BAR HARBOR — Healthy Acadia invites community members to slow down, connect, and restore during “A Restorative Retreat”, a daylong immersive experience blending the art of bread baking with simple mindfulness practices. The retreat will take place Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Open Table MDI, 116 Cottage St., Bar Harbor. A snow date is scheduled for March 21.
Designed as a sensory retreat, the experience uses bread baking as a way to engage the hands, senses and heart. Participants will explore the baking process in its purest form, listening to the dough rather than relying on timers, thermometers or mixers, with an emphasis on presence, intention, and connection. The retreat is open to bakers of all experience levels, from beginners to advanced.
The retreat will be facilitated by Allison Reid and Ursula Hanson. Reid is a founder and owner of Scratch Baking Company in South Portland and has more than 40 years of experience feeding people through restaurants, bake shops, and outdoor camps. Hanson is a licensed clinical social worker who consults with Healthy Acadia on mindfulness and early childhood programming and coordinates the organization’s Monthly Mindfulness Series.
“By slowing down and connecting intentionally to the process, we create space to connect more deeply with ourselves and with one another,” said Reid. “There is no judgment, just curiosity, creativity, and care.”
Participants will enjoy a light lunch and are encouraged to bring closed-toe shoes (no heels), a notebook and a water bottle. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Registration is available online at bit.ly/mindful-bread.
The retreat is offered on a sliding-scale basis, with costs ranging from $175 to $350 to support accessibility. All proceeds will support future Healthy Acadia mindfulness programs and offerings.
Healthy Acadia, now in its 25th year, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties. Learn more at healthyacadia.org.
