The Healing Power of Retreats

In our fast-paced society, where we can easily lose ourselves in our doing, taking time to retreat is a powerful medicine for the soul. By stepping out of our everyday lives, we open to the invitation to step more fully into our interior lives, so that we can tend and befriend that which is there, returning with clearer vision for whatever is next on the journey ahead. 
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Retreat Facilitation

Annette is a gentle, experienced and welcoming retreat facilitator.

Annette weaves the elements of sacred circle, solitude, self-care, jouraling, and nature connection.

Upcoming Events 

Welcoming the Wild Woman
July 28, 2024

What does it mean to be a wild woman? Immersed in a culture that is tech-driven and disconnected from Nature, exploring our wildness is not about being crazy, but about reconnecting to that which is most natural within us. It is about welcoming the parts of us that have been domesticated and learning to rewild that which wants to be free!

​The Wild Woman archetype embraces her body and knows how to tune in to the sacred energy of Life Force, called Eros.
In this retreat, we will explore the Divine Feminine through the aspect of the Wild Woman and ask ourselves what is wanting to be untamed within us. We’ll discover some practices for rewilding our connection to our bodies, our emotions, the natural world, and to Life itself.

(The feminine and masculine have less to do about male and female bodies and more to do with energies that complement and balance one another. These energies are accessible and important for both male and female-bodied persons. At this time, this retreat is being offered to those who identify as woman.)
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Space is available for 10 participants. 

Work with Annette

Annette would be delighted to hold space for your personal retreat and/or group experience on any of the following themes:
  • Wound Tending (both personal and collective grief)
  • Soul Tending
  • Reconnecting with the Natural World
  • Writing Ourselves Home (a journaling practice)
  • Welcoming the Wild Woman
  • Welcoming the Divine Mother
"Every time I've been on retreat with Annette, it has been a nourishing experience. Her farmhouse and the land is so beautiful, warm, and inviting. On one occasion, I discovered the wailing wall and wrote a note to my sister who passed away and tucked it into the stones. Annette is gentle, wise, and very present. She is as healing as is her retreat space."
​- Lisa

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"I've attended one of Annette’s day retreats and left feeling soo nourished! Annette is a fiercely compassionate leader and creates a warm and loving container for all."
- Jennifer

​"This was my first day retreat experience ever, and it was focused on tending to the wound of my grieving heart. Annette was a calming, kind spirit who allowed me to open my heart and discover healthy ways to help heal my wound."
​- Kara

Retreats at Refugia House

Refugia House exists as a space for refuge and retreat for those looking for space to slow down, still, listen, and restore. 
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Retreats at Refugia House are held in the home of Annette and Jarred Garber in an 1830’s farmhouse that sits on 3 acres of well-loved land in Berks County, Pennsylvania (original homeland of the Lenni Lenape).
The guest space is part of an addition to the original house. On the first level is a large living room, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. The loft holds a queen-sized bed, dresser, writing desk, and art table. Guests are invited to rest and restore, both indoors and out. Across the street flows the Cacoosing Creek, home to many deer, geese, squirrels, songbirds, mature sycamores and young saplings. Behind the house sits a local park and a small walking trail along the creek.
Refugia House is near to other beautiful green spaces in which to explore, such as Blue Marsh Lake, the Tulpehocken Creek Trail, Grings Mill, and Nolde Forest. A gorgeous labyrinth for walking and reflecting is a close drive away. The walkable town of West Reading, just 15 minutes away, boasts many locally-owned restaurants and shops.