Grown-up summer camp for the soul!
The As Well Experience (AWE) is a five-day, four-night peer-support wilderness retreat set against some of the most breathtaking landscapes of the American West. Each experience is designed to create space to step away from the noise of everyday life, reconnect with yourself and others, and discover what you are capable of.
Through wilderness adventures, practical skill-building, peer connection, and personal coaching, participants have opportunities to strengthen coping and life skills, build confidence, and develop tools that can support recovery long after the retreat ends. Whether you are navigating a transition, preparing for reentry after treatment or sober living, or looking for additional support in your recovery journey, we meet you where you are.
Privacy and trust are essential to creating genuine connection. Our retreats are intentionally designed to provide a respectful and confidential environment where participants can show up authentically, share honestly, and experience growth without judgment.
At As Well, we believe recovery can be about more than surviving. It can be about rediscovering connection, courage, joy, purpose, and a sense of wonder.
"Come as you are. Discover what’s possible. Leave ready for what comes next."
What We Teach
"Reentry"
Transitioning from treatment or sober living back into everyday life can be one of the most challenging parts of recovery. We help you prepare for that transition with the tools, support, and confidence needed to move forward safely and successfully.
Together, we will create personalized safety and accountability plans that support your recovery in real-life situations. You will learn how to recognize and respond to triggers, use sensory immersion tools and healthy coping strategies, and build a support system you can rely on when challenges arise.
Reentering familiar environments does not mean you have to return to old patterns. Our goal is to help you take what you have learned in recovery and put it into practice as you build a life that feels healthy, sustainable, and your own.
This is more than the next step in recovery—it is the beginning of moving forward with confidence, connection, and purpose.
Survival Skills
Through hands-on wilderness experiences, you will learn practical skills such as starting a fire with a bow drill and tinder bundle, filtering water, building and maintaining a coal bed, identifying local plants, practicing basic first aid, making cordage from natural materials, finding water, and more.
But these experiences are about more than learning how to survive outdoors. Each new skill is an opportunity to build confidence, practice patience, work through challenges, and discover what you are capable of. As you put your new skills to the test, you will learn to trust yourself and your ability to navigate difficult situations.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to discover their own strength. We believe courage is built by facing challenges, stepping outside of what feels comfortable, and realizing that you are capable of more than you imagined.
" Strength helps us survive. Courage helps us move forward."
Coping Skills
Coping skills are different from life skills, but the two work together. Coping skills help create the foundation we need to navigate difficult moments so we can continue practicing the skills that support everyday life.
When we feel overwhelmed, triggered, anxious, or unable to focus, coping skills can help us slow down, reconnect with the present moment, and respond rather than react. These techniques often engage the body and the senses, helping us regain a sense of calm, awareness, and control when our thoughts or emotions feel difficult to manage.
We help you explore practical coping strategies that you can carry with you beyond the wilderness and into everyday life. The goal is not to avoid difficult moments, but to develop tools that help you move through them with greater confidence and resilience.
Personal Coaching
At As Well, personal coaching begins with meeting you where you are. We are not here to analyze you, judge you, or tell you what your life should look like. We are here to listen, support you, and accept you as you are.
Together, we will explore practical skills and strategies that align with your individual needs, experiences, and goals. We will help you develop personalized safety plans and daily practices designed to build confidence, strengthen self-trust, and provide support through challenging moments.
Through our harm-reduction approach, we focus on progress rather than perfection. Every positive step matters. Our goal is to help you move toward the life you want to build while recognizing your growth, celebrating your progress, and discovering reasons to feel proud of how far you have come.
"There are 8 billion people on the planet. Which means that there are 8 billion ways to do something right."
Life Skills
These are the everyday tools that help us navigate relationships, responsibilities, challenges, and change. They include communicating effectively, making informed decisions, solving problems, thinking critically and creatively, managing daily responsibilities, and building healthy relationships with ourselves and others.
We recognize that you already bring valuable skills, experiences, and strengths with you. Our goal is not to start from scratch, but to build on that foundation. Together, we will identify opportunities to strengthen the skills you already have while developing new ones that support your individual goals.
By practicing these skills in a supportive environment, you can build greater confidence and independence and feel more prepared to navigate everyday life—one decision, challenge, and success at a time.
"Ah, to be lucky enough to live a life of one's own choosing."
Peer Support
Recovery does not have to happen alone. We create opportunities for genuine connection through shared experiences, group sessions, team challenges, outdoor adventures, and—just as importantly—play.
These experiences encourage trust, communication, teamwork, and a sense of belonging in an environment where you can connect with others who understand that growth is not always a straight path.
Sometimes connection happens through conversation. Other times, it happens while overcoming a challenge together, sharing a laugh, or simply enjoying the moment. Our goal is to create space for meaningful relationships, shared experiences, and the reminder that you do not have to navigate the journey alone.
"None of us can do this on our own and none of us are ever truly alone."
What We Provide
Lodging
Lodging is part of the adventure and may look a little different with each AsWell experience. Depending on the location and retreat, accommodations may range from cozy mountain cabins to uniquely restored VW buses and other nature-inspired spaces.
Each lodging experience will provide the essentials you need for a comfortable stay while incorporating sensory immersion tools and thoughtful elements that support the retreat experience.
Because connection and community are at the heart of As Well, accommodations are shared rather than single occupancy. Sharing space creates opportunities to build trust, form genuine connections, and experience the retreat as part of a supportive community.
Wherever we stay, our goal is to create a space that feels welcoming, comfortable, and connected to the adventure around us.
"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world."
Nutrition
Food is more than fuel—it is an opportunity to nourish our bodies, connect with one another, and care for the world around us. At AsWell, we believe thoughtful nutrition and responsible sourcing can support individual well-being while contributing to healthier communities and a healthier environment.
This philosophy guides the meals and snacks we provide throughout our retreats. Whenever possible, we thoughtfully consider the ingredients we use, where they come from, and how food can bring people together.
We also incorporate hands-on learning opportunities that explore the fundamentals of nutrition, meal preparation, and cooking. Our goal is to help you discover ways to make nourishing food approachable, enjoyable, and realistic in everyday life.
Most importantly, we want food to be something that brings connection and joy. Nourishing yourself can be a simple but meaningful way to practice self-care and recognize that you are worthy of being cared for—including by yourself.
Supplies
We want you to arrive ready to experience the retreat—not worried about having all the right gear. AsWell will provide the essential supplies and equipment needed for retreat activities, including sensory immersion tools, first aid supplies, wilderness and survival equipment, and everything needed for your solo-night experience.
We will also provide nourishing meals and snacks throughout the retreat, so you can focus your energy on learning, connecting, exploring, and being present in the experience.
We’ll provide the tools, supplies, and support. Mother Nature will provide the rest.
About Our Company
We are a group of like-minded people who believe in the importance of disconnecting from technology in an environment, free from judgment. While reconnecting with the power of the natural world and genuine friendship.
Kristen C Calhoun
Founder, CEO