A nervous system retreat for women interested in perimenopause and menopause
The Pause Between is a weekend retreat for women curious about or currently navigating perimenopause and menopause. When you don't quite feel like yourself anymore, you don't necessarily need to try harder. You might need to better understand what's happening in your brain and body and instead, find ways to move through this season with more awareness, support and self-trust. This weekend is for you to reconnect with yourself, and discover practical ways to feel more grounded, more at ease and more at home in yourself through this new phase of life.
November 13 - November 15, 2026 | Whistler, BC
Small group • A place where you can be seen and heard • Come as you are
The Pause Between
When we surround ourselves in the presence and awareness of other women, we are given the opportunity to really feel.. To support our realness and see each other, in all the unpolished ways we get to be in this world. The peri/menopause is a transition, a right of passage, a becoming, not a malfunction or a step backwards in who we are. We get to honour this, listen, share, crack open if need be, feel the feels, root into ourselves and our changing needs, be there for each other and walk through it all armed with more knowledge and a powerful, regulated set of tools, knowing we are surrounded by a community of other women going through the ebbs of flow of this new way forward.
Imagine giving yourself a weekend where you don't have to figure everything out.
A weekend where you can exhale and just be you, exactly as you are in this moment.
Where you can sit in a room full of women and realize you're not the only one whose brain suddenly seems to have its own agenda. And where you realize you aren’t the only who whose body feels like you are travelling in a foreign spaceship.
Where you can ask the questions you've been wondering about.
Where you can laugh about the weirdness of midlife.
Where you can learn something and then actually feel it in your body.
Where you don't have to be productive.
Where nobody needs anything from you.
Where you get to put yourself back on the list.
The Pause Between is a chance to step out of the noise and into a little more space.
Space to understand.
Space to notice.
Space to breathe.
Space to reconnect.
Space to decide what you actually need now.
Less doing it alone. More “oh thank god, it's not just me!”
It’s not just you and no, you are definitely not alone. We want this weekend to feel like a soft landing. A place where you can come EXACTLY as you are. Where you are welcomed by a group of other women who ‘get it.’ We aren’t asking you to fix anything. And we aren’t asking you to push through. We want to give you practical knowledge, useful tools and a feeling of safety and support you can find from within you to feel more confident navigating this phase of your life.
“I just returned from a beautiful retreat with Shannon. From the start, Shannon’s warm and gentle energy made the whole experience feel so welcoming and grounding. The breathwork and yoga nidra practices were very restorative, and the untouched scenery was absolutely stunning. Every detail felt intentional, and the food was nourishing and delicious. I left feeling refreshed and connected. I would wholeheartedly recommend this retreat or any offering from Shannon and The Collective Alchemy!” ~ Chelsea, HR Director
Maybe it's not just you.
Have you been doing all the things you're supposed to be doing and still not quite feeling like yourself?
You move your body.
You try to eat well.
You prioritize sleep.
You may have talked to your healthcare provider.
Maybe you've even got your hormones dialled in.
And yet...
You feel anxious when you never used to.
Your brain feels scattered.
You forget why you walked into a room.
Noise, people and stimulation seem to hit differently.
Your patience is thinner.
The mental load feels heavier.
Things you used to handle without thinking suddenly feel like a lot.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, you might be wondering:
Why does everything suddenly
feel so fricken hard?
Don’t worry, you're not failing at midlife. And we get it.
We aren’t asking you to become a completely different person to feel better.
We just want to help you understand and feel supported.
Join us here - Early bird pricing until
WHAT IS THE PAUSE BETWEEN?
A weekend to understand what is happening inside your brain, body and soul, and learn how to work with it with other women who get it.
This is a weekend retreat in Whistler, BC (just 1.5 hours north of Vancouver, BC) for women navigating perimenopause and menopause, as well as women who are approaching this phase and want to understand what to expect.
Over three days, we'll bring together menopause education, neuroscience, nervous system education, breathwork, somatic practices, yoga, reflection, honest conversation and a safe place to be seen, heard and welcomed.
We know this phase can feel overwhelming so the goal isn't to hand you another giant list of things you should be doing.
We want to help you understand what's happening, notice your own patterns, experiment with different tools and figure out what actually supports you as you move through this phase and step forward as the person you are becoming. And do so with confidence, clarity and more ease.
There will be laughter, probably some tears and a lot of remembering what it feels like when a group of incredible women come together with the shared interest of what it means to be human and women navigating this crazy thing called life!
