Restoring Connections is a 4-day transformative retreat to nourish our capacity for shaping change at a time of social and ecological crisis
August 17th - 20th, Uckermark, Germany
About the retreat
Amidst the social and ecological crises we are currently facing, it can feel as though we are powerless to shape change. Often, we are overwhelmed by uncomfortable feelings such as paralysis and despair.
These feelings of overwhelm make it hard to know where to begin and how to stay hopeful—even for conscious and caring individuals.
We invite you to join Restoring Connections, a transformative retreat whose central aim is to strengthen our capacity for connection - with ourselves, with those around us, and with the world – in the hope that doing so puts us in a better position to face the major challenges of our time.
From Thursday through Sunday, we will embark on a carefully crafted, holistic journey of interactive workshops, embodied practices, and reflective exercises. These are designed to encourage meaningful (self-)inquiry, to fuel us with hope and inspiration, and to help us formulate concrete steps toward our contribution to social and ecological transformation.
We welcome anyone – from the merely curious to the deeply concerned – who feels the call to take a step back from daily life, lean into experimentation, and explore new perspectives on themselves and their role in shaping the much needed change.
Guiding Questions
1.
How do I relate to the social and ecological crises of our time? What’s serving me and what’s holding me back?
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How can I strengthen my capacity to act, so that I can best play my part in shaping change?
3.
What concrete steps can I take toward social and ecological transformation?
Frameworks & Activities
Restoring Connections is a carefully crafted program which draws on a wide variety of techniques and practices to help participants explore the three guiding questions above.
Our approach is holistic: it includes body, heart, mind, community, and nature and strives to find a balance and interplay between these different angles.
In designing this retreat, we have — among others — been inspired by the following modalities and frameworks:
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Change does not always come easy. A persistent myth that we often encounter is that it takes a strong will and discipline to change making. This is partly true. What’s missing here is that often something is holding us back that’s only partially conscious to us and that protects us from actual change.
According to the Developmental Psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, immunity to change is an inability to change because of deep-rooted, unconscious assumptions and conflicting commitments.
The “Immunity-to-Change” method helps surface these often hidden assumptions and competing commitments that prevent us from forming new habits or attitudes with the aim to make the desired change happen.
Find out more in this HBR Article “The Real Reason Why People Won’t Change.” by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
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As we witness unprecedented destruction of our ecological, biological and social systems, we can feel overwhelmed by anger, fear, and other difficult emotions. How can we remain resilient, creative, and empowered for the healing of our world?
That’s what the Work that Reconnects aims to address. By helping us to develop our inner resources and our outer community, it strengthens our capacity to face disturbing information and respond with unexpected resilience. Initially developed by Joanna Macy, the Work that Reconnects draws on deep ecology, systems theory, and engaged Buddhism, and unfolds as a spiral in four phases: coming from gratitude, honoring our pain for the world, seeing with new eyes, and going forth.
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Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. IFS is shaped by the belief that the mind is naturally multiple and that this is a good thing. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome.
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Philosophy helps us think in a rigorous, clear, and precise manner about important concepts and questions that lie beyond the reach of science. One of its key tasks is to make implicit assumptions that shape our thought and action explicit so that they can be examined carefully and replaced if found wanting.
Examples:
Arne Naess, Deep ecology
Plato, Dialogues
Peter Singer, The expanding circle
William McAskill, What we owe the future
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Embodiment practices, such as yoga, dance, meditation or bioenergetics, use the unique sensations of our body as a tool to develop awareness, stay present, self-regulate, feel whole, find balance, feel connected, know ourself, love ourself and be empowered.
Where we meet
We have chosen a place that aligns with our vision to restore connections: Seminarhaus Taubenblau. One hour away from Berlin in the Uckermark, it provides everything we need: a productive workshop space, cosy refuges, a healthy diet, and wonderful nature - a river and lake to swim in close by.
Investment
This all-inclusive retreat is a nonprofit event. The ticket price covers full accommodation in a shared dorm or private room* for 3 nights - Thursday to Sunday, three delicious vegetarian meals per day, and the facilitation of the retreat.
These are our ticket options:
449,- EUR Super Early bird until April 30, 2023
489,- EUR Early bird until June 5, 2023
539,- EUR Standard until August 10, 2023
If you struggle to meet the financial requirements, please reach out to us directly.
*Upon request we can provide you with a private room for an extra fee.
The Program
Thursday
16:00-17:00 Check-In & Arrival
17:00-18:30 Welcome Session
18:30-20:00 Dinner
20:00-20:45 Fireside Chat
Friday
7:30-8:15 Yoga & Meditation
8:30-9:30 Breakfast
10:00-12:30 Morning Session
12:30-14:30 Lunch Break
14:30-17:00 Afternoon Session
17:00-18:30 Integration & Reflection
18:30-20:00 Dinner
20:00-20:45 Breathwork
Saturday
7:30-8:15 Yoga & Meditation
8:30-9:30 Breakfast
10:00-12:30 Morning Session
12:30-14:30 Lunch Break
14:30-17:00 Afternoon Session
17:00-18:30 Integration & Reflection
18:30-20:00 Dinner
20:00-21:00 Ecstatic Dance
Sunday
7:30-8:15 Yoga & Meditation
8:30-9:30 Breakfast
10:00-12:30 Final Session
12:30-14:00 Lunch & Check-Out
Our Team
Our story begins in Ladakh (India), a town in the Himalayas where Derek and Pascal met 9 years ago. Inspired by their shared passion for traveling and examining life they built a deep friendship. Once they were gripped by the vision of creating a space for (self-)inquiry and change making, it became obvious to them that Lia and Kelley would add the missing pieces and complement the picture. What the two share is the conviction that true change can only take place when mind, heart and body are connected. The four of us bring together a wide variety of ways to hold space and facilitate change.
