Rising Tides Veterinary Wellness & Leadership Retreat
2nd Annual Rising Tides
Veterinary Wellness & Leadership Retreat
“A rising tide lifts all boats.” ~ JFK
When we work on ourselves and support each other, we can improve the culture of Veterinary Medicine
Join us at Nature Space Resort, in beautiful Prince Edward Island, for a small-group veterinary wellness and leadership retreat.
This is a CE-approved retreat (12 hours of approved CE from the NSVMA, NBVMA, PEIVMA and OVMA).
The veterinary profession can be physically, emotionally, and mentally taxing. The demands of caring for animals, while managing the complexities of practice can leave many veterinary professionals feeling overextended and burned out. With this retreat, our goal is to provide a space for vets, vet technicians, and veterinary support staff a place to unwind, recharge, and enhance their leadership skills in a way that prioritizes their wellness.
At Nature Space Resort, attendees will experience a carefully crafted program that includes mindfulness sessions, leadership workshops, team-building exercises, and wellness practices—all designed to help them not only heal but also grow into stronger, more confident leaders within their field.
This three night, four day retreat includes all of your meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages. In addition to continuing education, it features several incredible wellness experiences, including a sound healing event with the talented Trevor Grant, forest bathing, and yoga. All this while staying in beautiful, unique accommodations with private hot tubs, on-site hot cold therapy with saunas and cold plunges, walking trails, a meditation walking labyrinth, and much more.
Date – June 28-July 1 2026
This is an intimate retreat with space for only 15 people. Keeping our group size small allows you unparalleled opportunities to interact with your facilitator and each other for a deeply meaningful weekend or personal and professional growth.
***Veterinary technicians, managers, and veterinary support staff welcome***
Let us take care of you during this all-inclusive retreat experience
All inclusive retreat package includes:
- 3 night stay in your selected accommodation package (see below)
- 12 hours of approved CE in relationship intelligence, conflict resolution, mindful wellbeing, and resiliency
- Lots of built in time to relax, restore and connect with yourself and with other like-minded professionals
- Personalized Strength Deployment Inventory Assessment and access to the Core Strengths platform (a $200 value)
- SoundEscapes sound bath experience with Trevor Grant
- A chance to explore nature in a unique forest bathing experience, a deeply immersive, meditative forest walk to truly enjoy the signs of spring and to use nature to combat stress
- A creative opportunity to make a beautiful keepsake bracelet based on your weekend experience
- Yoga, movement, breath work and meditation practices
- All supplies, and retreat materials
- All meals included (able to accommodate most food sensitivities including dairy-free, gluten-free & vegan) including an immersive Oysters 101 and Learn to Shuck Experience.
- Bonfire and S’mores at Lighthouse Beach
- Restorative healing through connecting to nature in a unique setting with Mongolian yurts, hot tubs, sauna, cold therapy elements, and a chance to explore natural elements on our trails, meditation labyrinth and our lakeside setting
- Optional Lake Explorer kayak tour
Weekend Itinerary
3:30-5:30pm – Check in’s
6:00pm – Welcome supper & introductions
7:00pm – Keynote: Reframing Resiliency
8:15-9:30- Sound bath: Sound healing event with SoundEscapes
Relationship Intelligence and Working with Conflict
8:00-8:45am – Breakfast
9:00-11:00am – Understanding your motivational value system (SDI)
11:00-11:15- Break
11:15-1:15pm – Understanding your conflict sequence (SDI) and your primary conflict style
1:30-2:00pm- Lunch
2:15-3:30pm – Forest Bathing (mindfulness, nature therapy, and foraging in an immersive natural setting)
3:30-3:45pm- Break
3:45-5:00pm- Exploring your strengths (SDI)
6:00-8:00- Oysters 101 with Jarrod and local charcuterie supper
Mindfulness in Veterinary Medicine
7:00-8:00am- Sunrise yoga
8:00-9:00am – Breakfast
9:00-10:30am- Using mindfulness to manage stress and burnout in veterinary medicine
10:30-10:45am- Break
10:45am-12:15pm- Using mindfulness to turn towards difficulty in veterinary practice
12:30-1:30pm- Lunch
2:00-3:30-Lake Explorer Kayak Tour (add-on fee) -or- free time to recharge
4:00-6:00- Breathwork and Cold Plunging with Individual Coaching
6:00-7:00- Supper
7:00-9:00pm- Sharing circle and beach bonfire with s’more
7-8am- Yoga
8-9am- Breakfast
9-10:30pm-Closing circle and setting intentions. Includes intention bracelet workshop
11:00- Checkout
All-Inclusive Retreat Pricing
The Rising Tides Retreat has multiple accommodation types and a variety of pricing options based on the size of your group. The prices below are all-inclusive and include accommodations, retreat registration, food & CE activities. Groups must be pre-arranged with friends/family as we do not sell single beds for our retreats.
NOTE:
The prices below are all-inclusive and include accommodations, retreat registration, food, programming and all CE activities.
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Mongolian Yurts (4 Available)
Our authentic Mongolian Yurts are suitable for up to 3 adults (one queen bed and 2 twin beds)
- Group of 1 in a Yurt-$1999+tax total – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $1699+ tax
- Group of 2 in a Yurt – $3198+tax total ($1599/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $2798+tax ($1399/pp)
- Group of 3 in Yurt – $4398+tax total ($1466/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $3897 ($1299/pp)
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Eagle’s Nest Loft (1 Available)
Our Eagle’s Nest Loft is a self-contained suite with own kitchen & washroom. Suitable for 2 adults (one queen bed and 1 daybed with luxury mattresses).