WHY THIS PHASE CAN FEEL SO DISORIENTING
Your body is changing. Your life is changing. And sometimes it can feel like nobody gave you the memo or the roadmap. So that’s what we’re going to do together during this retreat.
For many women, the cognitive and emotional changes of perimenopause are some of the most surprising.
You may understand that hormones are changing.
What can be much harder to understand is:
Why do my brain and body feel different?
Why am I suddenly anxious? Like dooms day kind of anxiety for no real reason.
Why am I so much less tolerant of noise, stress or overstimulation?
Why do things I used to manage feel harder?
Why am I questioning my relationship?
My career?
My boundaries?
My priorities?
My identity?
There are physiological reasons for some of this. There are also social and life-stage factors, and often all of them are happening at once.
Understanding that connection can make the experience feel a whole lot less frightening and disorienting.
THIS ISN'T A GOOD VIBES ONLY RETREAT
It’s a space to get real.
This is not a “good vibes only” retreat.
We can talk honestly about what the heck is happening to our body, anxiety, cognitive changes, stress, overwhelm, relationships, careers, caregiving, boundaries, expectations and, yes, sometimes the patriarchy.
You don't need to arrive calm, centred or with everything figured out. In fact, we want you to arrive just as you are. No filters here.
This is not a space where you have to perform wellness.
We'll bring in the science, but this isn't a medical seminar.
We'll also move, breathe, reflect, journal, talk, laugh and create space for the parts of midlife that can feel messy, complicated and hard to explain.
And we’re going to do all of this together.
When you return home, it won’t be to the same place. Because you won’t be the same. Biarritz changes you and you’ll carry this feeling with you wherever you go next - grounded, clear, and anchored in your own unique state of flow. You deserve to feel this good. Energized. Spacious. Magnetic. Whole.
The Pause Between
The Pause Between
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Why we created this weekend for us
The Pause Between grew out of a desire to create something different.
In a nut shell, we are really passionate and excited to share this retreat with you all. Each of us comes from a similar but different walk of life. And we are all going through things in our own way. We each come with our own area of passion and expertise, which we thought would blend together perfectly, so we thought, let'‘s create something together. So we did! If you are curious, you can learn more about each of us below. And we of course wanted to share this experience with all of you in our beautiful hometown of Whistler, BC. Whether you are joining us from Whistler, or coming from somewhere else, we hope you each get some time to explore it throughout the weekend. We’ve also selected a location in Cheakamus so that during lunch hour there are opportunities to be in nature.
What we want to bring to each of you is:
A place to understand what is happening.
A place to try some tools.
A place to ask the questions you've been afraid to ask.
A place to know you aren’t alone.
A place to know you aren’t losing the plot.
A place to be seen.
A place to be heard.
A place to laugh.
A place to take a breath before everything tips over.
A place to put yourself back into your own life.
A place to feel more confident in this next phase of life.
Shannon Frame
Three perspectives. One weekend.
Understand your nervous system. Feel it in your body. Come back home to yourself.
I love bringing people together. Community, connection and creating spaces where people can be seen, heard and really open up is very near and dear to my heart. As I enter midlife (which I think my heart just skipped a little beat writing that), I myself have become curious about what lies ahead. And of course, to make sense of what might already be happening. I want to create a weekend that welcomes people to arrive just as they are, whatever phase they are in. I knew Tara would be the perfect person to share more about perimenopause and menopause and Christina to get our bodies moving.
I have worked with people for over 7 years, helping them find their way back home to themselves, this is something I value greatly. Why, because it was where my journey began, (and continues as life throws more curve balls). And perimenopause is no exception.
For the weekend I will bring nervous-system education together with breathwork and somatic practices, helping you understand not just what is happening in your nervous system, but how you can begin to notice it happening in real time and what the heck to do with that.
You'll learn to recognize your own signals of stress, activation and overwhelm, and explore practical ways to create more space between what happens and how you respond. Helping you reconnect with yourself and find a new way forward to feel at home in your body, heart and soul.
Through breath, body-based practices, reflection and guided experience, you'll have an opportunity to move some of the weekend's learning out of your head and into your body. Knowing about regulation is one thing. Feeling what regulation and nourishment actually feels like in your own body is another.
I can’t wait to share this weekend with you.
Tara Findlay
Understand what is happening.
For me, this work is very personal.
For most of my life, anxiety and significant mental-health struggles felt like something other people dealt with.
I had difficult seasons and I had strategies. I also had years of yoga, movement and mindfulness training.
Then perimenopause arrived.
Anxiety started creeping in. A stressful period in my personal life contributed to situational depression and eventually to what I now refers to as my “Girl, Interrupted moment.”
