July 6th, 2023
2:00 – 4:00 pm
Instructor: Diane Collins
Program with Diane Collins, local naturalist and author of the booklet “Trailside Wildflowers in Cole’s Woods”. (Booklet included in the program)
Not simply a walk in the woods, but a conscious and contemplative quiet time together being immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest as we walk the woods at Wiawaka followed by sharing our experiences.
Cost for workshop is $20 which includes a $5 booklet on wildflowers.
Spend the day for $35 which includes the workshop, $5 booklet and a day pass.
Courageous You
July 14th, 2023
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Instructor: Cate LaBarre
Join us as we explore what it means to be courageous in a culture of fear. Asking for
what we need, speaking our truth, setting boundaries, and asking for support, are all elements of
courage. There is no courage without being vulnerable and no vulnerability that is not an act of courage.
With the guidance of the research of Dr. Brené Brown, we’ll discuss what courage looks like, how to
cultivate more of it, and acknowledge how very courageous we have already been with our lives.
Workshop leader, Cate LaBarre, is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator – Life Coach (licensed in 2015 to offer curriculum based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown) and a Certified Master Integrative Coach Professional (certified in 2006 by John F. Kennedy University). A “veteran” NY State Licensed Massage Therapist (1985) and Certified Reiki Master, Cate offers an integrative approach (addressing body, mind, and spirit) to her workshop participants and individual coaching clients. She co-authored of The Energy of Healing, published May 2015.
Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, and Braving the Wilderness and Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Brené’s TED talk – The Power of Vulnerability – is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world with over 35 million views. https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability
Cost for class is $20
Cost for class and day pass is $30
Click here to register
Got Too Much Stuff?
July 15th, 2023
1:30-4:30pm
Instructor: M.L. Healey

July 17th, 2023
9:30am-11:30am
Instructor: Stephanie Affinito
Did you know that just 6 minutes of pleasurable reading a day brings a host of physical, mental and emotional benefits? Restorative reading is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. In this workshop, we’ll explore what restorative reading is and why it matters, reflect on our reading lives and how they can mirror our actual ones, learn simple techniques for choosing and learning from the books we read and walk away with personalized reading lists to jumpstart summer reading……and we’ll spend time reading, too! Please bring a book or two you’d like to spend time reading during the session.
Stephanie is a book-loving, notebook-hoarding literacy educator on a mission to change lives one book and one notebook at a time. She blogs about the power of leading literate lives at www.alitlife.com and podcasts weekly on books and reading, writing and notebooks and everything in between on Get Lit(erate). with Stephanie Affinito. She’s written two professional books for educators and is working on her third book exploring the power of reading and writing for wellness. You can find her online at www.alitlife.com and on most social platforms using @AffinitoLit.
Cost for class is $20
Cost for class and day pass is $30
Click here to register
Who Am I?
July 21st, 2023
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Instructor: Cate LaBarre
Join us to explore our identity and how we tend to view ourselves through cultural myths
and other people’s eyes. We’ll talk about how we don’t want to be perceived, our ideal identities, and
how this struggle gets in the way of authentically sharing our true selves. With the guidance of the
research of Dr. Brené Brown, we’ll dig deep into unwanted identities and triggers, and the value of
owning our strengths and gifts.
Workshop leader, Cate LaBarre, is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator – Life Coach (licensed in 2015 to offer curriculum based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown) and a Certified Master Integrative Coach Professional (certified in 2006 by John F. Kennedy University). A “veteran” NY State Licensed Massage Therapist (1985) and Certified Reiki Master, Cate offers an integrative approach (addressing body, mind, and spirit) to her workshop participants and individual coaching clients. She co-authored of The Energy of Healing, published May 2015.
Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of New York Times bestsellers: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, and Braving the Wilderness and Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Brené’s TED talk – The Power of Vulnerability – is one of the top five most viewed TED talks in the world with over 35 million views. https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability
Cost for class is $20
Cost for class and day pass is $30
Click here to register
July 18th, 2023
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Drum Circle
Hand Drum/Percussion Class and Drumming Circle
Instructor: Olympia Avignone
Class: Have fun learning hand drum technique and West African Rhythms. No prior experience necessary, all skill levels welcome from beginner to advanced, drums provided if needed. Learn West African rhythms and how to participate in drum circles. The rhythms that we cover will have parts for everyone, regardless of skill level: simpler components for anyone new to the drum, up to more complicated facets of the music, such as rhythmic phrases specific to the dances that go with a particular rhythm, and arrangements of sequences of phrases.