- Group of 1 in the loft-$2099+tax total – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $1799+ tax
- Group of 2 in the loft – $3398+tax total ($1699/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $2998+tax ($1499/pp)
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GlowBug Cottage (1 Available)
Our GlowBug Cottage is a 2 bedroom cottage with it’s own kitchen & washroom. Suitable for 2-4 adults (one queen bed, 2 twin beds on an adult bunkbed and 1 daybed with luxury mattress).
- Group of 2 in the cottage – $3398+tax total ($1699/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $2998+tax ($1499/pp)
- Group of 3 in the cottage – $4698+tax total ($1566/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $4197+tax ($1399/pp)
- Group of 4 in the cottage – $57088+tax total ($1427/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $5196+tax ($1299/pp)
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Solar-Powered Pioneer Tent (1 Available)
Our 14’x16′ luxury canvas pioneer tent has it’s own portable solar-powered generator, a queen sized bed, and a twin bed providing a cozy, fresh air experience. The tent is suitable for up to 2 adults (one queen bed and 1 twin bed)
- Group of 1 in the tent Yurt-$1799+tax total – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $1449+ tax
- Group of 2 in the tent – $2998+tax total ($1499/pp) – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $2498+tax ($1249/pp)
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Off-site participant (Limited Availability)
No accommodations, but this price includes all retreat programming and CE activities, as well as all meals and experiences.
- The no accommodation option is $1299/pp+tax – Early Bird Pricing until March 31, 2026= $999+tax
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Want to stay longer? Retreat participants can extend their stay either before or after the retreat and receive 20% off accommodations
Testimonials
“The most incredible weekend was spent at Nature Space Resort... Our yurt accommodation was magical – and incredibly comfortable… Made use of many of the amenities: private hot tub, sauna and cold plunge, guided forest trails, kayaking, yoga, soundbath; enjoyed every single experience.”
-Dr. Jamie Woorsley
“The retreat was a truly wonderful experience—an ideal place to unwind, reconnect with nature, and take a step back from the busyness of daily life. The setting was peaceful and rejuvenating, providing the perfect backdrop for reflection and growth. The leadership education was insightful and impactful, offering practical tools and perspectives that I’ll be able to apply both in my professional practice and in my personal life. I left feeling refreshed, inspired, and better equipped as a leader. Highly recommend!”
-Angela (practice manager)
Meet Your Facilitators
Dr. Heather Gunn McQuillan
Dr. Heather Gunn McQuillan served as the Assistant Dean of Clinical and Professional Programming and Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital from 2015 to 2023. From 2023-2025, Heather was an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Management at AVC, where she oversaw the Professional Foundations Curriculum, teaching students on vital topics including veterinary well-being, business practices, communication, conflict resolution, leadership, and resiliency. Currently, an adjunct professor at AVC, she has turned her attention to working with private groups, clinics and early career veterinarians through her business, AwareVet Veterinary Wellbeing and Leadership Consulting, offering coaching, mentorship and consulting work in the fields of business, leadership, wellbeing and career longevity.
She holds a Master’s certification in Mindfulness-Based Teaching and Learning from the University of the Fraser Valley, communication training from the Institute for Healthcare Communications, and an Interest-Based Mediation Practitioner certification in conflict resolution. Additionally, she is a facilitator for the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) and a certified instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). As a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance, she integrates wellness practices into her work.
Dr. Gunn McQuillan has presented at numerous regional, national, and international conferences on topics related to well-being, leadership, resiliency, conflict resolution, and communication skills. She and her family own Nature Space Resort in beautiful Prince Edward Island.
Trevor Grant
Trevor Grant has been performing his magical SoundEscapes sound journeys here at Nature Space Resort since we opened. Trevor says "I have been fascinated by sound for as long as I can remember, be it the wind in the trees, a metal railing echoing in a great hall, a rock band in full flight or the most delicate tap of a cymbal, it all speaks to me. As a percussionist I get to explore and release all sorts of frequencies, from primal beats of a drum to the gentle sparkle of tiny bells, Adding the breath of wooden flutes creates a palette of sounds that allow for a full range of expression. For me, music is a multi-sensory experience, something that is not only heard, but felt. My hope for my SoundEscape sessions is for people to experience sound and music in a deeper more attentive way than usual and to bring attention to the important role our sonic environment can play in our daily lives."
Jarrod Gunn McQuillan
Jarrod is the co-owner of Nature Space Resort and brings a wide variety of life and work experiences to their project at the resort. His educational background includes Commerce and Science degrees and early in his career his work focused on sustainability & localizing food systems and he worked closely with primary food producers, community groups, sustainable food advocates and First Nations communities in Ontario and British Columbia. More recently, prior to opening the resort, he spent more than 10 years as the Oyster Biologist for the Province of Prince Edward Island and shares experiences and his passion for oysters with guests at the resort. Jarrod has used cold water therapy for years through his athletic career, but recently has begun to implement many of the breath work and mindfulness strategies to broaden his understanding and use of cold water. He is currently completing his Cold Water Therapy Diploma and has begun training on the Wim Hof Method. He is also a passionate naturalist and outdoor leader. He is one of the most highly certified sea kayak instructors in Atlantic Canada with Paddle Canada and has had the pleasure of leading programs & expeditions as well attending sea kayak gatherings as a guest coach all across Canada, the United States and beyond through his sea kayak instructional business – Cloud 9 Adventures.
