Local Biz to Host Its First Women‘s Empowerment Retreat
local entrepreneur Allison Fine invites women to celebrate the many sides of themselves
Inspired by her own need for connection after moving halfway across the country in the middle of the pandemic, Allison Fine’s newest event provides opportunities for inspiration, empowerment, and play! The July retreat invites attendees to U.N.P.A.C. – Unload Negativity, Play And Conquer – and runs from Friday, July 28 to the morning of Monday, July 31.
Fine’s company, Kaleidoscope Soul, provides a range of social events – like Death Café, which Volume One wrote about in March – and bodywork designed to strengthen the connections people have within their communities as well as with themselves. When the COVID-19 pandemic took over, she was forced to pause her plans for a holistic retreat as the subsequent lockdowns and social distancing made in-person socializing impossible. As the world began to emerge from the worst of the isolation, Fine was shocked to realize how severe the toll was that the pandemic took on her self-confidence.
“Many of us didn’t have good coping mechanisms in place before the pandemic,” she said. “Society began to recognize how much that lack affects our mental health."
“I’ve always thought of myself as a confident person, but I was completely destroyed by the realization of how much my identity seemed to rely on what I did for a living," Allison explained. "With lockdown, I think that feeling of uncertainty greatly affected the world as a whole."
She is aiming to create community through Kaleidoscope Soul's first women's empowerment retreat to combat those types of feelings.
"With this retreat, I want people to feel like they are not alone. ... I want people to feel inspired; I want people to have fun!
ALLISON FINE
OWNER OF KALEIDOSCOPE SOUL
“With this retreat, I want people to feel like they are not alone. Sharing group experiences is empowering. Trying new things gets us out of feelings of being inadequate or stuck. I want people to feel inspired; I want people to have fun!”
The retreat combines some of the highlights of the city of Eau Claire with time to reflect and connect with others. Fine partnered with a range of local and small businesses to provide activities like writing and cooking classes, boudoir photography, panel discussions, acupuncture, yoga, a self-defense class, a slumber party, and more! Attendees receive access to a library of interviews with inspiring women sharing parts of their stories along with an online space in which to stay connected with others afterward.
“Women, in particular, need a way to cope with the negativity directed at them from almost all areas of society, and especially on social media, about everything from their looks to their choice of career," Allison said. "I'm looking forward to meeting new people to grow with."
Reserve your spot for the retreat online. If you can’t make the retreat, you can connect with her at other events she runs, including monthly Death Café events; Press Pause: A Community Nap Event on June 17, 2023; and a grief workshop in August 2023.
Visit Kaleidoscope Soul’s website to learn more and see the retreat’s schedule here.
