Amanda is a Calgary-based yoga teacher who has been teaching since 2012, bringing over 13 years of experience to her work. She is the founder and lead teacher of Outbound Yoga, a globally recognized yoga school that certifies aspiring yoga teachers. Amanda has led retreats and trainings across the globe, blending adventure, self-discovery, and the transformative power of yoga. Her classes are rooted in curiosity and connection—an invitation to come home to yourself. More than just movement, Amanda's approach to yoga is about awakening your spirit, tapping into your soul, and remembering what it feels like to be fully alive. She also incorporates sound bowls into her yoga classes for us to enjoy!

Kari has been helping individuals reach their fitness and lifestyle goals since 2004. She is a certified fitness trainer with the Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association (AFLCA) and has a designation in group fitness, fitness with portable equipment, resistance training, and indoor cycling. She is also certified in TRX suspension, VIPR, Barre, myofascial release, and pre- and post-natal training. Because safety is a priority, Kari is trained in CPR and First Aid. Kari has participated in numerous sporting events and activities including bodybuilding which she took 3rd place in both categories, triathlon, adventure racing, marathons, ultramarathons including the Death race, Sinister 7, the Grizzly Ultra and Blackfoot ultra, rock climbing, the MS bike tour, tour d Alberta, the DV 100 bike race, competitive tap dance, Soldiers of Fitness and the commando course. She is passionate about the body and mind connection and owns her own fitness business supporting others with their fitness goals.

Lisa Jones is an eternal optimist, a motivator, a disrupter, a proud mom of 3, a coach, sister, daughter and friend to many. She refers to herself as a wannabe rebel, and her adventurous spirit has taken her from a remote village in the Philippines, to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, to wrangling on a dude ranch. Everywhere she goes, the common thread of joy is the people she connects with along the way. Lisa has been building relationships, her own and others, from the time she entered the world and when she discovered coaching as a profession, she knew instantly she had found the thing she was meant to do. Every day she is grateful to get to live her dream of being the spark and the accelerator for change in people’s lives. And not just any change – SIGNIFICANT and LASTING change – the kind of change that shakes people to their core and challenges them to do what scares and excites them. Lisa believes in freedom, real conversations, connection, curiosity, and spicy foods. She gets lit up when her clients overcome their biggest challenges, stand up for themselves in their relationships and ultimately transform their lives.

Bianca is excited to facilitate nature connection and weave together mind-body-earth awareness. She trained as a certified guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (2023) and brings other bodyfulness and mindfulness trainings and teachings, including: certified and experienced yoga teacher (since 2007) for all ages/stages, Embodied Awareness facilitator (2015), meditation teacher (2017), and various psychology & somatic awareness studies. Bianca knows being of service in the world is a key to happiness and uses her skills of deep listening, compassion and insight to previously work as a Crisis Line volunteer (>250 hours), and also curated and facilitated 100’s of hours of in- person peer support groups. Bianca currently does transformational work full-time as a professional in a corporate environment “making good change happen” as a business analyst, project manager and change management specialist, and uses a mindful coaching lens to support people to be their best. On a guided Forest Therapy walk you'll have the opportunity to slow down, and get out of your head and into your body and senses. Participants are guided through a series of invitations to help pay attention, explore and connect with their surroundings and themselves. At times we will be walking, at other times we may be sitting or standing still and then rejoin in a brief group sharing circle. These slow walks in nature are typically one to two kilometers long and fit for all ages and physical conditions. A forest therapy experience enhances self-reflection, social interaction, and embodied awareness: a state of being fully present – connecting to your body, thoughts, feelings, perceptions and energy, while connected with others, the environment and the world.

This retreat has special meaning for me in a few ways: as a leadership coach, the topic of conversation with clients is often their romantic partnership, or the lack thereof! Interestingly, we can be having a completely unrelated coaching session, and it’ll all come back to that relationship. The professional desire is getting my clients the best information and coaching out there on how to “relationship” – and there’s personal meaning as well. After a shitty divorce and confusion over what happened, I sought out the world experts – and lucky enough, they replied. Creating new relationship patterns in the generation I have (some) influence on (my children), is very important for me. And, it starts with me. Because, the definition of insanity is... Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky enough to hold large group events with Suncor, Nexen CNOOC, contracted with personal growth companies, my own executive leadership coaching business Illuminate Leadership, and I am absolutely thrilled to be hosting this relationships based event in - what I’ll call - the most beautiful venue in the Canadian Rockies 😉 They have a brand new outdoor heated pool for us to enjoy folks - just like the Banff Springs! And I love that we are all learning together and from each other. That’s the magic. Two integral organizations have come together here: the Gottman Institute with tangible tools for relationship success, and iPEC coaching, in gaining insight about how one’s perspective of the world around them can influence the way they lead in relationships. I am so incredibly grateful for the wellness practitioners I’m about to showcase. Their grounded, caring and professional energy is exactly what’s needed for this retreat.

We'll learn together from Dr. Nicole how physical and hormonal health can affect not only sexual health, but relationship health generally.  She'll explore such topics as menopause, perimenopause, cardiovascular health specifically in relationship to erectile performance.  Don't be shy -- all questions welcome.  Guidance on support with herbs, nutrients and lifestyle also offered in her workshops. Dr. Nicole is a highly skilled primary and adjunctive care provider who integrates standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies. She's been practicing for 23 years. Dr. Nicole embraces the philosophy of addressing the cause of a patient’s illness, rather than merely treating or suppressing symptoms. To do this, she devotes the time necessary to understand each individual patient and their health goals. After completing her pre-med requirements at Boston College, Dr. Nicole earned her doctorate in naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University, an institution renowned for its science-based approach to natural medicine. During her studies, she traveled the country interning with the some of the most skilled and highly regarded naturopathic doctors in the United States. She is a board certified naturopath and practiced family medicine for over 15 years in Seattle before moving to Boise, Idaho and joining Boise Natural Medicine. Dr. Nicole is the former Vice President of the Idaho Association of Naturopathic Physicians (IANP) and served on  the board of the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians (WANP) as the director of the continuing education committee.