🌿 When Pain Stays: Reclaim Your Life from Chronic Pain

 For many people, pain becomes an uninvited companion that shapes their days and dims their joy. But pain is not a life sentence — and you don’t have to face it alone.

When Pain Stays is a compassionate, neuroscience-informed retreat designed to help you understand your pain, reconnect with your body, and rediscover your capacity for healing and hope.

Registration for the most recent retreat has closed. More dates will be announced soon. 

 This weekend offers a blend of education, movement, reflection, and connection to support you in creating sustainable change.

You’ll explore:

• Pain science made simple – Understand what pain really is and why it sometimes lingers.
   
• Gentle movement and mindfulness – Learn practices that help regulate your nervous system and ease tension.
   
• Lifestyle practices to support energy, restful sleep, stress relief, and renewal.
   
• Reflective journaling and small group discussions – Discover new insights about your patterns, beliefs, and possibilities.
   
• A personalized Holistic Pain Management Plan to guide your continued growth long after the retreat ends.

 This retreat was created for those who:

• Live with chronic or persistent pain and feel stuck
   
• Long to connect with others who truly understand what it’s like to live with ongoing pain
   
• Are curious about how mind, body, and life context interweave to shape their pain experience
   
• Want an empowering, embodied approach that goes beyond surface-level relief
   
• Are ready to reclaim their lives from chronic pain

This retreat may not be for you if:

• You’re seeking a quick fix or medical treatment for pain
   
• You’re not open to self-reflection, movement, or mindfulness-based practices
   
• You’re currently in an acute medical crisis or experiencing severe mental health symptoms that require individual support
   
• You’re uncomfortable participating in group discussions or experiential practices
   
• You prefer a purely clinical or diagnostic approach rather than a holistic, mind-body framework

• Daily embodied practices blending movement, meditation, and rest
   
• Education and gentle inquiry to deepen understanding and awareness
   
• Quiet time, walks in nature, reflective journaling, and community circles
   
• Nourishing vegetarian meals provided by the Himalayan Institute
   
• Space to slow down, reset, and reconnect with your inner wisdom
   
• Nestled on the peaceful 400-acre campus of the Himalayan Institute in Pennsylvania
   

Accessibility Note:
Please note that the retreat space for this program is not handicap accessible and requires the use of stairs to access. If you have questions about accessibility or mobility needs, please contact the Himalayan Institute before registering to discuss available options.

 Dr. Katie Petersen, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and yoga teacher passionate about helping people reconnect with their bodies and find sustainable ways to live well, even when pain stays.

Drawing from neuroscience, mindfulness, and embodied movement, Katie guides people toward a relationship with pain that is rooted in understanding, compassion, and self-trust. Her approach blends the science of the nervous system with the wisdom of yoga and somatic practices — bridging evidence and empathy in a way that is deeply human.

I’ll be offering When Pain Stays again in the future, and I’d love to share the next dates with you as soon as they’re available.

 If you’d like updates (plus occasional reflections and resources on pain, the nervous system, and recovery), join my mailing list below.