forest therapy, Wellness workshops & retreats in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Conquer fatigue and burnout. Revitalize your spirit. Find connection.
In a world filled with quick fixes that offer a fleeting dopamine hit only to leave you feeling more depleted –
Zesty Retreats offers a variety of wellness experiences that will leave you feeling restored, supported, and ready to re-engage in your daily life with a renewed sense of purpose.
Escaping from one “real world” into another provides a healing, restorative experience by bringing body, mind, and spirit back into conscious awareness, providing a reset and helping you refocus your attention to what you value most.
Whether it’s forest therapy, a wellness workshop, or a multi-day retreat, you’ll learn how to find beauty in the present moment, connect with like-hearted folks, and leave feeling more alert and engaged, and ready to play a more active role in your story.
Hi, I’m Stephanie (she/her).
I’m a psychotherapist and certified forest therapy guide.
One of my earliest memories (age 3 or 4) involves standing in a field of buttercups on a clear, sunny day, feeling the breeze in my hair, and watching the rustle of wildflowers.
I once had a work commute through Western North Carolina where the top of a hill would quite dramatically reveal an expanse of hazy blue and purple mountains at sunrise. The mere sight of this majestic mountainscape every morning led me to pause, take a breath, and smile.
Wherever I have roamed, it is moments in nature that have freed me from my worried brain and given me peace. Whether it was hiking to glaciers in the Republic of Georgia, swimming in the clear turquoise waters of the Turkish Riviera or climbing a water tower on an island off the coast of Seattle to take in the view of the surrounding waters and terrain.
It’s a simple idea, yet it can prove challenging to practice.
Quiet the mind. Awaken the senses. Open your heart to receive.
It’s too easy to get lost in the hustle—the pressure to be productive, to achieve, to over-schedule, to max out.
Exhaustion is glorified as a “badge of honor,” as Brene Brown says. We’re not only maxed out, we’re tuned out. Despite the ways technology has connected the world, it has also inspired a disconnected way of life. The evidence can be found where adolescents gather, tuned in to their respective devices. No eye-contact. No awareness beyond the digital brick in their hands.
Adults are no better these days. As much as we long for engagement outside the digital world—ready access, a pandemic, social anxiety, and an ever-strengthening social current of disconnection sweeps away our consciousness.
But there is hope. There is an answer. And nature is a wonderful guide. She implores you to pay attention—to put away your phone, to quiet nervous chatter, and remember your deeper connection to every other living thing. Nature welcomes you. You belong.
Our Core Values
Engagement
We aspire to bring all of ourselves—mind, body, and spirit—into what we pursue, knowing that all parts of us are welcome.
Awareness
We value slowing down, letting go of distractions, and paying attention to the wisdom of the present moment.
Connection
We believe in the healing power of relationships—with ourselves, with others, and with nature.
Retreat
We value taking time away to rest, refresh the spirit, and realign our lives with our core values.
Adventure
We value the richness that exploration, learning, and trying new things brings to the human experience.
Offerings
Our programs are designed to enrich your life. Take a look and find inspiration.
Create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands.
MARTHA POSTLETHWAITE
