Suggested Price $80 with a Sliding Scale starting at $40. Pay what you are able.
Join Rebecca and Kyle as we gather in a circle to explore the essence of gratitude. Bask in the simple sweetness, presence, and awe of acknowledging ourselves and the gifts of life we each embody.
Gratitude is a powerful state of being that can provide nourishment, act as a healing salve for our wounds, and shine a light on our joys. Choosing to intentionally cultivate a practice of gratitude gives us a much-needed antidote to distress and an opportunity to breathe amidst the chaos around us. It can also provide the vitality we need to face life with renewed energy.
This retreat is an opportunity to briefly step away from the "to-do" list and simply "to-be." We will draw on resources like meditation, yoga, writing prompts, curious questions, and readings to connect with our whole beings. This weaving of gratitude will bring us deeply into the present moment—paying attention to who we are and what we offer—even, and especially, in the midst of suffering, challenges, and the real-life stuff we all carry.
In this Micro-Retreat, you will find:
A Sanctuary from the Chaos: Step away from your to-do list and find an antidote to daily distress.
A Practice for Healing: Cultivate a state of being that nourishes your soul and serves as a healing salve for wounds.
A Return to Yourself: Use meditation, yoga, and mindful practices to reconnect with your whole being and the gifts you embody.
Meet Your Guides
Rebecca James Alsum (she/her)
OWNER of SVÄLJA WHOLE-BEING
Rebecca’s passion and purpose is to create spaces where healing and deep inner wisdom can blossom through connection of one’s heart. She has spent many years working in advocacy with and support of communities impacted by trauma. This includes individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, domestic violence, religious trauma, and victim survivors of sexual assault. She supports people to find healing, centered in their own being through the re-discovery of their own deep wells of wisdom and love. Her offerings include classes in the modalities of yoga, qigong, and meditation. She also facilitates presentations and workshops to various non-profits and organizations on wellness, nervous system care, consent, healthy relationships and professional boundaries. She seeks to foster healing through deep relationships, holistic listening, meaningful communication, and connection to Spirit.
Rebecca holds a BA in Sociology and is a Certified Sexologist and Sexual Wellness Coach. She is a Certified Qigong Trainer and RYT 200 with a Trauma Conscious Yoga Certification.
Kyle Leia Heyesen, MSW, E-RYT 500, YACEP (she/her)
FOUNDER of SVÄLJA YOGA
Kyle Leia Heyesen is the founder of Svälja Yoga, specializing in Trauma-Conscious Yoga. With a Master of Social Work (MSW) and over 20 years in the field, she is deeply committed to diversity, inclusion, and dismantling systems of oppression. She has worked with trauma-impacted populations, including survivors of abuse, sexual assault, and substance use disorder.
Kyle has been teaching yoga since 2002 and holds multiple certifications, including two 200-hour trainings and a 300-hour certification from Yess Yoga. She has also completed over 100 hours of Yin Yoga training. Her teaching integrates yoga with trauma-informed practices, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral approaches. A trauma survivor herself, she credits yoga as a powerful tool for healing and served as the founding Board Chair of Recovery Alliance Duluth (RAD).
She has taught at Yoga North, the Duluth YMCA, UMD Psychology Department, and various community organizations. In 2017, she partnered with Judge Floerke of the 6th Judicial DWI Court to implement a trauma-conscious yoga and mindfulness program in treatment courts, co-presenting at national conferences.
A published poet, Kyle weaves poetry into her teaching, believing in yoga’s power to heal, connect, and transform lives. She is passionate about advocacy, personal growth, and using lived experience to support others on their healing journeys.
Questions?
We're here to help! Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Email: hello@svalja.yoga
Text: (218) 595-0762
We look forward to welcoming you to the studio!