Path to Hope Counseling

04/08/2026

are u feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start with integrating yoga in sessions?

Are u feeling isolated and want to find community of other like minded therapists?

I’m opening the doors one last time—for just 2 days—to the The Yoga in Therapy Collective , a space where therapists like you can explore yoga, reconnect with your own body, and learn how to weave these healing practices into your work (and your life).

✨ Once a month LIVe case consultation, trainings and tutorial video library
✨ Build confidence around integrating yoga safely and ethical

✨Get real-world examples and practices you can use right away
✨ Have a guide (and a community) walking with you as you grow
Time is limited! Lunch is only open until Friday at 11 PM! Link in bio

04/01/2026

Grief is not a problem to be solved. It’s an experience that needs room — room to be felt, honored, and gently released.
Hi, I’m Chris McDonald, therapist and yoga teacher. In this Reel I’m sharing a little about who I am, why grief has become so close to my heart, and who this retreat was created for.
Release & Reconnect is a half-day retreat designed specifically for women who are carrying grief — whether it’s the loss of a person, a relationship, an identity, or a chapter of life. If you’ve been feeling stuck, heavy, or like you’ve never quite had the space to truly process your loss, this retreat is for you.
Set against the beautiful surroundings of Sky Pond in Apex, NC, we’ll move through breathwork, gentle somatic movement and yoga, guided journaling, meditation, and group sharing — all held in a warm, nurturing space where you don’t have to perform “being okay.”
You’ll leave with tools to continue your healing, a deeper connection to yourself, and the reminder that you don’t have to do this alone.
Grief deserves more than being pushed aside. Come give it — and yourself — the space it needs. 🤍
Spots are limited — link in bio to register.

03/27/2026

03/25/2026

I didn’t create this retreat just from what I’ve learned as a therapist…

I created it from what I’ve lived, too.

There have been seasons in my life where I was constantly pushing forward—
moving quickly, staying busy, and not really giving myself space to process what I was carrying.

Not always big, obvious grief…
but the quieter kind.
The kind that builds over time—transitions, stress, letting go of old roles, losing those we love, emotional weight that doesn’t always have a clear place to go.

And what I realized (both personally and professionally) is that we don’t often have spaces to slow down enough to feel and release it.

In my practice, I kept seeing the same thing over and over again—

Women holding grief in silence.

Pushing through. Staying busy. Taking care of everyone else…
while feeling disconnected from themselves.

There aren’t many spaces where grief is allowed to be slow, embodied, and supported.

So I wanted to create one.

A space to release.
A space to reconnect.
A space where you can show up exactly as you are.

That’s a big part of why this retreat exists.

Not just to talk about grief—
but to gently move it, process it, and reconnect with yourself in a way that feels safe and supported.

Because you don’t need a “big” reason to deserve space to heal 🤍

(If you’re feeling called, you can learn more in the link below)
The Release & Reconnect Grief Yoga Retreat for Women,
Friday, May 1, 2026 10am to 2pm
Sky Pond, Apex, NC
Facilitated by Chris McDonald, Licensed Therapist & Yoga Teacher
https://www.ubme.com/event/765a58ba-c6f9-43a0-bdba-ba7cada23a4e

03/23/2026

Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone.

It can look like a life that changed when you weren’t ready. A relationship that ended. A version of yourself you had to leave behind. A health journey that took more from you than expected.

And so many of us keep moving — showing up, taking care of others, holding it all together — without ever having a moment to simply breathe.

If that feels familiar, this is for you.

✨ Release & Reconnect: A Half-Day Grief Yoga Retreat for Women Sky Pond in Apex, NC 🗓️ Friday, May 1st | 10am – 2pm

This gentle, nurturing half-day retreat is a space to slow down, be held, and reconnect with yourself — no yoga experience needed, no pressure to be anywhere but exactly where you are.

We’ll move through: 🌿 Gentle, trauma-informed yoga 🌬️ Breathwork & mindful movement 📖 Guided reflection & journaling 💛 Meaningful connection with other women who understand loss 🌿 A peaceful natural setting made for restoration

You deserve a space that holds you for a change.

🎟️ Tickets on sale now — link in bio or grab yours here: 👉 https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/p/f98705f0-4e99-435a-a00f-493d5284eedf

Come as you are. You don’t have to carry it alone.

03/19/2026

I’m hosting a half-day Grief Yoga Retreat for Women designed to gently support the nervous system while creating space for remembrance and connection.

Research shows that gentle movement, ritual, reflection, and community can help grief move rather than remain stuck in the body.

