Moving Beyond Survival: Recover What Childhood Stole

A daylong retreat near Asheville, NC blending mindfulness, somatic work, drumming & nature to help you heal from childhood trauma. 12 spots. Moving Beyond Survival and Recover What Childhood Stole A Daylong Retreat to Begin Overcoming Childhood Trauma near Asheville, NC Growing up in families marked by generational trauma or chronic dysfunction changes the way we move through the world. The constant chaos leaves you always on edge. Frequent hysterical arguments without resolution. People who demand that everyone meet THEIR needs while completely ignoring yours As a result, you stuffed your emotions down to stay safe. Don't dare make a mistake! Not knowing how to do something could result in scathing insults. If you didn't perform well enough, you weren't seen or heard. And if you did, your safety only lasted until the memory of the performance wore off, leaving you waiting for the next shoe to drop. So you question every decision you make. This kind of living takes a toll — worsening health, unexplained ailments, aches and pains. And it leaves you always questioning your very worth. Am I going to end up alone? Even though you aren't in that dangerous place today, your nervous system hasn't heard the news. Perhaps this is you. Gaining interpersonal skills (finally.) Starting to start building new relationships and allowing people to get close. Trust is slowly returning and even your self-worth. And you still find yourself replaying conversations long after they've ended. Analyzing every decision over and over. And always working hard to make sure everyone else is okay. You take on responsibilities that aren't yours. You try to stay one step ahead to avoid any surprises. In short, you're exhausted. If you're like me, you've spent years trying to get it right. Yet somehow, it never feels enough. You're not looking for perfection. You're looking for something much simpler. What if you simply need the conditions to finally exhale? To trust yourself? To feel at home in your own body? To know that you're okay—even when life is uncertain? I know your experience because I lived it myself. I spent years living exactly what I just described — performing to stay safe, staying one step ahead of the next blowup, mistaking exhaustion for responsibility. Recovery was where I started to notice these patterns showing up. Mindfulness was where I learned to sit with it. But it took years of doing my own work — not just studying it — before I understood what was actually underneath the coping. My childhood home was no place for a kid to try to do homework. It was unpredictable and dangerous. The adults were verbally and religiously abusive. Because it was impossible to feel safe in the home, I was a perfectionist. I kept myself constantly busy and rarely at home. In the years following my second divorce and the beginning of my addiction recovery journey (and later my trauma recovery), I realized things needed to change or I was going to die miserable and alone. I've spent almost 10 years since then walking alongside others doing the same work — as a recovery coach, an addictions counselor, and an experiential recovery facilitator — but the credential came second. The lived experience came first. This retreat isn't built from a training manual. It's built from what I had to learn myself, and what I've since watched work for the people I sit with — offered in a small, intimate setting (space is limited to 12 participants) so everyone has room to actually be seen. Recover Your Human Capacity This retreat isn't about fixing what's wrong with you. Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about creating the conditions that allow your natural capacities to emerge again. Every experience throughout the day has been intentionally designed to help your nervous system experience something different. Not more information. Not more self-improvement. A lived experience of safety, connection, and authenticity. Because lasting change doesn't begin when you understand yourself better. It begins when you experience yourself differently. What You'll Experience Throughout the day, you'll experience: • Guided mindfulness practices • Gentle movement and somatic exercises • Structured, therapeutic rhythm and drumming • Time immersed in the beauty of Pisgah National Forest • Meaningful conversations in a supportive community • Quiet moments for reflection and integration What You'll Leave With You'll leave with more than memories. You'll leave with practical practices to begin to recover your capacity to: • Regulate overwhelming emotions • Feel safer and more grounded in your body • Recognize old survival patterns with compassion • Trust yourself and your inner wisdom • Set healthy boundaries • Build authentic relationships • Make decisions with greater confidence • Live from your values instead of your fears • Experience greater presence, joy, and ease Most importantly, you'll leave having experienced what's possible. Because when we experience safety, connection, and belonging, the capacities we've been searching for don't have to be created. They begin to emerge. What to Bring Please wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely and dress appropriately for the weather. Part of our day will be spent outdoors in the beauty of Pisgah National Forest. We recommend bringing: • A reusable water bottle • A journal and pen • A camp chair or yoga mat for outdoor seating • Comfortable walking shoes or hiking shoes • A light jacket or rain layer • A sweater, shawl, or light blanket • Any personal items you need to remain comfortable throughout the day No previous experience with mindfulness, drumming, or somatic practices is necessary. All instruments and workshop materials will be provided. Lunch and light refreshments are included. Registration When: October 17, 2026 10:00AM - 4:00PM Eastern Where: Mandala Springs 445 Stoney Frk Rd, Barnardsville, NC 28709 https://www.mandalasprings.com/ Cost: $195 per person Your registration includes: • A full day of guided experiential programming • Mindfulness instruction • Somatic and movement practices • Therapeutic rhythm and drumming (instruments provided) • Guided nature experiences • Small-group discussions and reflection • Lunch and light refreshments • Take-home practices and resources to continue your journey Space is limited to 12 participants to create an intimate, supportive environment where everyone has an opportunity to participate and connect. Advanced registration is required. Reserve your space early, as this retreat is expected to fill quickly. Have Questions? Feel free to reach out via email at [email protected]. Call or text 828-793-3733. Meet Your Facilitator My name is Ken "Katbird" Dunn. I am a group facilitator, mindfulness teacher, drum circle facilitator, recovery coach, and addictions counselor with a passion for helping people move beyond survival and reconnect with their authentic selves. Drawing from years of personal recovery, extensive mindfulness training, and facilitating experiential groups, I create warm, engaging spaces where participants can safely explore new ways of relating to themselves and others. My work blends mindfulness, somatic practices, therapeutic rhythm, nature, and authentic community to create experiences that help restore the natural capacities chronic stress and generational trauma often overwhelm. Rather than focusing on fixing what's wrong, my approach helps people rediscover what has always been right beneath the survival strategies. Healing isn't about becoming someone new. It's about creating the conditions where your human capacity can emerge.