Hi there! We are Laura + Julie.
We’re hosting an intimate weekend of community, connection, and healing in an inclusive non-diet environment!
We help people with PCOS reconnect with their body, advocate for body liberation, and bring together community to heal from diet culture.
We know you have been given faulty tools + feel shame that they don’t work. We’ve created the PCOS Body Liberation Retreat to help you radically reconnect with your body’s own innate wisdom in a nurturing community space.
Together, with kindness and compassion, we will process the ongoing harm from fat phobia + offer tools to manage your PCOS without body shame.
What we wish you knew!
You were given the wrong tools to manage your PCOS + that's not your fault
Moving away from diet culture + body shame gives you access to body liberation + body autonomy
Together we can dismantle the oppressive systems working against your best interests
Your body knows what it needs, no matter how long it’s been since you trusted its knowledge
“Julie’s work changed my life. The permission to live in freedom is just what I needed. I’m so grateful to have found her when I did!”
- Laura Burns
What to expect from this retreat!
A safe, welcoming, and body-positive space to unwind + envelop yourself in self-care and self-love
Free time to explore the property, nap, enjoy the hot tub, walk a labyrinth, and connect with new friends
A special gift bag curated specially for you by Laura + Julie to get the most out of this time of relaxation and fun
Helpful and healing activities to help you feel empowered and knowledgeable about your body + PCOS
Gentle, accessible, and PCOS focused body-liberation yoga classes perfect for all levels of experience
Six delicious gourmet meals + daily snacks tailored to any dietary restrictions you may have
Diet talk-free space to connect with yourself + create new PCOS body liberation friends + community
A small group of 11 passionate + compassionate folks free of judgement and full of love and support
“Who knew that yoga could be such a game changer for how I feel about myself? Laura’s yoga instruction is a healing experience.”
- Mindi H.
What to expect from the location!
The Hope Springs Institute is nestled in the Appalachian foothills, a 1-2 hour drive from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton - an ideal place to come together
Delicious, abundant, and allergy-friendly farm-to-table meals prepared in-house, plenty of snacks + drinks available at all times for you to enjoy
A beautiful 130 acre facility with ponds, hiking trails, a labyrinth to walk, a hot tub for relaxing, a fire pit for smores, and gardens to enjoy alone or together
Comfortable accessible lounging options, porches with chairs, deer and bird watching, meditation space, and plenty of space to spread out and relax
“Being in community with Julie and Laura has made a huge difference in how I see myself and my PCOS. ” - Anonymous
Covid-19 Safety Measures
We want you to know that we take Covid-19 very seriously and have a plan in place to keep all of us as safe as possible during the retreat. To that end, we are requiring proof of vaccination from all attendees and hosts. There will also be strict safety practices adhered to throughout the weekend including, but not limited to hand sanitizing, hand washing, increased air circulation, private rooms, and constant cleaning and sanitizing of common areas. We ask all attendees to stay home if they’re feeling sick. We understand that you may not feel comfortable attending an in-person group retreat and invite you to stay connected to hear about future events!
What to expect from the accomodations!
Warm + inviting private bedrooms so you can rest safely and have a space all your own for journaling, napping, reading, and anything else you want to do
Shared bathrooms that will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the weekend, plus a stock of extra sanitizing supplies provided for your use to feel as safe as possible
Sturdy, accessible, and comfortable seating options inside and out for cozy conversations with new friends or recharging alone
About Laura
Hi! I’m Laura Burns, she/her, creator of Radical Body Love Yoga and co-founder of the PCOS Body Liberation Community. I have PCOS and really struggled to find weight-neutral non-diet community for support and connection until Julie and I got together and created the community! Together with some amazing people with PCOS we’re creating that supportive community space I dreamed about finding. I’m excited to bring all of that to this retreat and connect with you!
Finding yoga and fat liberation -literally- saved my life, and since then I’ve dedicated myself to learning. growing, and helping other folks to find body peace.
As a yoga teacher, spoonie, and body liberation activist I encourage people to be present in their bodies, enjoy movement, and to feel empowered to make choices that honor their needs and wants.
I believe in the radical notion that your body deserves love and respect as it is in this very moment - no apologies. I’m so excited to infuse all these ideas into the retreat and come together with you to support, honor, and empower each other!
About Julie
Hey there. I’m Julie (she/her), host of the Love Food Podcast and creator of the PCOS + Food Peace method. As a fellow human, my Food Peace journey has had ups and downs yet experienced with thin privilege without PCOS.
It has been an honor to walk alongside people with PCOS for the last 15 years. They have done brave work rejecting diet culture, radically reconnecting with their own wisdom for health, and advocating for comprehensive medical care. This work has helped me fill my toolbox with fat positive health promoting tools to manage PCOS. I can’t wait to share them with you!
Together we can gather the tools and strategies that help you move forward and let go of the ones that don’t. I believe I don’t have the answers rather teach healing strategies to remove those blocks so you can reclaim the rightful title of expert of your own body. I am looking forward to gathering as a community to rally together as a catalyst for permission, compassion, and Food Peace.
The PCOS Body Liberation Retreat
November 12-14, 2021 at the Hope Springs Institute in Peebles, OH
0 spots left
FAQs
Are the accommodations going to be accessible for me?
We researched for weeks to locate a retreat location that values accessibility. This is very important to us! This location has a wheelchair accessible shower in one of the bedrooms. When you reserve your spot for the retreat, let us know if you’d like to reserve this room. Further, we received measurements of the bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, etc. and determined it will be accessible for people of any size. We appreciate the hesitation and happy to email you the measurements to help you make the best decision for you.
Do you have a cancellation policy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes! We have a plan for how to keep you safe at the retreat, and if we need to cancel the retreat. If we do have to cancel the retreat you will be refunded the full amount minus the processing fees incurred with the original payment.
Do I have to show you proof of my vaccination to attend the retreat?
Yes! Attendance is limited to those folks who have gotten/will have gotten fully vaccinated by 30 days prior to the retreat. That means that you would have received your 2nd vaccine shot (if two are required) by October 12, 2021 and emailed us a photo of your shot record card.
We understand that not everyone is able to/wants to be vaccinated, but have decided that it is mandatory for all participants of this event to create a safer and relaxing space.
How do you recommend getting to the retreat?
You are responsible for your transportation to and from the retreat. If you need to fly, you can fly into Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, or Lexington as all are within a 1 to 2 hour drive of the retreat location. Let us know if you’d like to carpool and we’ll help get you connected with another attendee.
Are we allowed to bring alcohol or drink it while there?
The event space is alcohol free.