Returning to the Forest, Returning to Myself:A Journey Through Men's Wellness and Somatic Therapy
My bare feet press into the cool, damp bed of fallen redwood leaves—soft, almost springy, like memory foam. Beneath me, generations of forest floor are breaking down—leaves, soil, critter remains, insect shells—all of it decomposing into a nutrient-rich topsoil. Everything the forest needs to grow is already here.
And deep below that, centuries-old redwood roots reach toward the Earth's core and stretch wide across the land, intertwining in a delicate, ancient dance.
For a moment, I imagine the Pomo people standing on this same forest floor—listening, observing, giving thanks.
Birdsong echoes in the distance, a call and response between trees. The cool morning air brushes against my clammy skin while the sun’s mid-morning rays warm every inch of my skin. Dried tears streak my face like the translucent trails banana slugs leave behind. I’m no longer crying, but my breath still catches in short, staccato bursts. It sounds like I’m choking for air, but I’m not in distress.
I’m actually… fine.
More than fine.
I feel new. Renewed. Safe. Clear.
Behind me, a cluster of redwoods reach for the stratosphere. These are still young by forest standards—maybe 300 years old—but they tower 200, 300 feet high. Standing in their presence, I feel a deep, quiet awe. A gratitude I can’t quite name.
Holotropic Breathwork: A Kind of Somatic Therapy
Moments before, my co-facilitators had guided me—and 27 other men—through a powerful breathwork session -- not the box breath kind, but that kind that is akin to somatic therapy. What I experienced was nothing short of transformation. I surrendered fully to waves of anger, grief, loss, pride, and overwhelming gratitude. I saw my grandparents. I saw ancestors I never met. I saw mentors. I felt their hands cradle me from crown to sole. Their faces vivid. Their message, clear:
"You're on the path."
And all of it—every vision, every sensation—was unlocked by my breath. That’s it. My breath.
A sacred reminder that I’m right where I need to be.
Somatic Men’s Retreats are Necessary for Men’s Wellness
For the last 36 hours, we’d been co-creating a space for real connection. A circle built on authenticity, vulnerability, and intimacy. A rare container for men. And as we gathered again after breathwork, I could see it wasn’t just me who had traveled somewhere deep.
The men looked different.
Dried tears marked our faces.
Our voices hoarse from finally confronting battles that lived quietly in our pasts.
But in their eyes, I saw something remarkable—a tenderness and a strength. No posturing. No masks. Just presence. We looked at each other without hesitation, without fear. Like we had each returned from our own hero’s journey—tired, yes—but also more whole.
The redwoods around us stood as silent witnesses to our transformation. They offered sanctuary, and we accepted.
We moved through this retreat like the roots beneath us—stories weaving in, out, and around one another. Our feet dug into the same Earth, holding steady in the nutrient-rich soil of community. And something within us knew to give it all back to the Earth. She could hold it.
She wanted to.
The strength of redwoods comes not from standing alone, but from growing together.
Their roots are shallow, but they spread wide and intertwine with the roots of other redwoods, holding each other up through storms, drought, and time itself.
That’s the kind of strength we’re building.
This is why we gather with men.
Because no matter how much inner work we do alone—healing happens faster, deeper, and more honestly in community.
Especially for men.
We live in a culture that teaches us to go it alone, to be strong by staying silent. But true strength—the kind that changes lives—comes from being witnessed, from being held, from showing up messy and real in front of other men doing the same.
That’s why I lead these retreats.
That’s why I do this work.
That’s why I created SHIFT Men’s Retreat.
It’s a somatic experiencing men’s retreat designed to help you shed what no longer serves you and return to what matters most.
And this Labor Day weekend, we’re doing it again.
If something in you is stirring—if you’re craving real connection, clarity, and a deeper sense of peace— join us.
➡️ Learn more about SHIFT Men’s Retreat: A Somatic Retreat for Men happening Labor Day weekend, 2025.
You don’t have to do this alone.
None of us were meant to.
