Women's Wellness Retreat on the Ottawa River: Nervous System Reset in Ontario

This is a weekend retreat for women who are running on empty and want to stop for a couple of days. It's based at Wild Grounded Retreats, a nature-based retreat centre on the Ottawa River near Westmeath, Ontario, about 90 minutes west of Ottawa. The property has private riverfront cottages, a bunk house, a Jack Pine hut, two hot tubs, and direct access to the river.

The schedule is deliberately spacious. You choose your workshops at registration from a range of concurrent offerings, so two people in the same group might spend Saturday afternoon differently. Guided options include restorative yoga, sound bath meditation, forest bathing hikes, and sessions on burnout prevention and nervous system support. There's also time built in for hammocks, hot tubs, and quiet corners, and no expectation that you fill it.

What sets this apart from a standard yoga weekend is the clinical grounding. Julie Edwards has worked as a social worker for more than 25 years, and the retreat content comes out of that background in mental health and burnout prevention rather than a fitness or spa model. The small group size (maximum 15) means the facilitators can actually pay attention to how each person is doing.

Accommodation is in private cottages or shared cabins on the property, all with river views. Meals are catered and included, with a focus on nourishing food rather than a strict diet. The weekend runs Friday to Sunday, with arrival on Friday afternoon and departure Sunday midday.

This isn't a bootcamp or a detox. There's no early-morning fitness class and no pressure to socialise if you'd rather be alone. It's for women who need rest and regulation, and the programme is built to let you take exactly as much or as little as you want.

What's included

- 2 nights accommodation in a private cottage or shared cabin - All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Guided workshops and sessions (restorative yoga, sound bath, forest bathing, burnout prevention) - Holistic treatments with practitioners (as specified per retreat) - Use of hot tubs and property - Welcome circle and closing circle

What's not included

- Travel to and from the retreat - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Additional holistic treatments beyond those included - Alcohol (not served)