Teaching While Healing
The Weekend at a Glance
The retreat and community day take place at D'ESTEE in Chicago, IL. Admission is free for participating women. The weekend closes with the culminating Making Strides of Chicago Breast Cancer Walk on Sunday, October 18.
Friday, October 16, 2027
a place to receive care
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. · Proposed kickoff retreat for a yearlong cohort · Suggested cohort size: 12–15 women · Private to cohort members
This retreat offers time for rest, spiritual reflection, and companionship. Participants may speak, remain quiet, or step away at any point. No account of illness, testimony of faith, or promise of service is required.
Arrival & The First Circle
Led by a psycho-oncology therapistParticipants arrive, settle into rooms, and gather for an opening circle. Rather than traditional icebreakers, the facilitator introduces a “name and season” prompt—where everyone shares where they are currently in their survivorship (for example, active surveillance, early post-treatment, or years out). This establishes immediate emotional safety and lets people drop their armor.
Evening — Gentle Restorative Movement
Led by Dr. Nel, an oncology-certified yoga instructorA low-impact, breath-focused session tailored to accommodate chest wall tightness, lymphedema precautions, or fatigue—a safe space to inhabit the body again.
- Welcome to the Table9:00–9:30 a.m.
A light breakfast and personal welcome. Participants receive a journal and a simple agenda. Hosts introduce the space, refreshments, rest area, and available support.
- A Community of Care9:30–9:50 a.m.
Brief introductions and shared agreements about confidentiality, consent, and the freedom to pass. Optional invitation: “What would help you feel at ease here today?”
- Permission to Receive9:50–10:20 a.m.
A brief reflection inspired by Chanequa Walker-Barnes’s Too Heavy a Yoke, followed by conversation about expectations of strength, educational responsibilities, and the need for care. Private reflection is equally welcome.
- Rest and Refreshment10:20–10:35 a.m.
An uninterrupted break with refreshments, comfortable seats, and access to a quiet room.
- What My Spirit Needs10:35–11:10 a.m.
We will engage meditations from Dr. Linda Hollies on faith, doubt, grief, joy, and sources of comfort. Participants may choose quiet contemplation, a journal exercise, or conversation in pairs.
- Room to Breathe11:10–11:40 a.m.
A choice of quiet rest, seated creative expression, or time in an accessible garden or outdoor space. An indoor option remains available. No finished artwork or group report is expected.
- A Meal Without Obligation11:40 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
A hosted lunch with informal conversation. Staff handle service and cleanup. Participants have time to enjoy the meal without speeches, requests for donations, or assigned discussion.
- Care Beyond Today12:20–12:45 p.m.
Introduce the yearlong cohort and invite participants to identify preferred meeting times, forms of contact, and practical needs. Peer contact is optional. COMMUNE staff assume responsibility for coordination.
- A Gentle Close12:45–1:00 p.m.
An optional word, silence, or brief blessing shaped by participants’ spiritual traditions. Collect a short private feedback card and provide clear next steps. Departure at 1:00 p.m.
Reflection Prompts
Offered as choices rather than questions everyone must answer.
Permission to Receive
- What do people expect of me when they call me strong?
- Which responsibilities would I welcome help with?
- What makes care feel respectful to me?
What My Spirit Needs
- What gives me comfort at this point in my life?
- What spiritual questions need room without an immediate answer?
- Where do I feel free to be myself?
Care Beyond Today
- What would make this cohort possible for me to attend?
- What kind of contact would feel supportive?
- What would I like this community to understand about my boundaries?
Your need for care belongs here. You do not have to justify it.
The retreat sequence is adapted from a guide developed for metastatic breast cancer retreats, shaped for Teaching While Healing’s broader survivor cohort and its Womanist emphasis on care without compulsory strength.
Saturday, October 17, 2027
community awareness & support
- A shared community meal
- Breast health education from a qualified professional
- Conversation about practical support from schools, families, and congregations
- Optional spiritual reflection and creative expression
- Ways to support the yearlong cohort
Open to neighbors and supporters. Retreat participants may attend if they wish; attendance, public testimony, photographs, and volunteer service are separate, optional choices.
Culminating Event
Sunday, October 18, 2027
the culminating walk
Making Strides of Chicago Breast Cancer Walk
The weekend closes with the community walking together — survivors, families, students, colleagues, and neighbors. Care made visible in the open, rather than carried quietly.
Cohort members are warmly welcome to walk; attendance, speaking, and photographs remain separate, optional choices. Meeting point, time, and registration details will be shared once confirmed.
Proposed. Capacity and access details will be shared once confirmed.