Okanagan influencer hosting Osoyoos wellness retreat for women to embrace being brave

Influencer hosts retreat

Photo: Build Your Brave Retreat

Build Your Brave Retreat 2023.

An Okanagan lifestyle influencer is hoping to help women muster up courage through a wellness retreat, after building her own bravery as a widow.

In the fall of 2002, Susie Helland found herself as a widow at 31. She says the loss has helped her relate to the trauma of others.

“Just the pain that I went through and the struggles that I went through after — knowing the things that I wish I had, or the support that I had […] Just being that person for someone and helping them get back what someone took away from them.”

Helland says that a lot of people have experienced loss over the last few years, and she wants to help women gain connection to others, their passions, and to “reignite that spark.”

The Vernon resident says Osoyoos is her happy place. The Build Your Brave Retreat will be held at Watermark Beach Resort and a private residence from April 19 to 20, featuring a meet-and-greet, meals, and speeches from female entrepreneurs and wellness specialists.

“We just help them essentially build their brave — release things that are no longer serving them,” Helland says.

“I think that sometimes people think brave is jumping out of a plane or doing things that are really, really scary, but sometimes just saying yes, coming to a retreat by yourself with women that you don't know, is brave.

"Sharing your story with other people and being vulnerable is brave. So, I think brave is different for each person.”

Although the Build Your Brave retreat started in the fall of last year, Helland built on her preexisting business and clothing line Build Your Brave Boutique. The boutique’s aim was to make women of all shapes and sizes feel comfortable in their skin.

“Talking to women and listening to women talking about how they didn't feel comfortable in their bodies and tearing themselves apart. I still do that from time to time, but I really worked on myself.

“And realizing that you know, we need to watch the words that we say to resolve and so I wanted to have a safe space for women to come and shop […] and just feel comfortable.”

With an aim of continuing her wellness work, Helland plans to continue hosting retreats.

For more information about the Build Your Brave Retreat and clothing line click here.

Photo: Contributed

Susie Helland