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Social Change Facilitator, Mediator, Yoga Teacher
Brainstorm:
-create spaces for individuals and teams/groups to connect with themselves, each other, and a grander purpose to bring about change & justice (climate, equity, intersectionality)
-curious listener, encouraging space holder, working on taking up more space herself
-facilitates workshop formats ranging from xxx to xxx in diverse contexts
-yoga, especially nature-inspired classes, from powerful ashtanga to restorative/meditative/calm practices like yin -> became yoga teacher to share with others & bc cconnection/understanding/change is more powerful/sustainable if felt in the body
-find ways of communicating / crafting understanding across boundaries of misunderstandings, conflict, etc. -> mediator
-draws energy and inspiration from reading poetry/intersectional wisdom/writings by people of color, breathing/yoga/leaving the cognitive sphere behind, nature: long journeys across mountain ranges // or just watching waves break at the sea, and spending time alone
-background in environmental and climate policy work; deeply concerned with the state of the earth, fiercely motivated by building momentum around healing, emergence, etc.
….
Link to LinkedIN or other source
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Psychologist, Addiction Counselor, Dancer & Facilitator
As someone who has always been inspired and energized by dance, climbing and other forms of movement, Lia is passionate about exploring the body and the role it plays in psychological, spiritual, and relational healing.
For five years, she has worked as a therapist facillitating group- and individual therapy in addiction care.
Having embarked on her own journey as body-oriented psychotherapy trainee, and with it groeptherapy (?), she feels in her heart that she will continue dedicating her life to helping people grow, feel more free, connected, playful, compassionate and curious through embodied practices.
Lia draws from her professional experience and her personal journey to create compassionate containers for transformation.
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Change Facilitator I Co-Active Coach I Musician
Pascal’s vision is to build a retreat place for people to learn who they truly are and what they can offer to the world - and how to connect those.
For 4 years, his work has been to support individuals, teams and organisations to drive systemic change on today’s toughest challenges - climate change, diversity, equity & inclusion, fighting inequality - across organizational and communitiy boundaries.
He does this through 1:1 coachings and workshop facilitation with a focus on leadership development for folks across the globe, and from all sectors (for profit, non-profit and public sector).
Pascal acts as a warm change facilitator who holds and gives space, listens actively, asks challenging questions, and navigates open-heartedly through conflict loaden change settings.
His role as facilitator is fueled by practices like jamming, yoga and meditation as well as through academic writings in the fields of sociology, philosophy, and psychology.
Currently Pascal’s growth edge is to integrate his fear to not be liked to become more rigoros in his leadership capacity and to live his values more authentically.
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Philosopher, Counselor, Breathwork Facilitator, Aspiring Hakomi Therapist
Derek is driven to help people live more examined lives. With over ten years experience as a teacher, researcher, counselor, and facilitator, he is now affiliated with a large, interdisciplinary, Oslo-based research project that seeks to integrate philosophical and psychological findings about human happiness and the good life. He is also a certified breathwork instructor and, more recently, he has embarked on a training in Hakomi—a mindfulness-based, somatic psychotherapy form.
FAQ’s
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The ticket price covers full accommodation - three nights in a shared dorm, a healthy vegetarian diet with three meals a day, and the full program facilitation from Thursday night to Sunday noon.
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The retreat starts on Thursday, August 17, at 4pm with an opening session followed by a dinner. It ends on Sunday, August 20, at 14:00pm with a closing session and a shared lunch. We have a two full-day program on Friday and Saturday.
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The minimum size of the group will be 10 participants, the maximum size will be 18 participants; excluding four facilitators.
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Cancellation up to 60 days before the start of the retreat, you will receive a 75% refund of your registration fee.
Cancellation up to 30 days before the start of the retreat, you will receive a 50% refund of your registration fee.
Cancellation up to 14 days before the start of the retreat, you will receive a 25% refund of your registration fee.
No refund will be issued for cancellation within 14 days before the start of the retreat.
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The short answer is yes. However, it will involve an extra fee. Please get in touch with us if you desire to have your own room and we will let you know the extra costs.
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You do not need to bring anything or have any knowledge around change, social or ecological transformation.
We invite all folks who are curious to learn more about their attitude towards the major challenges we face as society to join our retreat.
Equally, it does not hurt if you are an experienced change maker and want to grow your capacity with us.
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This retreat is for you when …
you are curious to explore your attitude towards the societal challenges we are facing.
you seek clarity on how you can make a change within your community, organisation, society - and what steps to take.
you want to connect with like-minded people build a strong community.
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You can either use write us through the Contact page or reach out to us directly through pascal.nonnen@gmail.com
Get in touch with us
If you’re ready to join us at the retreat, have a couple of questions or would just like to get to know us better, leave us a message. We look forward to hearing from you and will be in touch shortly!
Inspirations
Restoring Connections is informed by an inspiring set of writers, thinkers, and activists. Here are some of the writings that have had a profound impact on us, and have helped frame this retreat:
Immunity To Change by Robert Kegan & Lisa Lahey
Active Hope by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone
On Intersectionality by Kimberlé Crenshaw
Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald Heifetz
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown
No Bad Parts by Christopher Schwartz
The Ecology of Wisdom by Arne Naess
‘The most remarkable feature of this historical moment is not that we are on the way to destroying our world – we have actually been on the way quite a while – it is that we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennial long sleep, to a whole new relationship to our world, to ourselves, and to each other.’- Joanna Macy
