ReBuild Retreat: Reflections from Vancouver Island
We just wrapped up our first annual ReBuild Retreat—and it exceeded every expectation.
A small group of women. Vancouver Island. Nature, movement, real conversations, and a whole lot of laughter.
Something shifts when you bring strangers together with a common interest and open hearts. By the end of the week, they weren't strangers anymore.
Here's what we were really there to do.
So many women have spent years training and exercising from the outside in - following the watch, the numbers, the plan, the influencers - while slowly losing touch with what their own body is communicating. Over time, that relationship can become mechanical, disconnected. As if the body is something to manage rather than something to partner with.
Hormonal shifts, changing stages of life, stress, sleep, and what's happening beyond the training - all of it matters. This retreat was a chance to rebuild that connection. To get more out of movement. To find more peace with our bodies. To learn what they're trying to communicate and what they're truly capable of.
We unpacked the messages most of us have been carrying for years:
Eat less, train more. Exercise fasted. Small portions. Low fat. Low calorie. Compare yourself to others. Be afraid of being full.
The body has its own language. It speaks through energy, motivation, enthusiasm, fatigue, tension, and resistance. None of these are problems to override, they're information. And learning to read that language changes everything.
Emilee and Jenn last week at the ReBuild Retreat
What we covered:
The deeper why behind nutrition trends—when they apply, how to integrate them into real life, and how to fuel for longer days and events
The connection between exercise and nutrition and the intricacies of how they work together, not separately
Common injuries during hormonal shifts - why they happen, how to prevent them, and how to catch early warning signs
The pelvic floor - what it is, how it works, and why it's foundational to everything we do
Professional tips on trail techniques for hills and flats, gear, navigation and so much more
And woven through all of it: the courage to listen to yourself first.
But honestly? The laughing.
This crew was something special. They brought humor, rolled with every curveball of island living, and built connections that won't fade. We had women across the decades at this retreat, and that mix of wisdom, experience, and perspective makes everything richer. It always does.
Jen Segger is an extraordinary guide and colleague, a gem of a human and a masterful athlete. Vancouver Island did the rest.
We'll be back. And we want you there.
✦ Spots for ReBuild Retreat 2027 will be limited.
If this resonates with you, if you've been craving a reset, a community, and a deeper understanding of your own body, don't wait.
→ Click here to get on the waitlist for next year bewell@emileewise.com
You deserve to be in a room where the conversation gets real.
Announcing a Collaboration
If you know Chris and me, you know that while we have a lot in common, our strengths beautifully complement each other, a bit of yin/yang, feminine/masculine energy.
Chris has a true gift with words, both spoken and written, and people naturally lean in and hold onto what he shares. I, on the other hand, love working in the weeds with people—getting into the details and helping them implement and integrate the ideas that inspire them to live in a more intentional, present, and joyful way.
Together, we’re so excited to offer a series of 6 live coaching sessions.
The next one takes place on May 6 at 10 am pacific time.
If you love to read, listen to podcasts, or follow inspiring voices but are often left wondering, How do I actually create that in my own life? - this is for you.
Each month, we’ll take one meaningful concept, break it down, and through hands-on work and interactive conversation, help you walk away with practical ways to turn inspiration into action.
You can read more about it here and sign up through Chris’s Substack.
