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Trauma as Medicine Retreat

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Up to 20 in group
Date
July 24 - 28, 2025

Retreat Highlights

  • Shamanic wisdom teachings
  • Land based practices/ceremony
  • Processing circles
  • Development and enhancement of intuition and body focused awareness
  • Self inquiry & meditation.

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Details of this retreat

Imagine this: You are standing on top of a mountain, with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your arms stretched up toward the sky. You feel completely connected to Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Spirit. Every part of your body is in harmony with the land around you. You know that you are here for a reason, your life is filled with purpose, and all your experiences have meaning. You are actively shaping your own life and embodying your essence.
This is the intention of Trauma as Medicine.
During this retreat, you will engage in land-based teachings, circles, shamanic journeys, movement, meditation, and three plant medicine ceremonies. These activities aim to help you trust in your inherent resources for self-healing. Through hands-on practices that emphasize personal embodiment and self-inquiry, you will receive support in connecting with your sacred self. Please note that actual mountains may not be included.

Registration & Costs: Early bird price $1488 program fee plus room and board paid directly to the Sentinel on the following link. Please  Fill out this registration form. It is a separate form from your registration at the Sentinel.

Note that this includes a intention setting intake session and an post ceremony integration session both on Zoom - 60 minutes each.  Please book an intake session with me at this link (this is a separate cost of $120 which is paid through the link).
Plant Medicines:
Rainbow Serpent Lodge: The Rainbow Serpent Lodge was passed down to Sarah by her Spirit guide Thoth, the God of wisdom in the Egyptian pantheon in 2007. In this lodge, Sarah shares mushroom tea in a night ceremony. Participants are supported with channeled medicine songs and music, hands-on healing, tobacco cleanse, and other shamanic practices to guide their journey. This is excellent medicine for delving into the deeper aspects of our life’s journeys so we can integrate them with the light.

 The intention of this lodge is to create a portal for the following:

– Communing with Source.

– Regulating the nervous system.

– Illuminating one’s true nature.

– Releasing old patterns.

– Addressing grief & trauma.

– Coming home to oneself & one’s body.

– Investigating internal contracted energy.

– Entering loving awareness – as referred to by Ram Dass.

– Experiencing presence.

Mushroom Day Ceremony: In this expereince we work with Grandmother Forest Medicine to support us in connecting with nature and opening to how we will integrate our medicine work in our day to day lives. 

Hape: Hape is a tobacco snuff from the Amazon used to clear heavy energy, open the third eye, and ground.

 Other processes:

– Self-inquiry: The practice of investigating who we are to raise our awareness, increase our understanding, and release old patterning. In our retreat, it is combined with shamanic journey & journal writing.

– Fire Ceremony: Working with the Spirit of Fire, you will learn a practice passed down through the Inca Medicine Wheel tradition for cleansing your being and asking for help.

 – Ecstatic Dance: Free-flow improvisational movement allows the body to move to the rhythm within and without for release, empowerment, and healing.

 – Shamanic Journey: The art of communing with Spirit through your own personal direct revelation – this practice enhances your intuition, increases psychic awareness, and instigates clarity in your healing experience.

 – Integration Circle: Sarah has had the joy of facilitating circles for over 20 years. The practice of bringing your visions into our circle is an integral part of awakening. This is where you learn to be seen, to listen to the collective teachings in the group, and to use your voice – be heard – as you share your heart.

Basic Itinerary
July 24th:

4 – 6:00pm Arrive & get settled

6 – 7:00pm Supper

7:00 – 9:00pm Opening Circle

July 25th: 

7:00 – 8:00am Movement

8 :00-9:30 am Breakfast

9:30 – 12:30pm Workshop teachings – Mandalas & Shamanic Journey

12:30 – 1:30pm Lunch

1:30 – 3:00pm Reflection time

3:00 – 5:00pm Workshop teachings – Mandalas & Hape Ceremony

6:00 – 11:00pm Rainbow Serpent Lodge Ceremony

July 26th:

7:00 – 8:00 Movement

8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast

9:00 – 12:30 Integration Circle

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch

1:30 – 3:00 Reflection time

3:00 – 6:00 Ecstatic dance & Dyads

July 27th:

7:00 – 8:00 movement

8:00 – 9:30am Breakfast

9:30 – 11:00 – Circle

11:00 – 3:00 Day ceremony with Grandmother Forest Medicine

4:00 – 5:30 Supper

July 28th:

7:00 – 8:00 am Movement

8:00 – 9:00 am Breakfast

9:00 – 12:00 Integration Circle and closing Ceremony

12;00 – 1:00 Lunch

 

 Sarah Salter Kelly is a Spiritual Teacher with a rich education in energy healing and hands-on practice. Her training is sourced in lived experiences – particularly healing from the homicide of her mother and learning to forgive the perpetrator – as well as thirty years of studying energy medicine, shamanism, restorative justice, and personal growth. She shares an integrated path to lay the foundation for personal transformation and empowerment.

