2025
Healing Retreat
overview
This year we have a theme, grief.
We all hold onto grief energy and we will be providing five different workshops in one day all focusing on healing through grief energy.
Our workshops are perfect for beginners and those who haven’t explored alternative healing modalities such as talking circles, writing to heal, art therapy, or compassion inquiry. It’s all about having fun and trying something new! Due to the healing nature of several workshops we will be honoring the healing process vs. sticking to a strict time schedule and have built the possibility of this into the schedule in an accountable space.
Our creative approaches to healing ensures that everyone feels welcome and that the focus is on the experience rather than the skill level. We will be focusing more on spiritual healing and collaborating with local spiritual healers.
Just like the Belly Monster Book does during this workshop Jenny, Amy and their fellow Practitioners want to validate your trauma, not diagnose or label, but rather to create a day to show examples of different ways of healing. And, it is our hope that we show people how to see things right in front of them that are actually healing them.
2024 Belly Monster
2024 Belly Monster
2023 Belly Monster
2024 Belly Monster
Testimonials
The Belly Monster Retreat has been a beacon of transformation for many, and here are some of the success stories from those who have embarked on this journey:
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“Make time for self-reflection and don’t shy away from unknown feelings of discomfort. Write and be creative. Tune into the energies around us and draw from collective good and strength.”
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“Lean on your community. Everything was warm and welcoming; everyone was there for the right reasons, and our community was happy and secure.”
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“I felt very aligned with all things read and offered. Any aloofness encountered was that of my own, and in hindsight, was my own work to do. I felt supported in doing the work and the art and exploring. It took me a day to sink in, but once the door was opened, I was right in there with y’all.”
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“I friggin’ loved the agenda.”
Location
Site: TBD
Chicago, IL
Accommodations: Airbnb's in or around the Jefferson Park area of Chicago, IL are highly encouraged if you are traveling from afar.
Please email jenny@approachablehealer.com for any questions about the area
Retreat Overview
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Jenny's workshop
Guided Healing: Bilateral Meditation for Grief
In this workshop, we will use bilateral beats to guide our journey toward healing grief through connection with a higher self or others. Before we begin the meditation, there will be a brief discussion to help you set the ideal intention for your personal healing journey.
Many therapists who are open to spiritual healing have discovered that clients can connect with experiences beyond the present moment using EMDR and bilateral beats. This workshop welcomes participants of all beliefs, and even if you don’t believe in the afterlife, you can still benefit. If you prefer to meditate and connect with your wisest self, that is just as powerful as reaching out to loved ones who are no longer with us.
During this hour-long workshop, we will explore ways to communicate with your loved ones in their healed forms or to tap into the most healed version of yourself. We will provide tissues, masks, bilateral beats, journals, pens, oil pastels, and art paper. Just bring yourself and be ready to discover which intention you need to set before embarking on this journey.bilateral beats, journal, pen, oil pastels, and art paper provided. Bring yourself and learn which intention is the one you need to set before diving into the journey.
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Becky's Workshop
Courageous Embodied Grief
Elements of grief weave their way through our lives and our bodies as we navigate different experiences of loss. Whether anticipated, sudden, cultural, ancestral, societal, or existential, each loss takes shape within us as we move through the cycle of life force energy and the countervortex of death and grief. In this experiential session, participants will explore how they embody grief while recognizing and nurturing capacity within self to endure the current of grief with courage and curiosity.
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Amy's Workshop
Grief Reimagined: Moving Through Loss
Participants will move beyond the simple act of missing people; unraveling the narratives we’ve built around loss and discovering new ways to process our grief. Imagining what can you do differently to move the grief through you.
Workshop Highlights
-Learn to focus on the reasons behind your grief rather than just the act of missing someone.
-Explore the complexities of grieving past ex-partners by focusing on the emotions tied to the loss rather than romanticizing the past
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Mike's workshop
Grief to Grace: A Writing Journeyl
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and writing can be a powerful tool for healing. This workshop invites writers of all backgrounds to explore loss through the lens of their own spirituality—whether rooted in faith, nature, personal beliefs, or a search for meaning. Through guided prompts, reflective exercises, and supportive discussion, participants will learn how to shape their emotions into words, creating poetry, prose, or journal entries that honor their experiences. Whether you're processing a recent loss or revisiting old wounds, this workshop offers a safe, nurturing space to transform grief into art. No prior writing experience is necessary—just an open heart and a willingness to explore.
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Ruth and Steve's Workshop
Breathwork for Grief:
A Healing Workshop
Grief is a profound and personal journey, often held in the body as unspoken emotions and tension. This Breathwork for Grief workshop offers a safe, supportive space to explore and release the pain of loss through conscious breathing techniques.
Through guided breathwork, meditation, and gentle somatic practices, participants will be invited to connect with their emotions, process grief at their own pace, and find moments of relief and renewal. This practice helps to soften the weight of sorrow, allowing for clarity, acceptance, and a deeper sense of inner peace.
Led by an experienced facilitator, the workshop will include:
• A grounding meditation to create a safe container for healing
• Instruction on breathwork techniques designed to move stagnant emotions
• A guided breathwork session with curated music to support emotional release
• Time for reflection, journaling, and optional sharing in a compassionate group setting
No prior breathwork experience is necessary—just an open heart and a willingness to explore. Whether you are navigating recent loss or carrying grief from the past, this workshop offers a space to honor your journey and find a sense of connection and comfort.
Join us as we breathe, release, and heal—one breath at a time.
Your healing team
Together, Jenny and Amy create a nurturing space for self-exploration and healing, ensuring that your experience at the Healing Retreat is both enriching and transformative. Embrace this opportunity to heal through art, collaboration, and the wisdom of experienced therapists.
Secure your spot and be part of a journey that promises laughter, learning, and lasting change. 🌱
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