It threw me.
And it made me think about the women I see in my work every day.
Women who are reaching the end of their rope with careers, relationships, caregiving, expectations, changing bodies and the enormous mental load of midlife.
Women who keep being told to reduce their stress without anyone really helping them understand why everything can feel so different now.
I am really excited to share everything I have learned and help you feel armed with education and science that makes you feel more confident to move through this phase of life.
Christina Tottle
Move and reconnect.
I will guide supportive yoga practices designed to create space for movement, reflection and integration. With 25 years of teaching experience in Whistler and worldwide, I blend breathwork, functional movement and a mix of flowing and restful postures to help you build awareness, explore how you move and deepen your connection with yourself. My teaching is grounded in intention, community and self-study, encouraging curiosity and compassion toward the body, honoring changing needs, and balancing movement with stillness. For this retreat I want to offer accessible sessions for you as you navigate perimenopause and invite you to step back from daily demands, listen to your body and give yourself time and attention during this transition — no experience required, no toe-touching necessary.
I can’t wait to move with you!
What the weekend will look like
Friday
Saturday
Arrive + exhale
Meet the women you'll be sharing the weekend with. Settle in. Talk about what brought you here and what you hope to understand, explore or shift.
No pressure to have an intention perfectly figured out.
6:30 - 9 PM (ish)
Learn + experience
Movement. Breath. Nervous-system education. Menopause and neuroscience education. Somatic practice. Yoga. Conversation. Reflection.
We'll move between learning and experiencing so you aren't sitting through a full day of lectures.
Optional group dinner in Whistler in the evening. *We will need to confirm your attendance in advance if you’d like to join us (cost not included in retreat investment).
9 AM - 5 PM
Sunday
Integrate + take it home
What are your patterns?
What tells you you're heading toward overwhelm?
What helps you come back?
What can you actually use when you're back in regular life?
We'll bring everything together and focus on what feels realistic, useful and supportive for you.
9 AM - 12 PM
PLEASE NOTE: This is a ‘day’ retreat. You will go home to your own accommodations each evening and we will meet each day at the same location
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• Accommodations
• Travel to and from the retreat
• Dinner on Friday and Saturday night
• Lunch on Saturday and Sunday
• Drinks
• Medical costs, the costs of hospitalization and evacuation from the retreat or retreat activities.
• Travel insurance
• Additional expenses arising from the delay or extension of a trip due to weather, political disputes, sickness, failure of transportation, or other causes beyond our control.
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• Friday 6:30 - 9pm
• Saturday 9am - 5pm
• Sunday 9am - 12pm
• Snacks
• Perimenopause and menopause education seminars
• Nervous system education
• Various breathwork practices
• 1 healing breathwork session
• 1 yoga class + other movement tools
• 1 yoga nidra class
Here’s what you’ll leave with...
A little more understanding.
Why your brain and body may feel different right now.
A little more self-trust.
More confidence recognizing your own patterns instead of wondering what's wrong with you.
A few tools that actually fit into real life.
Not another 27-step morning routine.
More awareness of your nervous system.
Knowing what activation feels like for you, what your early signals are and what helps you return.
A little more space.
Between what happens and how you respond.
Less fear around what's changing.
Because unfamiliar doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong.
And hopefully, a little more of you.
You won't leave with a perfectly regulated nervous system.
You may still lose your shit sometimes.
But you might understand what's happening sooner, have a better sense of what you need, and know how to find your way back.
Join us here
Who is this for?
You might be in the thick of it...
Your periods may be changing.
Your sleep may be changing.
Your anxiety may be new.
Your brain may feel unfamiliar.
Your body might not feel like ‘yours’ anymore.
You may be questioning parts of your life you never questioned before.
Or you might be wondering what's coming...
You're curious about perimenopause.
You want to understand your body before you're deep in it.
You want to know what to watch for and how to support yourself.
Either way, you don't have to wait until things feel really hard to start paying attention.
You don't need to...
Have perimenopause figured out.
Know exactly what's wrong.
Be good at yoga.
Have done breathwork before.
Know anything about your nervous system.
Arrive calm.
Have your life sorted out.
You just need to be curious.
Join us in Whistler, BC
Take yourself somewhere beautiful.
A weekend away from your normal routines, even if you live in Whistler.
Mountain air.
Trees.
Space.
A slower pace.
Women who understand.
You don't need to fly somewhere exotic to create a pause.
Sometimes you just need to get out of your usual environment long enough to hear yourself again.
