GROUPS & RETREATS
Connect. Learn. Heal.
Root & Restore: A Women's Therapeutic Nature Retreat for Nervous System Healing
September 18-20, 2026|Friday–Sunday| Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pine Woods Campground |Wisconsin|2-2.5 hours from Chicagoland area
Imagine waking up to birdsong, breathing crisp forest air, and spending a weekend surrounded by towering trees, gentle movement, meaningful conversation, and a community of women who understand the importance of slowing down.
Root & Restore is an intimate women's retreat designed to support healing through the powerful combination of nature therapy, somatic therapy, and nervous system regulation. Set in the peaceful forests of Wisconsin, this weekend offers an opportunity to step away from daily responsibilities and reconnect with your body in a way that promotes resilience, restoration, and lasting well-being.
Modern life often keeps our central nervous system in a constant state of stress. Whether you're navigating chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, burnout, anxiety, medical trauma, caregiving, or simply the demands of everyday life, your body deserves time and space to recover.
Research continues to show that spending intentional time in nature can support physical and emotional healing by lowering stress hormones, calming the nervous system, reducing inflammation, improving mood, enhancing immune function, and fostering a greater sense of connection and well-being. Throughout the weekend, we'll intentionally use the healing environment of the forest as part of the therapeutic process, allowing nature to become an active partner in your recovery.
Together, we will explore practices that help regulate the central nervous system, cultivate safety within the body, and reconnect with the wisdom we often lose in the busyness of life.
During the retreat you'll experience:
Guided nature therapy walks through the forest
Gentle hiking with mindfulness and grounding practices
Somatic movement sessions designed to regulate the nervous system
Breathwork and body-awareness exercises
Campfire healing circles and supportive group discussions
Guided reflection, journaling, and mindfulness practices
Opportunities for quiet rest, restoration, and personal reflection
Time to disconnect from technology and reconnect with yourself
Every activity is intentionally paced to help your body shift from survival mode into a state of rest, regulation, and healing.
Accommodations
Tent camping beneath the trees- Bring your own tent
Meals
A nourishing open-fire breakfast and dinner on Saturday and Sunday are included, thoughtfully prepared to support energy, wellness, and connection. All allergies and sensitivities will be accommodated for. Participants are encouraged to bring their own desired snacks and lunch items (we will be hiking during these hours). Water, Coffee, and Tea are provided.
Retreat Details
Location: Kettle Moraine State Forest- Southern Unit- Pine Woods Campground
When: Friday–Sunday, September 18-20
Arrive between 5-9pm Friday
Leave Campground Sunday 11 am
Who: Women seeking restoration, healing, and connection
Group Size: Only 6 participants to create a deeply supportive, personalized experience
This retreat is not about pushing yourself harder—it is about learning to listen to your body, reconnect with nature, and experience the healing that becomes possible when your nervous system finally has permission to slow down.
Come breathe deeply beneath the trees, move with intention, share stories around the campfire, and leave feeling more grounded, connected, and restored than when you arrived.
Sometimes the greatest healing doesn't happen in a clinic—it happens beneath the trees, around a campfire, in safe community, and within a nervous system that finally feels at home.
Reserve your spot by email Kelsey at kelsey@kelseyruffingcounseling.com
Starting in October 2026
Finding Freedom from pain: a guided healing group
Living with chronic pain can take more than a physical toll — it can shape how you think, move, and connect with yourself and others. Many people find themselves caught in a cycle of pain, tension, and exhaustion that traditional treatments alone don’t always address.
This 12-week group offers a safe and supportive space to explore a new approach to healing — one that honors the mind-body connection and helps you rediscover comfort, calm, and self-trust.
Guided by the book Freedom from Pain by Maggie Phillips and Peter Levine, we’ll move week-by-week through practical tools for soothing the nervous system, reducing fear and reactivity, and reconnecting with the body’s natural ability to regulate and heal.
🌸 What to Expect
Gentle weekly discussions centered on the themes and practices from Freedom from Pain
Mind-body exercises for relaxation, grounding, and emotional release
Education on how chronic pain, stress, and trauma interact in the body
Connection with others who understand the challenges of living with pain
Encouragement and accountability to integrate small, meaningful changes
This group is ideal for anyone seeking a compassionate, integrative path to healing — Whether you have a pain regimen down or are still searching for answers and solutions, this group is for you.
📘 Group Details
Book: Freedom from Pain by Maggie Phillips & Peter Levine
Duration: 12 Weeks-Saturday Meetings; Meet 2x month
Format: Virtual group (live video sessions)
Start Date: TBD October 2026
Facilitator: Kelsey Ruffing, MA, MS, LCPC
Cost: $45 per session (12 sessions)
*a 12-week commitment is necessary, not a drop-in group
Healing doesn’t mean ignoring pain — it means learning to listen to what it’s trying to tell you, and finding new ways to respond with compassion.
Join us and begin your journey toward greater freedom from pain, calm, and connection.
Contact:
-Kelsey Ruffing, MA, MS, LCPC to register at kelsey@kelseyruffingcounseling.com or 312.620.0714
Brainspotting Group Therapy
*Limited to 10 Participants*
This small, intentional Brainspotting group offers a powerful opportunity for deep emotional processing and nervous system healing within a safe and supportive community.
Brainspotting is a brain-body based therapeutic approach that helps access and release trauma, chronic stress, grief, performance blocks, and stored emotional pain by identifying eye positions (“brainspots”) connected to unresolved experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, Brainspotting works directly with the subcortical brain and nervous system — where trauma and emotional activation are held.
In this small group (maximum 10 participants), members will:
Learn how trauma and stress are stored in the brain and body
Experience guided Brainspotting sessions in a safe, structured format
Build nervous system regulation skills
Witness and be witnessed in a confidential, compassionate space
Reduce symptoms of anxiety, overwhelm, emotional reactivity, and chronic tension
Increase clarity, resilience, and emotional integration
Group Brainspotting can be especially powerful because healing happens not only individually, but relationally. Participants often experience profound shifts in emotional regulation, body awareness, and self-understanding while feeling less alone in their struggles.
This group is appropriate for adults experiencing:
Trauma or adverse life experiences
Chronic stress or burnout
Anxiety or emotional overwhelm
Grief or unresolved relational pain
Performance blocks (athletic, academic, creative)
Chronic illness-related emotional stress
No prior Brainspotting experience is required.
Because this is a processing-focused group, space is limited to 10 participants to ensure safety, depth, and individualized attention.
📘 Group Details
Duration: 12 Weeks-Thursday Meetings
Format: Virtual group (live video sessions-60min)
Start Date: April 2, 2026 @ 5pm
Facilitator: Kelsey Ruffing, MA, MS, LCPC
Cost: BCBSIL PPO, UNITED, AETNA PPO plans accepted: $55 per session OOP