Welcome to..
NEST
Nest is just what it sounds like—a chance to truly settle into solitude therapy. This 24-hour solo is an outdoor experience for folks who want to give their nervous system a deep and intentional message to slow down.
From worry to confidence—your nest is here to help your growth!
24 hours in supported solitude!
You will have what all nests have…warmth, shelter, and safety to slowly explore your inner world (while you build your own world in the woods).
Saturday, September 27 to Sunday, September 28
+ All Skills Day to prepare on September 14th
+ Gear pick-up before the trip
+ Celebration night after the trip
Why Nest? Why me? Why at all?
#1 - Arrive with the same old worries, leave with accomplishment.
At Nest, you will do a challenging thing, and then…you will feel like you can do anything!
24 hours in the woods! You can do it. Feel like a badass not only in nature, but in the way you explore your mental health and personal insights.
#2 - Did we say accomplishment? Absolutely! You might also feel, dare we say, a little euphoria…
We are not kidding! It feels so stinkin’ good to feel confident, independent, and surrounded by nature.
Journal under the stars, let the little you run through the woods, feel your nervous system hum a happy tune again.
#3 - Feel the pure relief that comes with dropping the daily performance.
You are safe to unmask here, my friend! It’s just you. Do whatever you like in this space. You might be surprised when you notice how refreshed you feel when you take a true, intentional break from being “on” all the time.
Nest is the perfect intensive eco-therapy experience:
Choose your own adventure!
When was the last time you took yourself on an adventure, just for you? At Nest, go from stressing over your structured life to doing quite literally whatever you want. Walk in the woods, sleep all day, journal in your cozy tent, and finally feel your body slow down.
This is a true choose-your-own-adventure experience!
Radical rest and quiet!
How are you feeling just now? So often in our daily lives, our nervous systems are firing all on cylinders. When we scan our bodies, are shoulders, stomach, and muscles are all tight.
At Nest, you can let go. Sink into the radical practice of resting, sitting, and wandering the path of your own needs.
Craft your own nest!
Our Nest trips are well-known for revealing the joy that lives in curious, outdoor experimentation.
Take the kid inside you on a camping trip in the ridiculously beautiful Alberta woods.
“I have enduring gratitude for the space this retreat gave me to sink into exactly where I am, where I need to be, and the strength to keep going”
Whether you are new to solitude therapy or camping, you will leave this experience feeling comfortable and confident in both! Our team of eco-therapists will prepare you and be available to support you, but this experience is just between you and nature.
What can you expect at Nest?
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Eco-therapy Workshops
Guided sessions before your solo overnight to connect with nature for therapeutic benefit.
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Forest Bathing
The history and how-to of this health & wellness modality.
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Guided Positive Solitude Therapy
Emberwood is a leader in this emerging field. Learn all about it, and experience positive solitude for yourself.
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Somatic Practices
Learn to move the body to hold joy, and to integrate your new patterns so they stick.
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Outdoor Skill Building
Learn all the things you need to be self-sufficient overnight in your own beautiful Alberta woodland oasis.
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Wayfinding
Learn how to explore off-trail.
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“The support, care, and thoughtfulness that went into designing a meaningful experience was obvious.”
Lodge Participant
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"It was like 6 months of therapy in one weekend. I came home and I was able to have some tough conservations that I had been putting off."
Christine
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"The experience was nothing short of magical."
Emberwood participant
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"Very open and welcoming atmosphere!"
Kaylyn
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"Emberwood is a community where you instantly feel safe, connected, and welcomed. I have adored the space created for personal growth, connection with nature, and organic healing."
Sarah
One-time payment above, or email us to set-up a monthly payment plan.
We take some Blue Cross plans.
Join this once-a-year experience for only $797!
Saturday, September 27 to Sunday, September 28
+ All Skills Day to prepare on September 14th
+ Gear pick-up before the trip
+ Celebration night after the trip
Trip Schedule: 1 intensive + 1 trip
Before nest…
Feel Prepared at your All-Skills Workshop
Your crash course in all of Emberwood’s foundations.
Get to know your guides and fellow participants, and learn how to stay toasty warm on your trip.
You’ll also have time to explore our Gear Library and borrow any clothing and gear you need for the trip.
Location: Edmonton, AB (online for out-of-towners)
At nest…
Your Immersive Experience
Nest is a 24-hour trip with an overnight sleep outside. We will venture out together and then split up on site so that everyone can build their own nest. While the solitude is essential in this experience, you will always have access to support.
Location: Narrow Lake Conservation Centre
(2 hours North of Edmonton, AB)
Valued at over $900, get an intensive solo retreat for the price of a few therapy sessions.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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We got you covered! These skills are built right into the program, and there is ample time for you to borrow gear AND clothing from our gear library.
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About 90% of our participants are 2SLGBTQIA+, however, we find it's more about being queer as an outlook on life, whether you're straight, bi, disabled, BIPOC, or neurodivergent - Emberwood really vibes with all people who like to trust their intuition, think outside the cultural norm, love learning deeply about themselves, and find meaning in the world. If you like scientifically-backed woo-woo, come on down.
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Payment plans available by email request. Many people pay with a payment plan.
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All meals provided, catered to your dietary needs. We can cook gluten free, vegan, low FODMAP and more. There is food out and available at all times. You are welcome to bring more of your own. We are happy to discuss bathroom hacks, be in touch! We are ED informed and have a no diet-talk norm.
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God no. Haha, no no. Emberwood is all about going very slowly in nature or sitting. Many trips can accommodate wheels, and we offer shuttles down to the lake in the car. We are fat positive, and pro health at every size. This trip is nothing to do with exercise lol.
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Folks often carpool. Come to the All Skills night to set up your carpool in person.
Leadership by expert eco-therapy guides!
"Howdy, I’m Fergus, one of Emberwood’s founders and your guide. I'm an extrovert, but I'm all about solitude — it's the only way I can really hear my truth without all the confusion of others' needs and life's complexities clamouring for my attention and getting in my way. I am looking forward to passing on how the benefits of positive solitude therapy can work for you too! It's the only way I make major life decisions now, solitude gives me such clarity and insight."
"Hi, I’m Jude. As a therapist and outdoor guide, I really believe in nature as therapy. My experiences of ‘solos' is that they are the quickest, most reliable and most joyful way for me to remember who I am, find out what I want, and heal old patterns. This modality lets me be in touch with - and enjoy - my inner world, which is something I believe all people deserve. We don't have to be scared of who we are or what we want.
We need to be by ourselves to know ourselves…
At Emberwood, we’ve been doing this a long time.
Our favourite thing is to watch participants grow in real time. Every trip, we witness folks walk into the woods carrying their stress, pain, and grief and walk out with visible and tangible relief. So often, we are socialized to deny our own needs—come along and feel the transformative inner change that solitude encourages. It is simply, you, the trees, and the clarity that comes with quiet.
