Agenda
“Exploring our Legacy and Cultural Burdens: An Intensive Weekend Retreat with Kay Gardner”
Chimney Corners Resort Frankfort, Michigan
Thursday, May 28, 2026:
3:00 - 7:00 pm Check In/Settle In (Dinner on your own)
7:30 - 9:00 pm Welcome and Opening Session: The Lodge/Fire Circle at the Lake
Tanis Allen, LMSW, ACSW , CISFT, and Kay Gardner, LCPC, CIFST and Founding Senior Trainer
In our opening circle, we will begin to turn inward and listen deeply to our parts within the supportive container of expansive Self-energy which we will build as a group. With Kay’s guidance, we will step into the sacred energy deeply rooted in the land, water and fire which will support us in our work together. We will set our intentions together as we enter this time set apart for ourselves to tap into our collective wisdom and begin our exploration of legacy work with the courage, love and compassion which resides in every one of us and within the group.
Friday, May 29, 2026:
8:00 ~ 9:00 am Morning Yoga in the Lodge:
Beth Jerva, LMSW, PRYT, RYT and Mary Beth Thomas, RYP 500
10:00 am ~ 1:00 pm Morning Session: Introduction to Working with Our Legacy and Cultural Burdens
Kay Gardner, LCPC
In our opening session we will begin our exploration of legacy and cultural burdens, considering what they are and our relationships with them through meditation, large group discussion and processing in diads. We will discuss both the blessings and burdens that our ancestors have passed down to us, along with the impact of this culturally and personally.
1:00 pm Lunch in the Lodge
2:30 pm ~ 5:30 pm Afternoon Session: Exploring Our Legacy and Cultural Burdens ~ Going Deeper
Kay Gardner, LCPC
We will continue our exploration of cultural and legacy burdens through large group discussion, identification and sculpting of parts carrying these burdens, along with both full group meditations and discussion and processing in diads before closing for the day.
5:30 ~ 8 pm Dinner at Rocks Landing
8:30 pm Music and Stories Singer/Songwriter Kelly Shively
Saturday, May 30, 2026:
8:00 am ~ 9:00 am Morning Yoga in The Lodge:
Beth Jerva, LMSW, PRYT, RYT and Mary Beth Thomas, RYT 500
10:00 am ~ 1:00 pm Morning Session: Blessings, Burdens and Healing Through the Ancestral Lines
Kay Gardner, LCPC
After our opening meditations and readings, we will engage in large group sharing of both the ancestral and cultural blessings and burdens that we’ve identified for ourselves, and also consider how these may show up in our work with clients. We will each then “choose a burden” with which to work more deeply, and all participate in a demonstration of this sacred energetic work.
1:00 pm Lunch in the Lodge
2:30 pm ~ 5:30 pm Afternoon Session: Blessings, Burdens and Healing Through the Ancestral Lines (Continued)
Kay Gardner, LCPC
We will continue our deep exploration with group sharing of reactions to and insights gained from the morning session, and will then engage in a large group demonstration, after which we will process this in diads. Then, through guided meditation, body-centered practices and parts sculpting, we will engage in an additional demonstration of the parts and ancestors engaged in an unburdening, process this as a group, and specifically discuss how to work with both ancestor and cultural burdens personally and with our clients.
5:30 pm ~ 8:00 pm Dinner at Rocks Landing
Later Bonfire, Stargazing, Music and Stories
Sunday, May 31, 2026
10:00 am ~ 2:00 pm Closing Session:
Release ~ Gratitude, Grief and Legacy Gifts
Kay Gardner, LCPC
Our closing circle will offer a time to both acknowledge and invite parts that wish to speak about their experiences during the weekend to do so in an embodied and Self-led way. Through large group guided meditation and the sharing of readings, we will again “choose a burden” with which to work more deeply. We will then co-create a grief ritual which will assist in further release of the specific personal and cultural burdens that we’re holding, and, in so doing, will honor our ancestors and offer our gratitude for their specific gifts. In closing our weekend together, we will also acknowledge and offer gratitude for our connection to the guidance of nature surrounding us, as well as the power of the group’s Self-energy such that a deeper integration of our experiences in retreat together emerges and insights gained will be highlighted.
2:00 pm Closing and Send-Off:
Tanis Allen, LMSW, CIFST