Investment
Friday evening
Full day Saturday
Sunday morning until approximately noon
Your retreat includes:
✓ Menopause + neuroendocrine education
✓ Neuroscience + nervous-system education
✓ Breathwork
✓ Somatic practices
✓ Yoga
✓ Yoga nidra
✓ Reflection + journaling
✓ Honest conversation
✓ Practical tools to take home
✓ Comprehensive Perimenopause + Menopause Symptom Checklist
Limited to 20 women
Early Bird
$333 + GST CAD
until October 23, 2026
Regular
$350 + GST CAD
*If you wish to pay by e-transfer please email Shannon here
YES! I AM SO EXCITED TO JOIN, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
FAQS
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This is all about you! Give yourself the gift of a life changing opportunity!
It’s time to give yourself a break from supporting everyone else and do something just for you.
Remember, you deserve this time away to replenish your mind, body and spirit so you can return home with a renewed glow.
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We have a few different options.
On the website we are set up with Wise. If you have a Wise account you can use funds there, or do a bank transfer or credit card.
If you prefer to pay with credit card a different way or with Paypal, please email us at shannon@thecollectivealchemy.com and we can set this up for you.
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Anyone. All are welcome.
You are looking to explore Biarritz (cultural immersion) as well as some personal/professional development.
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Yes you can! Get ready to hit the reset button and replenish yourself. We promise things at home will still keep moving without disruption.
Home life, work, partners, kids, your aging parents, friends, your business - whatever it is you are dedicated to!
Imagine how much easier it will be to navigate everything in your life with a renewed perspective, more energy, take-away tools, and a clearer mind that supports you life and purpose.
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Biarritz can be reached via plane, train or car. You can fly direct into Biarritz airport (from many airports in Europe), or you can fly into Bordeaux, San Sebastian, Bilbao or Paris and then take a bus or train to Biarritz.
If you need help - feel free to reach out and we can provide recommendations on how to get here.
If you wish to be picked up from the airport or train station, we can arrange this for a small fee, depending on your time of arrival and departure.
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No. All activities will be explained in full. No experience is necessary.
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You do not need any breathwork experience. The morning breathwork will be short, easily digested breathwork techniques that you can add to your tool kit. The longer sessions will be a deeper healing breathwork that involves a three part conscious and controlled breathing technique. Feel free to reach out if you have specific questions.
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You do not need any yoga experience. The yoga will be gentle, flowy and restorative. We will see what the group prefers.
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A full packing list will be provided once registered.
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No problem. We can make adjustments as needed.
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Yes. Please let us know you are travelling with someone and we will place you together. Ensure that you book the same room type.
You can also have one person make the booking and purchase 2 spots.
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No. We encourage you to do what feels good for you.
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No payment plan option available after July 31, 2025.
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Yes, if you can. Biarritz and the surrounding area are beautiful with many things to go. Let us know and we can give you some suggestions.
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The retreat will be hosted in English.
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It can always vary but typically October is still quite warm, sunny and lovely. Expect average daytime high temperatures around 19°C (66°F)+, with nighttime lows around 12°C (54°F). While the sea temperature remains relatively warm at 18°C (65°F), making swimming still comfortable, mornings and evenings will likely require a light jacket.
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Absolutely. This is a great way to experience Biarritz with others if you are travelling alone.
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Your trip retainer of €500 is non-refundable.
Any cancellation received in writing between 6/30/25 and 1/31/26 days will result in a loss of 50% of the trip price. Any cancellation between 2/1/26 and the trip departure will result in a total loss of funds. We reserve the right to cancel the trip if it does not meet the trip minimum (if this happens, your trip retainer and any payments received will be refunded).
Registrations received after March 1, 2026 must be paid in full.
Trip cancellation insurance is STRONGLY recommended. All cancellations and/or any refund requests must be made in writing to The Collective Alchemy before trip departure.
Our email address is: shannon@thecollectivealchemy.com
Retreat is transferable to someone else.
Cancellation Policy
Your trip retainer of €500 is non-refundable.
Any cancellation received in writing between 1/1/25 and 2/28/26 days will result in a loss of 50% of the trip price. Any cancellation between 3/31/25 and the trip departure will result in a total loss of funds. We reserve the right to cancel the trip if it does not meet the trip minimum (if this happens, your trip retainer and any payments received will be refunded).
Registrations received after March 31, 2026 must be paid in full.
Trip cancellation insurance is STRONGLY recommended. All cancellations and/or any refund requests must be made in writing to The Collective Alchemy before trip departure.
Our email address is: shannon@thecollectivealchemy.com