​Winter 2025 Retreat
March 14-17, 2025
Buckle up, bestie, because the rumors are true: You, me, and a small group of our new BFF’s are about to have the best weekend of our fat little lives.
During the last few years I have spent many (read: thousands of) hours with my therapy clients, and I’ve heard a hundred different versions of the same agonizing story: “My body is a problem, and I feel helpless to solve it.” I love my work and couldn’t be prouder of the folks who’ve entrusted me with their care. But, for a long time now I’ve wanted to provide something else…something new.
Get ready, because this winter we are headed to the second ever Fat Joy Jubilee: an all inclusive weekend retreat in the Poconos created to celebrate the subversive joy that comes pinned to our rejection of anti-fat bias. Fat Joy Jubilee is a space to advance body liberation, and to cultivate fellowship.
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Retreats feature a number of rotating options for enhancing and embracing your experience of fat joy, including: outings to fat-owned and fat-positive businesses, outdoor and movement experiences celebrating body diversity, group discussions and learning opportunities from experts on a variety of topics through a fat lens. We are beyond thrilled that this winter's featured expert will be Noelle Benach (see below)!
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The in-person retreat will be preceded by multiple virtual meet-up opportunities to get to know both myself and your fellow attendees and get our body trust conversation started, as well as lifetime access to a private Facebook community for participants to access resources, share updates, and enhance their sense of connection before and after the retreat.
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Noelle Benach, LCPC, CST, (she/her/hers) is a queer, fat and neurodivergent identified psychotherapist and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist based in Baltimore, Maryland which is located on the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe.
Noelle works with individuals, couples, and folks in non-monogamous relationships to address concerns related to anxiety, sexual health and wellness, LGBTQIA+ concerns, body liberation, trauma, grief, and related struggles.
Meet Noelle
Featured Guest Expert:
Look, you’ve been trying. You started following the right content creators, and you’ve subscribed to the right podcasts and newsletters. You’ve bought a lot of books recently. You’ve begun to more assertively excuse yourself from diet-culture-laced conversations at work, or around the table at the holidays.
But at the end of the day, you just need to surround yourself with people who get it. You need to take that comment your aunt made and hold it up to the light in a room full of people who will say, “no, friend, that was definitely messed up.”
Come on over. We’ve got a place set for you at the table, and the seat is as sturdy and supportive as the company.​
​Registration Options:
Because this retreat is built on intimacy and safety, there are only a handful of spots available for each event. Each of the three registration types (Equity, Standard, & Pay-It-Forward) reflects an all-inclusive retreat package of food, program activities & materials, and shared-room lodging.
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Accommodation upgrades (private room, etc.) will be honored as best we can based on availability for additional cost, which helps offset scholarships and equity pricing for the event.
What will we be getting up to?
Retreat Agenda
All retreat events are considered optional, though of course we expect most folks will enjoy participating. That being said, rest, quiet, and privacy are also highly valued, and we will have plenty of time to spend together even if a little break is needed from time to time - everyone moves at a different personal and social pace.
The following is a broad outline of the weekend - specific hours or the order of events within a given day may be adjusted based on whatever makes the most sense in real time.
March 14-17th, 2025
Even if right now is not the time for you to join us, I'm so glad you found your way here. I recognize that registering for an event like this is a significant investment, and won't ever be fully accessible to every single person who might benefit from it.
My hope is that over time, through continuing to think strategically about how to offer the highest quality experience at the most affordable rates, I can continue to expand access through scholarships, discounts, and other opportunities.
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Payment plans are also available, and options such as paying via Zelle, cash or check may decrease processing fees.​
​Still wondering whether you can make it? Please reach out and let's talk about it!
Meet Your Hosts:
Wanda and Chelsea are proud of be your hosts for the weekend!
These fat besties have spent countless hours brainstorming and combing over the details of these retreats to consider all the ways to make it the best possible experience for attendees.
They cannot wait to welcome and get to know you!
Chelsea & Wanda
Get on the List
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