Dr. Kristen Rice came to her first Connect in Nature retreat burned out, overwhelmed, and raw from a recent breakup. She was looking for perspective, rest, and a way to make her life in medicine feel more livable.
What she found was not a tidy answer. It was a few days of space.
Silent walks in Muir Woods. Mindfulness in a garden. Time with women physicians who understood without much explanation.
A place where tears did not need to be embarrassing or fixed.
In this conversation, Kristen shares what she brought home: less multitasking, more awareness, a lunch turned away from the computer screen, walking meditation, yoga, and small moments that helped her step out of urgency. Rest, clarity, and joy do not have to become another assignment.
She emphasizes that no one needs to be fully burned out to benefit from a retreat — proactive self-care is valuable at any stage.
She recommends Connect in Nature for healers at any career stage and any level of well-being.
Muir Woods, the Green Gulch garden, yoga, sound healing, and walking meditation were the most impactful elements for her. These experiences directly informed the mindfulness practices she later integrated into her daily life, which include mindful eating, walking meditation, yoga, and single-tasking awareness.
Join Drs. Ni-Cheng Liang and Jessie Mahoney at the next Connect in Nature Retreat December 2-4, 2026. More information here.
Learn more about 1:1, small-group coaching and retreats
Join Jessie Mahoney’s Yoga: www.jessiemahoneymd.com/yoga
*Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice. The Healing Medicine Podcast was formerly known as the Mindful Healers Podcast.