Refuge and Resilience Council
Refuge and Resilience Council
Finding steadiness when the world feels heavy
We live in a time of deep tension—between what is happening and what we know in our hearts should be. Whether it shows up as burnout, overwhelm, or the aching sense of powerlessness, these moments call us to pause, gather, and listen deeply.
The Refuge and Resilience Council is a six-week online council where we come together to explore moral distress and compassionate response through deep listening and nature-based reflection. Over six weeks, we’ll gather to co-create sacred space, and explore themes such as:
🌀 Council as Refuge
🌀 Nature-based practices as balm for weary souls
🌀Discerning individualized calls to action and embodied response
🌀 Support one another in building resilience
This council is for anyone who finds themselves caught between what is and what should be. You might be:
A healthcare professional or caregiver navigating exhaustion and ethical strain
An activist or community leader carrying grief for the world’s injustices
Someone living with the weight of political, social, or environmental challenges
Or simply a human longing for a space of refuge, connection, and renewal
No matter your path, you are welcome.
To register, reach out to Anne-Marie at anne-marie@somaticnaturetherapy.com.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
-Howard Thurman
Offering Details
Dates: Starts November 7th and meets Fridays from 10-11 am MST
Time commitment: Approximately 1.5 hours of Council each week, as well as optional, supportive nature-based homeplay exercises and journal prompts.
Location: online via Zoom
Price: Donation based
To register: Email anne-marie@somaticnaturetherapy.com to confirm your spot.
About Your Facilitator
Ann-Marie Chmielewski is a nature-based chaplain and Somatic Nature Therapy Institute Clinical Pastoral Education intern. Her work is rooted in embodied presence, deep listening, and a love for the sacred cycles of land and season. As a nature-based chaplain, her role is to support you in exploring questions of meaning, purpose, identity, values, and belonging—especially as they arise through your relationship with the natural world. Ann-Marie offers a grounded, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where you can reflect on your spiritual and existential journey, including your connection to land, place, ancestors, seasons, and the more-than-human world. Read more.