About this Event
Piloted in 2021, "WELLderness: An Outdoor Wellness Series" was developed to bring members of the community together (in person and online) to engage in activities that would have a positive impact on their physical and mental health and well-being. Throughout the year, people have the opportunity to participate in FREE events that center around fostering better connections to self and the environment.
**Masks are no longer required. They remain optional for those who wish to wear one during a Friends event**
About the Instructor
Lucy Recio, co-founder of Third Bloom Consulting, has more than 15 years of experience working at the intersection of movement building, communications, policy, and advocacy. She has advanced and strengthened the social movement to increase compensation and material supports for the early childhood education workforce, helped secure more than $54 billion in COVID relief funding for the child care sector, and has played instrumental roles in changing the narrative around our country’s child care and early learning systems. She is a dynamic speaker, university instructor, and healing justice practitioner certified in healing-centered education, nervous system regulation strategies, and somatic embodiment. Her work is also informed by her training in ecotherapy, writing therapy, and mindfulness practices.
What you will be doing
Each session will be rooted in mindfulness, environmental awareness, and embodiment practices. Our approach centers presence and healing in a welcoming, reflective space.
Sessions may include nature-based reflection using the natural landscape of Kenilworth Park and the Aquatic Gardens as a container for reflection, grounding, and creativity. Sessions may also include walking meditations, sound mapping, group sharing circles, and/or individual journaling exercises.
Somatic practices are a cornerstone of this series. These body-based techniques help participants access, understand, and release physical and emotional tension. By increasing body awareness, participants gain tools to: Improve mood and emotional regulation, cultivate self-awareness and self-confidence, heal subconscious patterns and increase presence, and build resiliency and reduce chronic stress.
The goal is to promote holistic wellness through mindfulness and breathwork, increase body awareness and emotional resilience through somatic practices, and foster a deeper connection with nature as a healing and reflective space, while providing inclusive, trauma-informed, and healing-centered spaces that nurture joy, reflection, and community.
When
Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 8:30am. Check-in opens at 8:15am.
Where
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave Northeast, Washington, DC 20019. Participants will meet at the picnic area past the visitor center.
Getting There
Visitors should enter the park on Douglas St and Anacostia Ave at the green ranger tent. Street parking only available while park maintenence is being done. By Metro, the park entrance is 1.0 mile from the Deanwood Metro Station and 1.3 miles from the Minnesota Ave Station, both on the Orange Line. By foot or bike, access the park via the Anacostia River Trail.
What to Bring
Participants should bring a snack, bug spray, sun protection, and/or anything else one may carry when spending time outdoors. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for being outdoors.
Contact
For questions or concerns reach out to Alivia at [email protected].
Learn about Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (@kenaqgardens) and visit us at www.kenaqgardens.org.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Avenue Northeast, Washington, United States
USD 0.00
