The Power of Sisterhood
AUGUST 13–15, 2021
Omega Institute
rhinebeck, New York
The Power of Sisterhood
AUGUST 13–15, 2021
Omega Institute
rhinebeck, New York
Why We Need Sisterhood Now
“She’s such a bitch.” retreat
“What a drama queen.”
“I can’t believe she wore that.”
“She’s just trying to be like a man.”
“She only ever thinks about herself.”
Any of this sound familiar? Maybe you’ve had these thoughts about other women at some point in your life—or you’ve been judged in similar ways. retreat
So much of our unconscious dialogue about other women is framed by untruths, misunderstandings, and hurt feelings. Not to mention, too many of us harbor stories of betrayal, abandonment, and loss when it comes to sisterhood.
At the same time, we yearn for true sisterhood…because we were made for it. In the last year, most of us have come to recognize just how important deep, meaningful connection with other women really is. And through the isolation and social distancing, we’ve probably also experienced those life-giving moments when women really had our back and were there for us.
Join us in this powerful retreat to learn how you can transform stories of disempowerment and disconnection into ones of true sisterhood. Because we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
The Power of Sisterhood is for women who want to expand their capacity for connection and their ability to step into supportive sisterhood with truth, grace, and openness. By owning our existing stories about sisterhood and harnessing bold new ones, we can show up in our world with an awareness of how, as women, we can bring about individual and collective transformation.
In this retreat you’ll be guided through an unique and powerful process for transforming sisterhood wounds so that you can experience healing, empowerment, and connection—not just to the women in your life, but to yourself as a feminine being. You’ll be supported in identifying and diving into your most heartfelt personal stories to build trust and confidence, and to take meaningful action in your life.
Let us take you on a journey where you will:
- Experience the power of sisterhood, and be witnessed by other courageous women as you stand in your truth
- Identify obstacles that keep you from deeply connecting with other women
- Learn to approach conflict in your relationships with women in a graceful and honest way
- Eliminate toxicity and passive-aggressiveness in your relationships with women, once and for all
- Tap into and experience authentic sisterhood that connects you to all women in your life
This retreat incorporates journaling, role playing, and experiential exercises, as well as trust-building activities with partners, small groups, and the larger group. You will leverage your most authentic, heartfelt personal stories to build connection, take risks, and embrace sisterhood in all aspects of your life.
THE Power of Sisterhood
The Omega Institute is the perfect backdrop for our sisterhood experience—a soul-satisfying place with beautiful grounds and a peaceful atmosphere. Whether you want to lounge by the lake, get a massage, or take in a yoga or dance class, it’s perfect for connecting with new and old friends, or simply soaking up a little “me” time.
Find out about the Omega Institute here.
Sign up for The Power of Sisterhood here.
CHECK OUT OUR FAQs here.
WHEN WOMEN SUPPORT WOMEN,
WE TRANSFORM THE WORLD
Step into the life you know is possible with your powerful sisterhood!
- Are you constantly giving to others—friends, family, colleagues, partners—without getting as much in return?
- Do you have trouble communicating with friends with openness and transparency?
- Are you experiencing conflict, betrayal, and disappointment with some women in your life?
- Do you want to create a sisterhood of lifelong connection, where you can give and receive unconditional support?
If you said yes to any of these questions, The Power of Sisterhood is for you!
Love from retreat participants
“I would like to thank Kelly and the entire group for giving me a chance to attend this important retreat in the U.S. all the way from Africa. Thank you once again for the love and respect you have given me during this event. I am proud of you and myself.”
“The way that you were able to create a space for women to come together and grow together was awesome. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this wonderful retreat.”
“The safe container was beautiful, and the invitation for fun and ‘no rules’ was refreshing. I got to do some much-needed healing; I was also able to speak my truth about an old story and begin rewriting a new one! Being able to share with others who are not directly connected to my inner circle was wonderful. I was touched and in awe of the beautiful Wf1 staff. Each of you touched me with your kindness, and I will never forget how you all made me feel. Kelly and Nirmala….wow! Thank you both from the bottom of my heart.”
“The Your Messy Brilliance® Retreat was extraordinary on many levels. I loved the practices and surprises, as well as the tenderness and opportunities for connection. I would love to continue and deepen the work through ongoing women’s circles and other events.”
“At first, I didn’t want to share my story with the group—and then knew I had to…because shame likes to be secret. Having women come up to me afterwards and share that it was their story too was healing and freeing. Huge revelations and healing happened. I felt emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically lighter at the end of the retreat on Sunday. I was surprised at how ‘held’ I felt in that space. Giving myself the permission to feel and process my own stuff and not someone else’s takes a sacred space. Thank you for providing that, as I was able to get through some resistance and feel peaceful.”
“I loved having the opportunity to work one on one with other women in the group. I loved the flow of all the sessions, as well as the willingness to allow what needed to happen at the time. There was so much space to allow masks and layers to fall away. I also loved meeting new friends, listening to each other, crying, feeling both pain and laughter, and releasing together.”
“After this retreat, I feel more in touch with my own purpose and feel supported and legitimized in fulfilling that purpose.”
“Everything was so well planned and thought out. A memorable experience that I will remember for a lifetime. Kelly, you and your amazing tribe are making a difference in the world, one wonderful woman at a time. Thank you.”
