circle will meet in person in Olympia, Washington.
Tuesdays, August 18 – October 6, 2026
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Abigail Stuart House, Olympia, WA
The circle is intentionally limited to eight women.
Not because eight is a magical number.
Because I want every woman in the room to have time and space to be known.
To be heard.
To practice.
To receive support.
And to discover what can happen when we stop expecting one meaningful weekend to carry us through the rest of our lives.
A retreat can show us what's possible.
The circle gives us somewhere to practice living it.
Maybe that's where the deeper change begins.
More information here.
Notice. Breathe. Begin again.