Come celebrate the importance of family in a beautiful natural setting. Participate in parenting workshops while your children enjoy crafts, movement and outdoor play with trained early childhood educators.  Spend family time soaking in the pools and exploring the nearby forests and rivers. Take this opportunity to gather new skills and build a community to support you on your parenting journey. 

This year we will focus on creating family life that nurtures the physical, emotional and intellectual dimensions of each family member.  We will learn how to teach children by engaging their heart, hands and head with natural rhythms and a reverence for nature.  We will discuss how to bring healthy food and eating habits to the whole family to support optimal growth and development of the body, mind and spirit. We will include the children in family activities by making a special body care product to take home and by joining together to sing, dance and move each day.

Healthy gluten and dairy free organic snacks will be served to the children during morning and afternoon snack times. Other special dietary requests can be accommodated by emailing amanda@naturalparentingresource.org 

Fees

$140 plus lodging for adults

$45 plus lodging for children

Childcare included during workshops

For lodging options and to register contact Breitenbush Hot Springs at 503.854.3320 or online at http://www.breitenbush.com/

if you have questions or want more information email amanda@naturalparentingresource.org

This year’s presenters are:

Dr. Erika Siegel, Naturopathic Doctor, Licensed Acupuncturist, mom, health educator, founder of Nourish Me, dedicated to the health of the next generation

I am a mom, physician, health educator, and wife: by nature, a juggler of life’s abundance. I have the honor to practice and preach Naturopathic medicine in Portland, Oregon, where my practice focuses on family medicine. I studied both Western and Eastern Medicine at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and practice a lively marriage of the two.  My patients, family, community and the magical Northwest inspire me into action and fill my heart.  My goal is to bring more vitality to your family and make the balancing act of parenting a bit easier. 

When not doctoring, writing or scheming up recipes for the Nourish Me book, I enjoy spending time with my loving (and very patient) husband, two adorable sons and muddy dogs.

Find out more about Erika at www.nourishme.com and www.naturecuresclinic.com

Jody Berry, owner of Wild Carrot Herbals

Jody is a tractor fanatic and plant enthusiast who calls Rickreall, Oregon home. Jody spends her days outdoors as much as possible with her husband Michael Berry, five year old daughter, Ginger Berry, her two border collies and many chickens. A fifth generation Oregonian, she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Jody has been crafting skincare products since 1994. She made her passion her business in 2000 when she founded Wild Carrot Herbals, making a full line of skin care products for adults, followed soon after by a children’s line called Baby Carrot.

While studying organic farming at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, she began growing many of the plants contained within her products and became just as interested in what she was putting on her body as what was going into it. Her interest in botanicals blossomed into a love and deep understanding of fragrance-creating aromatherapy products that smell unusually wonderful—largely influenced by the plants of the Pacific Northwest. Jody crafts all the botanical oil infusions herself. From alpine meadows to rain forest river deltas, many of the plants are respectfully gathered and processed by hand. She can often be found on a trail somewhere wild crafting plants, little girl on her back, chocolate bar in her pack and a flower in her hair.

Christy Dixon – childcare leader

Christy has been working with children for ten years, with infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.  She attends Waldorf Teacher Training in Portland, and has her own outdoor preschool, Humming Hive School, in a yurt in the trees on the edge of Forest Park. She loves making toys, exploring the magic of the forest, telling stories, and gardening with children.  When she's not with children, you can find her riding her bicycle, or at home, cooking and tending her mini-urban-farm, with 7 chickens, 5 ducks, vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens, all in one backyard, which she shares with a community of 6 people in North Portland.  For more about Christy visit www.humminghive.org

Amanda Nelson – event organizer

Amanda works at New Seasons Market as the Wellness Education Coordinator bringing a variety of free wellness classes to the Portland community.  She is a trained breastfeeding peer counselor and has been offering weekly New Parent and Breastfeeding Support Groups for over 6 years.  She has followed her passion for supporting new parents by studying advanced lactation skills at Birthingway College of Midwifery and nutrition with The Nuutritional Therapy Association. She is now a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner specializing in biodynamic family nutrition and lactation support.

Amanda began offering this retreat in 2005 when her children were 3 and 5 – they are two of the girls in the photo at the top of the page that was taken at the first year of the retreat – as a way to give families a special place to come together to celebrate their commitment to raising children in a conscious manner.  The goal of the retreat is to create a space for learning and sharing, and ultimately building community.  

Ninth Annual Natural Parenting Retreat Schedule: details of workshops to be announced

Friday 7/26

4pm–6pm Arrive and Register

6pm–7:30pm Dinner

7:30pm Breitenbush Orientation followed by Natural Parenting Welcoming Circle

Saturday 7/27

8am–9am Breakfast

9am–9:45am Morning Circle on the lawn

10am–12pm Natural Parenting Workshop

12pm–1pm Family Time

1pm–2pm Lunch

2pm–4pm Natural Parenting Workshop

4pm–5pm Family Body Care Making with Jodie Berry

5pm–6pm Family Time

6pm–7pm Dinner

7pm Music Gathering on the lawn - bring your instruments and your voice!

Sunday 7/28

8am–9am Breakfast

9am–9:30am Morning Circle on the lawn

9:30 am–11:30am Natural Parenting Workshop

11:30am–12pm Group Discussion and Closing Circle 

12pm–1pm Room Check out and Family Time

1pm–2pm Lunch

You are welcome to stay after lunch, but remember you have to have your room cleared out by 1pm.

if you have questions or want more information email amanda@naturalparentingresource.org