“I loved having permission right up front to do whatever I needed for my own self-care. Everything had a place and purpose for me, and everything fit together in the end. The mantra I created during one of the exercises, ‘I will own my brilliance,’ will serve me for the rest of my life. Without even consciously trying to transform, the steps/exercises from the retreat gently guided me into alignment with myself, and I feel it on a cellular level. It is now embodied for me.”
“Wow wow, I’m just going to say it one more time—WOW! First of all, Kelly and Nirmala are amazing at what they do! They are really gifted, and they’re great presenters. I didn’t know what to expect when I got there, but I was the fortunate recipient of so much healing! I really needed some further help with overcoming childhood issues. They had so many methods and activities that brought me terrific awareness. I’m a better person for having attended the Courageous Truthtelling retreat! Thank God for these women! Get over to one of their events—you’ll heal your ass off!”
“Thanks for an amazing retreat . I was finally able to put my story down on paper after so many years. It was so healing to write down a loose timeline that indirectly caused the events in my life to unfold the way they did (and to take responsibility for them). The three intentions I set were to be fearless with the truth, be authentic, and gain clarity. It was very empowering to face the truth head on and meet all my intentions. I really felt like it sunk in! Now I know that writing my story would expand my comfort zone, and perhaps it would help someone, too.”
About your Facilitators
Kelly McNelis (Lead Facilitator) is the founder of Women For One, a global community that empowers women to embrace their voices and make life happen, on their own terms. With over 20 years of experience as a nonprofit and small-business consultant, Kelly empowers generations of women around the world to build the relationships, community, and confidence they need to achieve their wildest dreams. She travels the world as a speaker, teacher, and facilitator of workshops, helping others tap into lives powered by truth. Kelly’s dedication to truthtelling helps women and men share their powerful stories with the world. She is a bestselling author whose first book, Your Messy Brilliance: 7 Tools for the Perfectly Imperfect Woman, was released in Fall 2017 by Enrealment Press. Kelly has appeared in numerous national and international publications, as well as on radio and television; she will be featured in the April 2019 issues of Entrepreneur and O! magazines. She finds daily inspiration in spending time with her husband and children in her home outside of Seattle.
Nirmala Nataraj (Co-Facilitator) is a New York–based writer, editor, book midwife, theater artist, and mythmaker. Her work lives at the crossroads of creativity, mythology, storytelling, and collective liberation. As a multi-genre collaborator and creative facilitator, she believes in generative solutions in the midst of chaos, the coexistence of messiness and magic, and breathtaking beauty as a natural consequence of this wild ride. She is trained in a variety of methods of narrative-based collective healing, including Family Constellations, Psychodrama, Playback Theatre, and Theatre of the Oppressed. Some of the passions she brings to facilitation include movement (especially 5 Rhythms), guided visualization, and creative writing from unexpected prompts. Nirmala is Women For One’s Director of Creative Content and Strategy, and she has co-created experiential courses and resources for our global community of Truthtellers to help them step into their wisdom. Find out more about Nirmala at nirmalanataraj.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s for all self-identified women, ages 18 and up, who are ready to expand their vision of sisterhood in a safe and supportive environment.
It will be at the beautiful 250-acre Omega Rhinebeck, NY Campus located in the Hudson Valley, just 90 miles north of New York City.
Yes. You have the option of staying on campus or commuting for the Power of Sisterhood workshop. The all-inclusive stay is per person and includes lodging, three meals per day in the Omega Dining Hall, and an array of activities such as yoga, meditation, and many other offerings. The commuter fee covers three meals per day in the Omega Dining Hall and full access to their campus amenities. See Commute for more information.
Please note that Omega lodging can sell out quickly. We encourage you to plan ahead in making any reservations.
The retreat fee, which you will pay directly through Omega’s website, includes the tuition for the full cost of your workshop and the time spent in class with the faculty. Please visit the Stay With Us page for on-campus accommodation choices, which include meals and other site amenities for those who wish to stay on site; visit the Commute page if you will not be staying overnight on campus.
We are capping attendance at 60 women.
The retreat will be led by Wf1 Founder Kelly McNelis, and Wf1 Director of Creative Content and Strategy Nirmala Nataraj, who both developed the curriculum for the retreat over years of working with Wf1’s global community.
The retreat starts on Friday morning and ends Sunday at lunchtime. For more details on the schedule, go here. The schedule is subject to change, so stay tuned for updates on the Wf1 website.
Although we will be sending you a more detailed agenda closer to the retreat, we want you to allow our time together to unfold organically rather than stressing about what’s next. We want this to be an opportunity to sink deep into yourself and enjoy each moment as it comes—and to welcome surprises! Just know that the week will include group sessions and shares, journaling prompts, and exercises with partners and small groups. There will also be ample opportunities for you to enjoy the beautiful grounds of Omega, as well as daily yoga, meditation, and other classes. You can also opt for a healing arts session at the on-site spa.
You can expect a nurturing and peaceful getaway at one of North America’s largest sanctuaries for holistic education. For more information about registration and arrival (including information on what to bring, as well as Omega’s refund and cancellation policy), go here, and for information about accommodations, go here.
You can find out more about location, transportation options, and closest airports here.
You can find more about Omega’s dining policies here.
No problem, that’s what we’re here for! Just shoot us an email at info@womenforone.com.
