By: Kathy Poodiack, Caregiver and Physician’s Assistant in Oncology
I registered for the First Annual Thrivacious Retreat out of a desire to support the other attendees and to help my fellow board members succeed in this huge undertaking.
I had no intention of doing any self-exploration and certainly didn’t expect to do any emotional healing. In my mind it was “strictly business”.
From the first workshop, art therapy with Natasha, all that changed. We started with a 5 minute guided meditation. Little did I know that so many images, thoughts and emotions would surface, which eventually spilled out onto my blank drawing paper resulting in a display of black surrounded by a rainbow of color. When asked to share and explain my painting, the tears unexpectedly flowed and it was all “uphill” after that.
Each and every workshop helped me to delve deeper and deeper into myself with gradual healing and self-discovery every step of the way (with many more tears, but also lots of laughs!).
When the retreat ended, I experienced more peace and joy than I had had in a very long time. My energy level was soaring as I had discovered a part of myself that had been buried for many years.Thank you, Thrivacious, for giving me the opportunity to discover myself again.
Thank you to all the amazing facilitators who allowed for so many of us to have such life-changing experiences!