My upcoming half-day retreat will integrate:
• Trauma-informed grief yoga
• Guided journaling
• Ritual of remembrance
• Mindful walking
• Supportive group space

🌿Registration Opens Tomorrow, March 20th at 9:00 am.

Come join the interest list: https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/grief-retreat-healing-connection

03/15/2026

This spring, I’m offering a half-day retreat for women navigating loss — a space for gentle movement, guided journaling, ritual, and mindful walking beside the water.

Not to fix grief.
Not to rush healing.
But to create space for it to be expressed and witnessed.

If this resonates with you — or someone you love — you can join the interest list below to receive details.

🎫Registration Opens March 20th at 9:00 am.

🌿 Join the interest list here: https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/grief-retreat-healing-connection

03/13/2026

Grief can feel incredibly isolating. When someone we love dies, the relationship doesn’t simply disappear. Many people continue to feel an ongoing connection with a person who has passed- their memories, love, and the impact they had on their lives. Gentle breath and movement can be a way to honor that connection while allowing groove to move through the body. In this movement- arms lift sending love, hands returned to heart thank you for loving me, and Harte opens love continues. This is one of the practices will be exploring our upcoming grief, yoga retreat. A space to move, breathe in honor the many layers of grief.

03/10/2026

You might notice:
• Heaviness in your chest
• Tightness in your throat
• Fatigue that doesn’t go away
• A sense of numbness or fog

This is your nervous system responding to loss.

When grief doesn’t have space to move, it can feel stuck inside. Gentle movement, breath, journaling, and even tears can help the body process what words alone sometimes cannot.

This is something we’ll be gently exploring at my upcoming half-day grief retreat for women.

If you’d like to receive early details, you can join the interest list https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/grief-retreat-healing-connection

03/09/2026

🌿 Grief doesn't only live in your heart — it lives in your body, too.

The tight chest when a memory catches you off guard. The heaviness that no amount of sleep seems to touch. The way your shoulders have been creeping up toward your ears for months.

When we lose someone or something we love, our body holds onto that pain — sometimes long after our minds have tried to move on. Grief gets stored. It gets stuck. And without gentle support, it can quietly shape the way we breathe, move, and show up in the world.

That's the heart of the Release and Reconnect Grief Retreat for women.

In the retreat we use:

🌸 Use Grief Yoga movement, breath and sound to allow it to flow through you

🌸 Journaling and reflection time to process it

🌸 Mindful walking to slow down, reconnect to the earth and to each other

There is something quietly powerful about being with others who understand — no explanations needed, no need to hold it together.

This retreat is a soft place to land. A space to be honest, to breathe, and to begin again — at whatever pace feels right for you.

You don't have to have it figured out to come. You just have to be willing to show up.

📅May 1, 2026 at Sky Pond Apex, North carolina

Registration begins March 20, 2026 at 9am EST

Sign up here to join the interest list!

👉 https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/grief-retreat-healing-connection

03/04/2026

I glanced at the clock. Only a few minutes left.

And the real work had just begun.

This happens more than you might think. A client finally touches something deep — a pattern, a memory, an emotion they've been circling for months — and then time asks us to stop.

They leave saying, "I feel like we were just getting somewhere."

And they're right.

Weekly therapy is valuable. But some healing needs more spaciousness than 50 minutes allows. Especially when it comes to trauma, grief, or long-held emotional patterns that need time to fully unfold.

That's why I offer therapy intensives — extended, focused sessions that weave together brainspotting, trauma-informed yoga, breathwork, and compassionate counseling.

No rushing toward closure. Just enough time and safety for healing to naturally unfold.

I wrote about this in my latest blog — what therapy intensives are, who they're for, and what healing can feel like on the other side.

Link in the comments if you're curious. 💙 Read Full blog link in comments below

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

03/03/2026

Grief moves in waves because love does not disappear. The nervous system revisits loss gradually — in layers — as it feels safe enough to process.

Trying to rush grief often creates more suffering:
Self-judgment
Shame
Isolation
Pressure to “be okay”

Instead of asking, “Why am I not over this?”
A more compassionate question might be:
“What does this wave of grief need right now?”

Sometimes it needs quiet.
Sometimes it needs tears.
Sometimes it needs movement.
Sometimes it needs to be witnessed.

This spring, I’ll be guiding a half-day retreat for women navigating grief — a gentle space that integrates trauma-informed movement, guided journaling, ritual, and mindful walking.

Not to rush healing.
But to create room for grief to move safely.

If you’d like to receive details when registration opens, you can join the interest list below.

🌿 Join the interest list here: https://yogainthetherapyroom.aweb.page/grief-retreat-healing-connection