“I have quite a few roles in life. Two of the most rewarding ones are "teacher" and "mentor". Through the pandemic and ensuing years, I've learned (and re-learned, again and again) that I need to take care of myself in order to do either of these two jobs - very simply, when I'm tired and isolated, then the people who depend upon me suffer for it. The 2023 Regenerate retreat marked one of those realizations - it was a perfectly-pitched weekend for folks in the helping professions, broadly construed, who want to bring their best to their lives and work. It really helped me understand the importance of rest, and of community, for the people-facing aspects of what I do. Indeed, it helped me understand that I was *in* a helping profession, and gave me a chance to meet many wonderful peers and colleagues. River Aaland has a unique genius for building such intentional, positive community spaces; she's done this work with Ophelia's Place for many years. I'm happy to hear that she and her team have put together another one, Regenerate 2024, to happen this spring - I'll be there.”

-Ben Young, 2023 & 2024 Regenerate Attendee