Abundia Retreat 2009 - Speakers, Workshops, & Additional Services

Books at Abundia: This is your time to bring books you love; they can be specifically about size and size acceptance or simply books that have touched your life. Please bring the book to show and be prepared to give a short description of the book and why you brought it. We will make a list of all books and distribute the list following the retreat. Please limit to one book each.

Happy, Healthy and Fulfilling Sex: A candid look at safe and healthy sex for larger bodies. Topics of discussion include sexual positions and modifications for large bodies and people of differing abilities, proper use of sex toys, physically and emotionally safe fantasy fulfillment and more! This workshop will include demonstrations of the techniques discussed, so come prepared for some naughty fun - audience participation rewarded generously with chocolate! Expect to come away with some great information for you and your partner…even if your partner happens to be you!

Does Size Matter - Dating Advice for Fat Girls: In this workshop participants will explore the fat dating scene, discuss relationships and personal experiences, share dating ‘do’s and don’ts’, learn about safer sex and safe dating precautions. A special focus will be placed on internet dating, or as we like to call it, “The Wave of the Dating Future!” Brave participants will have the opportunity to undergo a mini make-over, take glamorous photos and create an online dating profile!

Happy, Healthy and Fulfilling Sex and Does Size Matter - Dating Advice for Fat Girls: will be conducted by Lauren Brown and Jennifer Schwartz who made their Abundia debut last year. Your very positive feedback and requests for more information along these lines prompted us to bring them back this year.

Lauren Brown attended Saint Mary’s College, in Notre Dame, IN and graduated cum laude with a degree in Biochemistry. Subsequently, she attended Michigan State University and earned her MD degree. Lauren is a board-certified physician, currently training as a resident in Michigan State University’s Department of Psychiatry. Her academic interests include eating behaviors, body image and their affects on interpersonal relationships and sexuality.

Jennifer Schwartz is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of Michigan. In addition, she holds two Associate of Arts degrees from Lansing Community College. She is a long standing advocate for the rights of marginalized groups and has attended and presented at numerous forums for LGBT persons, people of size and persons of different ability, whether the topic be anti-discrimination, activism, education or healthcare.

Together Lauren and Jennifer have begun to embark on a wonderful journey into patient and physician education. They have formed the organization “Playin’ Doctor”, which seeks to educate individuals about their own healthcare and rights and helps the medical community to better serve their patients through diversity training. Created from a sexual health standpoint, “Playin’ Doctor” has already presented to individuals and healthcare providers on the topics of mentally, physically and emotionally healthy sexual relationships for people of many orientations, sizes, and abilities.

Saturday Night Abundia Style: As this year’s host of “Saturday Night, Abundia-Style”, Jennifer Schwartz is looking for some very talented ladies! She is hoping to showcase the inner and outer beauty of the Abundia participants in what she is calling “The Big Booty Beauty Pageant”. So, come one and all – bring a daring ensemble, bring your ukulele, your hula-hoop, whatever! Tell us a joke, sing us a song, read us your poetry or just come up on stage and share your fabulousness with us! Silly prizes will be awarded!

Belly Dancing: Description and bio to come later.

Images of Abundia: Often we can be so generous and compassionate to others. Sometimes it is difficult to give it to ourselves. In this workshop we will connect with the loving part of ourselves and create “spirit cards” of images and words which reflect inspiration, beauty and gratitude. After the retreat you may choose to add to your spirit cards and create your own deck to use in meditation and for times when we need reminders to affirm ourselves on the journey of size acceptance. Bring a glue stick, a scissors and/or razor cutter, and magazines to cut out images. Paper, cards and sparkles will be provided.

Sally Strosahl, M.A., LCPC, FAMI, one of the Abundia-Five co-founders, is a seasoned psychotherapist, marriage and family counselor and musician who enjoys supporting people on their journey to self-acceptance using a mind, body, spirit approach. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor in private practice for over thirty years. Sally is certified in MARI Assessment, the Bonny method of GIM (guided imagery and music) and is a Level Three practitioner of HMR (Holographic Memory Resolution).

Other services available throughout the weekend:

Sally Strosahl will be available for individual sessions Thursday evening, Friday and Saturday in a private room at the retreat. Sign up at registration or contact Sally directly to schedule your session. Call (630) 664-4413 or email at strojon@sbcglobal.net. Sally is providing the following services for a special Abundia rate. The fee is on a sliding fee scale based on your ability to pay: One hour session is $75-$125. 90 minutes for $100- $150. Insurance reimbursement at out of network rate may be available.

1. Consultation focusing on issues or concerns for purposes of life review, second opinion or coaching. One hour or 90 minutes.

2. MARI Reading. Accessing your own inner psychic, this session gives you a snapshot of where you are psychologically, emotionally and spiritually using MARI cards based on Carl Jung’s thirteen stages of consciousness. Excellent for a life review or at times of transition. Requires 90 minutes session.

3. HMR (Holographic Memory Resolution) session to clear triggers of unresolved trauma using a noninvasive simple method which utilizes the self-healing abilities available to each of us. Requires 90 minute session.

4. GIM session using recorded music as co-therapist to access inner wisdom and solutions from the unconscious for a powerful spiritual and psychodynamic journey. Requires 90 minutes.

5. Energy Healing session using music, gentle touch, toning, healing chants to balance the chakra energy centers, create a sense of well being and align mind, body and spirit for your optimal health. One hour or 90 minute sessions available.

6. Combine any of the services above for a two to three hour session of intensive balancing and healing.

Massage Therapy: Information to come later

Pool use: The pool will be closed to the public and available for our use only, at these times: Friday night 11pm-midnight, Saturday 4:00-5:30pm and Saturday night 11pm-midnight. We are welcome to use the pool any time it is open but it will be open to the public as well except for the times above.