Wellness Weekend
You ARE the greatest project you will ever work on! Come spend a few days to take a time out, get quiet, get creative and work on the project of you.
Surrounded by lush nature of the Big South Fork National Park on the Cumberland Plateau in the tranquil, unique Victorian village of Historic Rugby, our retreat provides a quiet space to relax in a communal environment with plenty of private areas, inside and out. Days will begin with designated time for creative play, middays will be “free” to explore and have uninterrupted reflection time, with evenings culminating in sharing meals and inventive beverage pairings. Our intention is to provide a stimulating, peaceful environment that inspires creativity and connection.
The ultimate goal of the wellness weekend retreats is to provide a stimulating, peaceful environment that inspires mindfulness and community by taking a time out, re-calibrating your wellness practices and refocusing your mindset for living a more balanced and aligned life by disconnecting from our devices, reconnecting with ourselves, our community, nature and the world at large.
Partnering Kara’s storytelling and lifestyle coaching expertise with MOTH Grand Slam champion storyteller, choreographer and owner of LAMBscapes: Gardens that tell a Story, Mark Lamb, these retreats explore your story, writing prompts, and movement to help you develop your unique vision for wellness. They are customized to the group, activities are based around the season and natural setting to assist participants in rediscovering what happens when we truly plug-in to life and are brave enough to not shrink from our stories. Founded in experiential group process supplemented by education and action. Days will start reflectively and evenings conclude by connecting over a balanced meal and creative activities.
Each 2.5-day retreat is founded in experiential group process supplemented by education and action through:
- Disconnecting from your digital confines
- Unlocking creativity and awareness through self-examination, storywork and journaling
- Discovering therapy of nature and play
- Balancing thoughts, feelings and action
- Connecting with self and others
- Practicing stillness
- Developing new practices for centering focus
Located in peacefully remote Historic Rugby, Tennessee, the Victorian Village was founded as a Utopian community in 1880 by British author and social reformer, Thomas Hughes. It is a rich historic community nestled between Big South Fork National Recreation Area and the Rugby State Natural Area. Non-profit Historic Rugby was founded in 1966 to restore and preserve the village. The village houses a visitor centre and theatre, hosts various weekend arts, crafts, and antique festivities, as well as offers walking tours of the historic buildings. Stay in one of the original Rugby Victorian lodgings and enjoy breakfast and evening meals prepared at Coach Kara Kemp’s historic home, Adena Cottage, which will include a customized menu for participants attending.
Attendance is limited to 8 people to maintain the intimacy and sacredness of these sessions. Open to all levels of movement and writing experience, but works best for self-motivated individuals experienced with workshopping process. Typically composed of women, but open to all genders.
April 24-27, 2025: Bloom. This wellness weekend will explore creative movement, new awakenings with the season and invite you to become more bold in discovering and reclaiming who you are so you may bloom into the spring season with practical tools for being fully committed to your vision.
July 17-20, 2025: Story. Veteran as well as new writers and storytellers are invited to explore story, journal prompts, nature writing, and movement will play an integral part of this workshop along with energy body work.
September 25-28, 2025: Harvest. This Wellness Weekend will focus on creativity & movement, reflecting and celebrating your year and clearing the space for the one ahead. Embrace who and all that you are, embody confidence through creativity, and enter the end of your year with practical tools for being fully committed to your vision.
If you wish to receive registration information on one of these weekends, please submit your request below: