Summer Expansion Day Retreat
Facilitated by Emily Morisson, Erika Forsell, & SonyaJoy Key
Saturday, June 28th | 10 am–3 pm
$300 early bird (register by June 1st)
$350 after June 1st
Financial Assistance available upon request
Are you feeling full to the brim—or barely able to show up at all?
The arrival of summer can bring with it a wide spectrum of experiences. For some, it’s a time of brightness, aliveness, and outward movement. For others, the heat—external and internal—feels too much, too fast. And still others might feel that their fire has dimmed, their capacity to connect and express feeling distant or out of reach. This retreat holds space for all of it.
Summer, in the Five Phase system of Chinese medicine, is the season of Fire. It is the time of the Heart and Small Intestine channels and the spirit of Shen—often translated as “spirit,” but perhaps more deeply felt as Divine Illumination. This is our ability to be clear, connected, and present in the world. And it includes joy—not just exuberance, but the deeper joy that emerges when our hearts are clear and our relationships are real.
This season corresponds with adulthood in the life cycle: a time of expression, visibility, and maturity. Spring initiates growth; Summer reveals the fruit of that growth, not necessarily in a final form, but in its fullest moment of expression so far. But expression doesn’t always come easily. In a world that is burning—literally and metaphorically—with conflict, grief, and anxiety, joy can feel like a luxury or a stretch. We may be overwhelmed, under-resourced, or both. We may be angry, scattered, or shut down. And yet, this season asks us to be with the truth of where we are and find the next clear step toward connection, toward steadiness, toward warmth that heals rather than harms.
This retreat isn’t about becoming your most radiant self. It’s about coming back into relationship with your heart: its clarity, its complexity, its capacity to connect. Together, we’ll tend the flame with presence and care.
What to Expect
This retreat is a collaborative offering between Emily Morrison, Erika Forsell, and SonyaJoy Key. We’ll move through the day with rhythm and intention, offering both group connection and personal space. You can expect:
Guided meditation to settle into the rhythm of the experience
A seasonally-rooted talk on the foundation of Chinese Medicine with a focus on the Fire phase, the Heart and Small Intestine channels, and organ systems
Gentle, grounded qigong practice to regulate and nourish the system
A nourishing seasonal lunch provided by SonyaJoy Key of Wild Appetites
A group acupuncture session provided by Erika Forsell, L.Ac.
Craniosacral therapy provided by Emily Morrison, LAc, during the acupuncture treatment (or acupressure if preferred)
A custom herbal tea blend and quiet time for rest and integration
Journaling prompts and space for reflection
How to Prepare
Wear loose, comfortable clothing
Bring a journal and a pen
Bring a water bottle and anything else that supports your comfort
Whether you feel full of feeling or far from it, you are welcome. We gather not to fix or perform, but to rest in the season together—and to remember, even in difficult times, the heart’s capacity for clarity, compassion, and joy.
Space is limited. Join us in tending your fire—gently, purposefully, and in good company.
Emily Morrison, LAc, MAOM is the founder of, lead practitioner and instructor at Valley Spirit Acupuncture & Internal Arts in Beacon, NY. At 18 years old, Emily had been encouraged by her first martial arts teacher, Jay Leslie, to explore the healing arts. The training she did with him altered her life forever. She began her work in holistic medicine through massage therapy after graduating from The Florida School of Massage in 2005.
Emily went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM) in 2015 through the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, OR. She is licensed to practice Acupuncture and other forms of Chinese medicine in New York.
Emily had the privilege of training with the North American Tang Shou Tao Association (NATSTA) from August 2008 until February 2023, within which she also studied Chinese medicine. Emily is a certified Instructor in Shenlong Xingyiquan and Li Ding Jingluo Qigong. In 2016, she was given the honor of becoming a Disciple of the founder of NATSTA, Dr. Vince Black. In addition, she served as a member of the NATSTA Traditional Chinese Medicine Committee from 2019-2023.
Emily is a certified practitioner of Jin Shou Tuina™, the medicine lineage particular to NATSTA, and has additional medical training in Classical Gongfu Medical Theory, Cranioscaral Therapy, Thai Massage, Shiatsu, Herbalism, medical qigong, and Chinese Nutritional Therapy.
Since taking her first Tai Chi class in 1992, Erika Forsell has studied East Asian medicine, martial arts and yoga. These in-depth studies have informed and strengthened her belief that all aspects of a persons' life affect their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. She has been a New York State licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist since 2007 and is a certified Breathwork facilitator. Originally from California, she now lives and works in New York.
Wild Appetites' inclusive menus blend traditional wisdom, health-supportive innovation, and respect for seasonality and sustainable sourcing. With the intention to unite diverse dietary needs and tastes at the same table, their meals provide flexitarian options. Chef SonyaJoy Key of Wild Appetites offers event and retreat catering and leads empowering hands-on cooking classes for playful people of all ages. SonyaJoy practices space holding that includes their identities as a Black, multiracial, genderfluid, and a nature lover. They encourage creative process as a primary tool for liberation and practices through cooking, movement, systemic constellations, singing and writing.