Please indicate if you need to borrow a drum at the time of registration for drum class. Participants registered for the drum class will be given first come first serve opportunity to reserve a drum.
DRUM RESERVATION: 21 drums available, please reserve one if needed upon registration and indicate your skill level: beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Drum and Dance Circle: Drum and/or dance around! Engage in a centuries old tradition that brings us all together. Olympia will facilitate the rhythms in the circle, playing rhythms learned in the class or creating new ones on the spot as we co-create the musical experience. Join us in this rhythmic conversation and synchronization of hearts through rhythm and dance. Drums and percussion provided.
You do not need to attend the drum circle if you just want to attend the class.
Space is limited!
Cost: $35 includes use of a drum, teaching fee and the drum circle.
$45 includes the above and your day pass to enjoy Wiawaka all day!
Grief and Finding Peace
August 1st, 2023
9:30am-12:00pm
Instructor: Janet Dunn
This workshop will be centered on understanding grief and how we can use various tools and have a sustainable relationship with grief. Grief is a long-term companion, but we can work to make it easier to live with. Our goal is to find ways to shift grief into something that is not all-encompassing, something that can accompany us sometimes instead of something that is controlling our lives.
We will talk about grief, find tools that can help us move through the challenges of loss. We incorporate the art of ceremony, rituals, meditation, and the practice of incorporating herbs into our life to learn healthy ways to deal with grief.
Rev. Janet Dunn is an ordained minister, certified life coach, certified mindful practitioner, and a certified celebrant. She teaches and officiates ceremonies of all kinds which include weddings, life celebrations, ceremonies for letting go, and a wide variety of healing ceremonies. She is a certified herbalist and teaches and shares her knowledge in a variety of women’s workshops, retreats, and with her clients.
Cost for class: $25
Make it a day pass for $35
Click here to register
August 2nd, 2023
9:20am-12:00pm
Instructor: Janet Dunn
The practice of identifying herbs in the wild, learning their health properties, incorporating them into your life, the joy of gathering and preparing tea with them and savoring the ritual of the preparation of herbal teas. We incorporate the art of ceremony, rituals, meditation, and the practice of gathering herbs into our life to learn healthy ways to enjoy nature and release stress.
Rev. Janet Dunn is an ordained minister, certified life coach, certified mindful practitioner, and a certified celebrant. She teaches and officiates ceremonies of all kinds which include weddings, life celebrations, ceremonies for letting go, and a wide variety of healing ceremonies. She is a certified herbalist and teaches and shares her knowledge in a variety of women’s workshops, retreats, and with her clients.
Cost for class: $25
Make it a day pass for $35
Click here to register
August 6th, 2023
2:00pm-4:00pm
Instructor: Linda Tipke
According to Ayurveda, there are three equally important aspects to brain longevity. Learning and comprehension, processing and retaining knowledge and memory or recall are needed to be at their peak in order for best mental performance and potential to occur. In this session research done over the past 20 years by The Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation will
be discussed. This course delves into the Pillars of Alzheimer’s Prevention, topics of memory decline, medications, sleep, lifestyle, dietary needs, and offers science based suggestions for brain health.
Presented by Linda Tipke. Linda Tipke is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Yoga Instructor and owner of Adirondack Ayurveda in the Lake George area. A graduate of the Kriplau School of Ayurveda and a member of the national Ayurvedic Medical Association, Linda works in special needs education for 35 years before hearing a holistic calling. Linda’s educational background and a
passion to teach children, teens and adults carrier over into her current career. She is a Registered Yoga Instructor with Yoga Alliance. Linda teaches classes through SUNY Adult Education and other venues on Ayurveda topics, yoga, and yoga for all children.
Cost for class: $25
Make it a day pass for $35
Click here to register
August 17th, 2023
2:00 – 4:00 pm
Instructor: Diane Collins
Program with Diane Collins, local naturalist and author of the booklet “Trailside Wildflowers in Cole’s Woods”. (Booklet included in the program)
Not simply a walk in the woods, but a conscious and contemplative quiet time together being immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest as we walk the woods at Wiawaka followed by sharing our experiences.
Cost for workshop is $20 which includes a $5 booklet on wildflowers.
Spend the day for $35 which includes the workshop, $5 booklet and a day pass.