Offerings for CONNECTION

Featured Initiatives

Four happy children peeking from behind a decorative wooden screen next to a chalkboard with circular diagrams and words written on it.

YOUTH PROGRAMMING

  • Connection is the Medicine Foundation is excited to introduce our youth programs—immersive, dynamic, and intentional experiences designed for ages 9-18.

    Rooted in the belief that true well-being arises from harmony in body, mind, and spirit, our programs help young people forge deeper connections with themselves, their peers, and the natural world.

    Throughout the year, participants will engage in meaningful practices that cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and purpose—supporting them in navigating life with integrity, confidence, and joy.

  • June–August: Deepen your connection with nature, move your body with intention, and train the mind with practical skills for focus and discipline.
    August–November: Embody movement as a source of balance, live with an open heart, and strengthen your connection to inner wisdom.

    Through hands-on learning, guided mentorship, and community engagement, our programs empower youth to build confidence, foster meaningful relationships, and develop lifelong tools for well-being.

Group therapy session with seven people seated in a circle in a warmly decorated room with a Buddhist statue and decorative wall.

CONCENTRIC RECOVERY

  • Addiction is pervasive in the world today. Whether with the shiny little computers in our pockets incessantly beckoning our attention or work or sex or mind-altering substances, we can all recognize patterns of addiction in ourselves or someone we love. For many of us, addiction entails a great deal of suffering.

    AND…

    What if addiction were a call? An opportunity? An open doorway through which we could pass into a deeper and more participatory version of our lives?

    These questions sit at the center of our community. We hope you’ll join us in gathering around these questions as they apply to our experience of addiction. All are welcome.

  • Addiction is among the greatest social problems of modernity.

    The World Health Organization estimates that over 35 million people suffer from substance use disorders, and claim the lives of 585,000 people each year. Although staggering, these numbers represent just a small fraction of the total addicted population when considering behavioral addictions (like eating, work, sex, and technology use) as well.

    The modern societal prevalence of substances and activities that provide quick, easy, and intense releases of dopamine means that addiction is pervasive in the world today. While a given person might not have a story of addiction that entails severe consequences or the imperative to enter a dedicated treatment program, they likely know someone who has, and likely struggle with addiction in other ways. 

    Addiction is on the rise, and unfortunately, treatment outcomes are among the worst when compared to other mental health issues. The ineffectiveness of treatment is rooted in an outdated paradigm that classifies addiction as a brain disease. Contemporary science makes it clear– addiction is a complex, multi-dimensional phenomenon that calls for a multidimensional, holistic approach in its understanding and treatment. 

    There is a need for more effective, multi-dimensional treatment methods that support participants in not only achieving sobriety, but moving through addiction into a life of deep joy and meaning.

A group of people standing on a garden path surrounded by green and red foliage.

PEACE GARDEN

  • The Peace Garden at the True Nature campus in Carbondale, Colorado is a living sanctuary — a space where connection flourishes. Rooted in the heart of our mission, the garden offers an inclusive and engaging environment that nurtures self-discovery, community, and spiritual connection.

    Woven into its serene pathways and vibrant plant life are opportunities to reflect, learn, and grow. Our garden programming invites participants to deepen their relationship with the natural world — fostering awareness of holistic and sustainable practices that inspire mindful living.

    Whether exploring the wisdom of the earth, tending to plants with intention, or simply pausing to breathe in the beauty that surrounds you, the Peace Garden is a classroom like no other — a place where hearts, minds, and spirits awaken in harmony with nature.

  • Our diverse, structured educational offerings generate revenue to support garden operations while providing enriching content for participants. Experiences include:

    • Interactive Workshops: Learn practical skills in organic gardening, herbalism, landscape design, and nature journaling. Each session includes hands-on activities and take-home materials to extend your learning beyond the garden.

    • Mindfulness & Movement: Integrating meditation, yoga, and mindful walking practices with garden themes, these classes are tailored for various age groups and skill levels.

    • Guest Speaker Series: Enjoy insightful presentations on wellness, regenerative agriculture, and holistic living. These talks may be presented as a weekend-long event or offered quarterly or semi-annually.

    Community Engagement & Special Events

    Our Peace Garden programming is designed to build meaningful connections within our community. Join us for:

    • Seasonal Celebrations: Events like the Summer and Winter Solstice, World Labyrinth Day, and community grief gatherings offer opportunities for reflection and renewal. These gatherings may feature guest facilitators, live music, crafts, mini-workshops, and educational talks.

    • Garden Tours: Dive deeper into the Peace Garden's unique elements with detailed tours focused on native plants, garden design, seasonal highlights, and maintenance best practices.

    We invite you to connect, learn, and grow with us in the Peace Garden, where nature's beauty inspires mindfulness, healing, and community spirit.

Featured Offerings

  • A person with red hair walks through a lush green garden with trees and plants, towards a sunset in the distance.

    Signature Retreat: CONNECTION IS THE MEDICINE

    December 6th - 13th, 2025
    Loma Sagrada, Nosara, Costa Rica
    Led by Deva and Eaden Shantay

    Connected living includes developing daily rituals and practices, including meditation, breath-work, yoga, journaling, spending time in nature, and taking care of our body with proper nutrition, exercise and rest to create a life dedicated to alignment, mindfulness, purpose and connection.

    Join us as we step into a way of being that helps us feel better about being alive—with greater contentment, purpose and service to humanity.

  • Three people in black outfits sitting on a concrete ledge in front of green foliage.

    THRESHOLD

    September 25th-28th, 2025
    True Nature | Carbondale, CO
    Led by Kemi Nekvapil, Laura McKowen and Elena Brower

    Threshold is becoming a meeting of hearts, a gathering of minds, a place to slow down and listen, to enter into deep quiet in the company of other women.

    Exploring the season of life in which we find ourselves, creating relationships with our challenges, cultivating clarity and helping us move forward, the sessions include contemplative writing, interactive discussion, movement and meditation.

  • Collage of three images: a person wearing a smiling mask dining with another person, a person lying on a kitchen counter smiling, and a person posing near cave formations wearing an artistic outfit with a long skirt and pasties, with arms raised.

    LIBERATE

    May 23rd-25th, 2025
    True Nature | Carbondale, CO
    Led by Jamie Butemeyer & Alyssa Troob

    Move Through the Trinity of Transformation & Master the Art of Embodied Expression in a 3 day immersive training where you will seep yourself in deep, somatic practices designed to unlock your voice, unbind your presence, and embody your full expression—so you are prepped and ready to be felt in every room you walk into.

    Because true impact isn't just about being seen or heard—

    It's about being felt.

To make a gift today

Your gift is a transformative act that contributes to experiential learning, progress, and sustainability. Your generous donations help us expand our reach, allowing more community members to experience our programs.

Contact