Free To Be Me Food Allergy Wellness Retreat 2023

The inaugural event by Free To Be Me. Presented in partnership with the Spokin app!

Imagine a wellness experience where everyone in the room just gets it about allergies. That’s a powerful feeling. The focus of this retreat is self acceptance, and thriving with food allergies. The retreat has been thoughtfully curated with the needs of our community in mind. Through a series of workshops, speakers, and a panel discussion, guests will learn to deal with complex feelings, promote self confidence, learn about our intuition, and ultimately learn how we can live our fullest, best lives with food allergies, this very moment. My goal is for every guest to feel seen, heard, accepted, and connected.

Wherever you are on your food allergy journey - a parent of a newly diagnosed child, a well seasoned allergy mom, an adult managing your own allergies - this retreat is for you.

Check out the website at FreeToBeMe.ca

Open to ages 12+

The afternoon will break into two streams - teens and adults managing their own food allergies, and food allergy parents.

Key themes at the retreat:

- How to thrive wherever you are right now in your food allergy journey

- Improving your self advocacy and boosting self confidence

- Finding peace, and self acceptance

- Squashing feelings of guilt, shame, or feeling like a burden

- Trusting your intuition and gut instincts when navigating food allergy life

- Uplifting ourselves and connecting as a supportive community

- Feeling comfortable being who you are! Because you are amazing!

School can be a contentious place for people with food allergies. We're reclaiming Toronto's oldest schoolhouse as the event site, and making it into a place for people with food allergies to thrive! This picturesque building, built in 1849, will be the perfect backdrop for our retreat. It's accessible by transit and located across the street from a public parking lot, as well as street parking. It's nestled between three of Toronto's most beautiful historic neighborhoods; Distillery District, St Lawrence Market Neighborhood, and the King St East Design District.

Friday, April 14, 2023, 7pm - 9:30pm: Sign In and Socialize

Enjoy light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, get your name badge, familiarize yourself with the space, and say hello to your fellow retreat attendees in a fun and lively environment.

Saturday, April 15, 2023, 8:30am - 5pm: The Retreat

Bountiful breakfast, lunch, and snack catered by Brenda Kwong Hing, professional caterer and allergy mom (she's the mom of Kortney Kwong Hing, the blogger behind Allergy Girl Eats, The Itch Podcast, and The Zestfull magazine). The meal will be prepared without the top 8 food allergens. Please answer the allergy survey questions upon completing your ticket purchase.

Book signing and appearance by Anisha Angella, author of Zoey Has An Allergy (books will be available for sale)

Stunning location and fabulous décor, including a groovy step-n-repeat selfie wall

All-day refreshment café

Each guest will receive a swag bag filled with goodies from our sponsors, as well as a Free To Be Me notebook

Morning Guided Meditation, led by Women's Health Coach Maryam De Groef

Expressive Art Therapy workshop, led by Health Coach and Facilitator Bianca Lee Mondino

Improv Your Advocacy workshop, led by Karrie & Will Acting Coaches

Lunch and Learn with Food Allergy Canada

Psychology of Living With Food Allergies speaker session

Teen Discussion Panel

Afternoon Guided Meditation led by Women's Health Coach Maryam De Groef

Plus two * surprise * sessions to be announced closer to the event date!

Closing remarks and farewells

Please note that a block of hotel rooms will be made available at a special rate for retreat attendees. This will be announced via email and social media, and guests may book their room outside of the Eventbrite platform.

The first ever Free To Be Me Food Allergy Wellness Retreat is going to be a totally groovy extravaganza, and the first of its kind for the food allergy community! Taking part in this event means being among the first to be part of something incredibly special.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Museum and Special Events Venue, 106 Trinity Street, Toronto, Canada