7:00 PM Sep 18 - 12:00 PM Sep 20, 2026
Step away from the pace of clinical life and reconnect with yourself in nature.
Healing the Healers is a restorative weekend retreat designed for physicians to experience renewal through movement, creativity, forest immersion, and experiential practices.
There are no lectures and no PowerPoint presentations — only embodied experiences that support nervous system regulation, presence, and authentic connection.
Throughout the weekend you will have the opportunity to:
• Try new practices in a supportive environment
• Spend meaningful time in nature
• Explore creativity, movement, and reflection
• Connect with colleagues in a genuine and relaxed way
Expect to breathe more deeply, slow down, and engage in safe circles where exploration is encouraged and community grows naturally.
The retreat will take place at Ecology Retreat Centre Hockley Valley, a serene forest retreat centre designed for reflection, connection, and restoration.
Ecology Retreat Centre Hockley Valley
308046 Hockley Road, Mono ON L9W 6N2
Learn more about the venue:
https://ecologyretreatcentre.com/
Participants will enjoy private rooms, nourishing meals, and access to forest trails and natural gathering spaces.
George Lewis
Opening the retreat with gratitude and respect for the land on which we gather.
Clayton Shirt
Clayton Shirt, Indigenous elder and educator affiliated with the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, will guide a ceremonial opening including smudging and the Eagle Feather ceremony.
Participants will be invited to reflect on their personal journeys and set intentions for the weekend.
Objective:
To create a sacred and supportive space for personal reflection and community connection. Healing begins when we are fully seen.
Catherine Cameron
A light and welcoming improv exercise to help participants relax, laugh, and begin connecting with one another.
Beth Foster
Reconnect with nature through a guided forest therapy experience.
Humans have a biological need to connect with the natural world — a concept known as biophilia. Through gentle invitations to observe, breathe, and engage the senses, participants rediscover the restorative power of forests.
Research shows forest bathing may support:
• stress reduction
• improved mood and cognition
• cardiovascular and immune health
• creativity and clarity
Beth Foster is a certified guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides with decades of experience in outdoor education and counselling.
“The forest is the therapist; the guide opens the doors.”
Inge Winslow
Participants will be introduced to BEAM (Bioenergetic Emotional Access Method) and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) — structured reflective tools that help individuals notice emotional patterns and regulate responses.
This guided process encourages curiosity about internal experiences while maintaining psychological safety and individual choice.
Objective:
To explore techniques that support awareness of core beliefs and emotional regulation.
Jackson Lin
Drawing on practices including Yoshinkan Aikido, Qi Gong, fascial release, and creative movement, this session explores the relationship between movement, breath, and nervous system regulation.
Participants will experience how simple physical practices can shift emotional states and restore balance.
Objective:
To experience movement as a tool for grounding and emotional regulation — practices that can also be shared with patients.
George Lewis, Iuliia Povieriena, Aaron Rothstein
A creative evening dedicated to self-expression through music, poetry, movement, and community celebration.
Physicians spend much of their lives caring for others. This evening offers space to reconnect with personal creativity and joy.
Objective:
To celebrate individual self-care journeys through artistic expression and shared experience.
Catherine Cameron & Suchitra Mensinkai
Inspired by Walt Whitman’s line “I am large, I contain multitudes,” this experiential session explores the many roles clinicians hold — professional, personal, relational, and internal.
Using improvisational exercises, music, and reflective practices informed by Internal Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, participants will explore internal complexity with curiosity and compassion.
No performance experience required.
Objective:
To deepen awareness of internal perspectives and enhance emotional regulation, flexibility, and presence in clinical encounters.
Participants will reflect on the weekend’s experiences, share insights, and explore ways to integrate what they’ve learned into everyday life and clinical practice.
Limited to 22 participants
Physician partners are welcome to attend and may share a room.
Approved for:
• 6 hours MDPAC Group CE credits
• 6 hours MDPAC CCI credits
(Includes program, private room, and all meals)
Early Bird: $675 (before July 1)
Regular: $725
$750
Full refund if cancelled before September 1, 2026
September 1 – September 8: refund minus $50 admin fee
No refunds after September 8.
If the event is cancelled due to Ontario Public Health restrictions, all fees will be refunded.
Limited spaces available.
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