I’ve been feeling a shift lately, a realignment from the inside out. My work has been changing because I have been changing.

And while I am still in it, still learning and still unlearning, I can feel the way things are realigning. I am noticing where I used to over-function, over-give, and over-manage, and I am becoming more honest with myself and recognizing the places where I was trying to keep the peace by abandoning parts of myself.

Even with nearly 15 years as a Registered Master Therapeutic Counsellor, and even longer as a client in therapy and many other holistic modalities …. I’m still making mistakes (much to the dismay of my inner perfectionist!) and still figuring out how I can show up in ways that feel nourishing for both myself and those I surround myself with.

Sometimes I still feel the urge to overextend, overdo, overwork… And lately I’ve been catching myself trying to protect others’ comfort before honouring my own truth. This looks like minimizing my own experience from time to time, which I recognize now as an attempt to maintain harmony, to prevent rupture. Holy sh*t, I’ve been working at this for a long time and I can recognize that I’ve come a long way. But some of my boundaries have resulted in relationships ending and I am well aware of my woundings I hold close around this…. I am still working on NOT taking responsibility for what’s not mine and not rushing in to fix what’s uncomfortable for other people.

I’m becoming more aware and present than ever before and I’m learning how to stay with mySELF and the triggered parts within myself instead of sacrificing myself for others comfort. I’m setting stronger, more embodied boundaries. I’m learning to stop acting out of obligation and recognize that living within my integrity means changing directions, even if I’ve made a commitment. Even if it means letting someone down. Even if it means someone might judge me for it. In this process, I am not trying to get it all right. I am staying with myself longer. I am choosing self-responsibility instead of self-sacrifice, I am noticing the way I show up in my relationships with friends, family and in community, and in my sessions with my clients.

In my work, I’m following my intuition with more confidence than ever before. Whether it’s in how I trust myself to hold space in a session, following an intuitive nudge (that I may have previously ignored), or trusting a vision when I feel called to bring a new offering to life. I have been actively coming into alignment with myself and letting my energy move with much more intention than ever before.

I am not sharing this because I have it all figured out. I am sharing because I know many of you are in the in-between... In between old ways of existing that USED to serve us, and new ways of becoming that honour who we really are.

If this resonates with you, please know you are not alone. This has been a huge theme in not only my own personal journey, but also with many of my friends and in nearly all of my client sessions lately. If something within you is feeling called, check out my upcoming groups and retreats. These offerings have been shaped by what I am living and learning, and rooted in presence, intuition, and deep respect for your inner process. None of these offerings came from a strategy or a plan. They came from my lived experience, from listening inward, from trusting what is calling me to share.

Read below if you’re curious about what is coming up at The Essence of You:

Becoming
A 12 week interactive online group series for women who are ready to remember who they are, awaken their voice, step into their true, authentic power.
Only three spots left. The group begins September 10, 2025.

Healing for Healers One Day Retreat | Threshold: A Return to Self
Held by the land and guided by myself (Jen Reddish), Brea Livingstone and Trina Metz, this session blends somatic experiencing, internal family systems (IFS), forest therapy, and art therapy, offering true restoration for your body, mind, and energy. Through slow, sensory connection and earth-based ritual, you’ll be invited to cross the inner threshold from overwhelm into balance. We’ll gently meet the parts of you that are protecting, giving too much, or simply worn down, and invite them into relationship, rest, and renewal.
September 20, 2025 | 1:30pm-8:30pm | Bragg Creek
Priority registration is open now to 2025 full retreat participants until July 20th. The waitlist will be offered access on July 21, followed by public registration.

Embodied Self-Connection One-Day Retreat
October 18th, 2025.
A nurturing, immersive day designed to help you feel fully embodied and deeply connected to your authentic self. This retreat will guide you through somatic experiencing, expressive arts therapy, aromatic breathwork, body-centered meditation, and other body centered activities, allowing you connect to your body, emotions and sense of self. You’ll move beyond the confines of your mind to embrace a holistic experience that brings mind, body, and spirit into harmony. Led by myself (Jen Reddish), Lora Pesant, Amy Bye and Trina Metz.

Tuning In
A Live Online Group to Cultivate Inner Clarity, Intuition, and Embodied Knowing | This is an interactive online group experience designed to help you deepen your self-awareness, inviting self-reflection, intuitive alignment and integrating mind-body connection through a combination of therapeutic practices including Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, DBT and energy attunement.
Upcoming sessions are on July 29th and August 18th

Monthly Women’s Circles: I’ve been holding a nature-based women’s circle for the last 14 months in the forest in Bragg Creek called The Listening Room. I’ve been experimenting with different ways of holding this space, feeling like a change was needed but I wasn’t sure exactly what… but it recently became clear to me what this needs to be. There are only two more offerings of The Listening Room in it’s current form: July 24th and August 22nd. After that, an exciting transformation is coming in September, with a new name, new vibe and new co-facilitator to lead and hold space alongside me. More details coming soon!

It matters deeply to me that I practice what I preach. I do this work alongside you, not above or ahead.

I am now offering spaces that reflect what I have needed in my own life, and I invite you to come in contact with what you need, on your own terms, in your own timing, in the unique ways that are aligned for YOU. Healing is not one-size-fits-all. What works for me will not be the exact thing that works for you, this I know for sure! These spaces I am offering are not about following a path someone else has laid out, they are about reconnecting with your own knowing and finding your way with support and community connection.

If something here feels like it could support you, reach out to find out more. At this time, I am not accepting new 1-1 clients, but I’d love to connect with you in a group space if it feels right!

Connect with Jen

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