 Since 2007, Sarah has run a private clinical practice, created a healing centre, hosted monthly moon gatherings, developed and implemented shamanic training programs, spoken at many conferences, led retreats, and brought groups to Peru to work with indigenous healers. Her primary focus is curating experiences with plant medicine for the healing of the body, mind, and spirit. Most recently, she is the author of her first self-published book – “Trauma as Medicine.”

 

For those interested in reading her book prior to attending – it is available here: Trauma as Medicine | Sarah Salter Kelly

For more information please visit Sarah's website here: https://sarahsalterkelly.com/retreats/

Please watch Sarah's interview with Marianne Williamson here: https://youtu.be/8WDFQOcNrho Read More

Getting Here

Location icon The Sentinel

Directions

We are a 50-minute drive north of Nelson, BC, just outside the charming village of Kaslo. We are 9 hours by car from Vancouver, and 8 hours from Calgary. These drives are incredibly beautiful, wending through some of North America's most spectacular mountain terrain. There are flights (approx. 1 hour) from both Vancouver & Calgary to our nearest airport, in Castlegar, which is a scenic 1.5 hours from our door.

Driving from Nelson, follow highway 3A north to Balfour (Kootenay Lake ferry landing), and proceed another 20-25 minutes on Highway 31 north. There is a "Sentinel Retreat" blue road sign on the highway (approx. 60 km from Nelson). Slow down and prepare to take a sharp right turn onto Amundsen Road. The Sentinel is located at bottom of the hill. Please observe signs. Read More

Accommodation

All our King and shared Twin rooms have stunning views of the lake and mountains. Whether you opt for a luxurious private King or a shared Twin, all our rooms are clean and modern. Ensuite bathrooms have heated floors, a rain shower, and amenities for your comfort. Fluffy white towels and crisp linens are found in every room — our goal is to ensure can relax and refresh during your stay with us.

King Room with Lake View

Accommodation
Our king rooms are elegant, lake and mountain facing boasting ensuite bathrooms with heated tile floors. All rooms were intentionally designed to enhance a reflective and serene stay away from home. Read More

Twin shared room (per person)

Accommodation
Our twin shared rooms are elegant, lake and mountain facing boasting ensuite bathrooms with heated tile floors. All rooms were intentionally designed to enhance a reflective and serene stay away from home. Read More

Queen Room

Accommodation
Room 7 is a cozy queen room on the lower level of the Lodge. It's favoured by guests who love containment, a dark sleeping space, and appreciate the savings offered by using a shared bathroom, steps away. This room does not have a direct lake view, but is adjacent to our beautiful sunroom which offers plenty of sunlight and beautiful views of the lake. Read More

Sunroom Nest

Accommodation
The Sunroom Nest is a glamorous word for shared accommodation in our Sunroom with up to three other people. Each person gets a fully made twin bed with a high density foam topper, 1 pillow, sheets and a full set of towels.  The bathroom is adjacent to the sunroom nest, shared and you are steps away from the lower lobby tea/coffee station. Read More

Sentinel Camping

Accommodation
Camp on The Sentinel grounds! Bring your own tent and bedding and we will set you up with a lovely place to camp. Shared bathroom facilities. Summer Only. $50/person/night Read More

Venue & Amenities

Venue & Amenities
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent
Overlooking spectacular Kootenay Lake, the Lodge, with its massive windows and expansive deck affords breathtaking lake & mountain views. The Maloca, a magnificent round, timbered ceremonial and activity space, seems to float above the lake. A short stroll from the Lodge, the Sentinel's spa deck, with its unique wood-fired sauna and cedar-lined hot tub is a favourite gathering spot for guests, year-'round. 700' of lakefront, with deck, firepit and yoga area is a tranquil spring/summer area. Read More

Meals

Menu
Menu

Menu Types

Guests rave about our food! Sentinel meals are prepared with ingredients sourced whenever possible from our organic, on-property garden. We can accommodate virtually any dietary requirement. Read More

What's Included

  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Cedar hot tub
  • Sauna
  • Maloca
  • Lakefront
  • Nature

What's Not Included

  • Bodywork
  • Airfare
  • Travel
  • Gratuity
  • Taxes
Read More

Customer Reviews

4.96 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Full Potential of Love
We had the most incredible love ceremony one could ever imagine. The Maloca is like a spaceship, and we went on a live journey through the Cosmos! That you Janet all the helper and of coure Richard and Gillian for the tireless efforts that allow this place to thrive!
Highly recommend this type of ceremony for anyone newly in love or wishing to go deeper into relationship with full community support.
Love warriors unite! Read More

5.0
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Amazing getaway
Our stay here was phenomenal! Very relaxing and beautiful setting. We look forward to our next stay here! Read More

5.0
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Amazingly restorative
The staff are so extremely kind, helpful, and relaxed. Our large grouo of ladies had a lovely stay and left after only a day feeling recharged and content. Thank you for sharing your incredible space with us! Read More

5.0
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amazing retreat
I spent a day and evening at the Sentinel for a womens friends birthday retreat and it was perfect to connect and unwind. Read More

4.0
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Great views
Everything was great except we were on the bottom floor and you could hear the people above you and the walls are paper thin. Other than that, great location and service and amenities. The hot tub was nice and warm. Wish we tried the sauna but got there late and we were tired. Would go back for sure. Read More

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