Activist Healing Retreat: Help Animals Without Depleting Yourself
Spend half a day to nurture your whole self!
Psychotherapist, author, and activist April Lang provides essential techniques to dissolve anxiety, manage stress, and build personal resilience so you can help animals without depleting yourself. Join in a yoga class, support circle, and healing ritual to celebrate our relationships with other animals and unite as a compassionate community. Bring water and a vegan snack! Yoga mat provided.
This retreat is co-hosted by In Defense of Animals and Vegans of New York.
When: Saturday, October 12, 1pm – 4pm
Where: Reflections Center for Conscious Living & Yoga, Studio 2, 227 E 24th Street, New York, NY 10010
Instructors (see bios below): April Lang, Missy Kabinoff, Lisa Levinson
Retreat Prices and Registration
Early Bird $35 before October 1, $40 from October 1 through October 12, $40 cash preferred at the door.
The retreat fee includes the presentation, yoga class, support group, and community ritual. Full refund is available before October 1; 50% refund thereafter.
You will receive the payment link by email after you register. Stay tuned for an email with event details closer to the date.
You're welcome to contact us with any questions about your payment or the retreat in general.
Program
1:00pm - 1:15pm Welcome & Introductions
1:15pm - 1:45pm Understanding and Managing Compassion Fatigue with April Lang
1:45pm - 2:15pm Yoga with Missy Kabinoff
2:15pm - 3:00pm Support Group with April Lang
3:00pm - 3:45pm Activist Healing Ritual with Lisa Levinson
3:45pm - 4:00pm Closing Circle
Program Description
Understanding and Managing Compassion Fatigue with April Lang
Anyone who cares deeply about animals and advocates for them may at some point be susceptible to developing Compassion Fatigue. Through talk and experiential exercises, you can better understand what triggers and feeds compassion fatigue while learning techniques to help when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Activist Healing Ritual with Lisa Levinson
We can acknowledge the suffering of others and offer support without taking on their suffering. As we heal, we build resilience and embrace community care. Join us for a healing ritual with music and activities that unite us as a community and honor our relationships to other animals.
Instructor Bios
April Lang, LCSW, SEP is a psychotherapist based in New York City and has been in private practice for twenty years. Part of her practice is devoted to working with ethical vegans and animal advocates, as well as people who are suffering from the loss of their animal family members. She is also an animal advocate, humane educator, and writer. April currently writes a column called, “The Relational Vegan” for the on-line magazine, LA Fashionista Compassionista and is the author of the book, Animal Persuasion: a guide for ethical vegans and animal advocates in managing life's emotional challenges.”
Missy Kabinoff explored various yoga philosophies before becoming a certified yoga instructor through the Bhakti Center of Devotional Arts in 2015. The first Sanskrit mantra that Missy heard was Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu, "May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute to the happiness and freedom for all." She has since taught a yoga and nutrition elective for NYC public high school students where the teachings of Ahimsa and ethical eating were the core components of her curriculum. She also worked with ACE (Association for Climate Education) and the Ethical Choices Program. Missy hopes the teachings of yoga will raise awareness for a more compassionate lifestyle and deepen her students' practice with humility and tolerance.
Lisa Levinson directs In Defense of Animals' Sustainable Activism Campaign, offering emotional and spiritual support for animal activists via a helpline, support groups, and online events. Lisa organizes Vegan Spirituality events to explore veganism as a spiritual practice and the Interfaith Vegan Coalition to help places of worship go vegan. She is also an expressive movement therapist with 17 years of professional experience.
Venue
Reflections Center for Conscious Living & Yoga is a community hub for self-exploration. Classes stem from the traditional roots of yoga, with a focus on breathing and meditation and asana as tools for healing and health, rather than power or rigor. Enjoy yoga for everyone from beginners to advanced, from a slow and meditative practice to a more vigorous flow, and from youth to senior citizens.
Reflections provides the space and time to unite the mind, body, and soul . . . and to heal.