WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR NARAMATA RETREAT?

Everything you need for ten extraordinary days of learning,       

practice, connection and restoration! 

Late October in the Okanagan can bring cool mornings, rain and overcast skies, or spectacular sunshine and brilliant fall colours. Inside the classroom, you’ll move through immersive learning, supervised hands-on practice and long, full days together. Your three integration days will create space for yoga, clinical practice, rest, nature and personal adventures.

This packing guide will help you arrive prepared, comfortable and ready to receive everything this experience has to offer!

Required Clinical Supplies

Please bring:

• Six complete sheet sets

•  Five sets for supervised practice sessions

•  One set for the treatment you will receive

• Each set should include one bottom sheet and one top sheet

• One blanket

• Seven to twelve hand towels

• Six for clinical sessions

• An additional one to six for your personal handwashing needs, according to your preference

• Six eye covers

• Your preferred unscented massage lubricant

All treatments will be performed in a supine position, so you do not need to bring face-cradle covers.

Please ensure your clinical linens are clean, professional and ready to use. Laundry is available onsite, but the facilities are limited.

Bring enough linens to participate fully without depending on laundry access between sessions.

What MG Provides for Clinical Practice

The Mastectomy Guide will provide:

• Massage tables

• Pillows and bolsters

• A sample of Breast Butter for every participant

• The opportunity to purchase a full jar of Breast Butter onsite

Final treatment and practice assignments will be created onsite.

There will be sixteen supervised practice sessions throughout the retreat. Five of these sessions may include volunteer post-surgical practice people.

If volunteers are unavailable, participants will practice with one another. This is where your learning will truly come alive beneath your hands! 

Your Handbook and Learning Materials

Everyone receives lifetime access to the fillable digital clinical handbook through the participant dashboard. 

If You Ordered the Printed Handbook

Your printed handbook will be distributed at the retreat. It includes dedicated space for clinical notes, so you do not need to bring a device for the handbook unless you would also like digital access during class.

Please bring:

• Pens

• Highlighters or page markers, if you enjoy using them

• An optional notebook or journal

A separate journal can be especially valuable during this retreat. Breast, chest and post-surgical work can touch us deeply and may bring thoughts, feelings or personal experiences to the surface. Journalling can offer a private space to reflect, process and care for yourself as the experience unfolds.

Clothing for Class and Clinical Practice

Please bring enough comfortable clothing for long days of learning and supervised practice.

Class days begin at 9:00 am and include morning, afternoon and evening sessions, finishing at approximately 8:30–9:00 pm.

We recommend:

• Comfortable, professional clothing that allows you to move freely

• Layers that can be added or removed throughout the day

• Comfortable indoor footwear or slippers

• Warm socks

• Clothing appropriate for giving and receiving hands-on treatment

• Enough clothing to avoid relying heavily on the limited laundry facilities

Participants will be invited and expected to participate in full breast and chest massage treatment trades with direct skin-to-skin contact. All practice will take place within the ethical, professional, draping and consent protocols taught during the retreat.

This is a consent-based learning environment. You may decline a particular technique, body area or treatment trade and observe when needed.

If you would like to discuss an adaptation before the retreat, please contact us at info@mastectomyguide.com

Optional Cold-Plunge Supplies

Okanagan Lake is approximately a five-minute walk from Naramata Centre!

If you would like to cold plunge during your free time, please bring:

• A bathing suit & beach towel

• Water-friendly footwear, if desired

• Warm, dry layers to put on immediately afterward

• Warm socks

• A toque or warm hat

• A bag for carrying wet items

Cold plunging is completely optional and undertaken at your own discretion. Please honour your health, experience, comfort and personal limits.

Personal Essentials

Please bring:

• Toiletries

• Personal medications and supplements

• Eyeglasses, contact-lens supplies or other personal health items

• A reusable water bottle

• A travel mug

• Phone and device chargers

• Headphones or earplugs, if helpful

• Any personal comfort items that help you rest and regulate

• Laundry detergent if you plan to use the onsite facilities

You may also wish to bring:

• A sleep mask

• A book

• Personal meditation items

• A small blanket or shawl for quiet reflection

• Art supplies or another gentle creative activity

• Anything that helps you feel grounded and at home

Health and Personal Hygiene

If you are immunocompromised because of medication, a health condition or another circumstance, please bring the mask and personal hygiene materials that help you participate safely.

If you are sick, please do not attend. Contact the MG team as soon as possible so we can support you with the appropriate next steps.

All participants are expected to practise thoughtful hygiene, professional infection control and care for the wellbeing of our shared community.

If You Are Staying in MG Accommodation

MG accommodation includes:

• Bed linens

• Bath towels

• A private three-piece ensuite for each bedroom

• A shared living and dining area

• A full kitchen in each suite

• Wi-Fi

• Limited self-serve laundry access

Please bring:

• Your toiletries

• Your clinical linens and hand towels

• Laundry detergent if you plan to do laundry

• All personal items and comfort supplies

Quiet time begins at 10:00 pm.

If you have booked shared occupancy, MG will assign your roommate unless a specific roommate request has been made. Please send roommate requests to info@mastectomyguide.com.

If You Are Staying Offsite

If you have arranged your own accommodation, please confirm what your facility provides.

You are responsible for:

• Bed linens and bath towels if they are not supplied by your accommodation

• Toiletries

• Laundry access and detergent

• Transportation between your accommodation and Naramata Centre

• Breakfast every day

• Lunch and dinner on integration days

• Departure-day food

• Any other facility or accommodation needs

MG is not responsible for the amenities, supplies or operations of independently booked accommodations.

You will still receive lunch, dinner, coffee, tea and snacks on all class days.

Food and Grocery Planning

For participants using the October 20 airport pickup, the group will stop at a grocery store before arriving at Naramata Centre.

Please plan to purchase:

• Breakfast food for every day

• Lunches and dinners for the three integration days

• Departure-day food

• Any favourite snacks or beverages you would like to have

MG provides:

• Dinner on October 20

• Lunch and dinner on class days

• Coffee, tea and snacks during the retreat

Participants staying in MG accommodation will have access to full kitchens in their suites.

You may want to bring reusable food containers if you enjoy preparing food in advance or carrying snacks during your integration days.

You Do Not Need to Bring

MG will provide:

• Massage tables

• Pillows and bolsters

• Yoga mats

• Coffee, tea and retreat snacks

• A sample of Breast Butter

• Bed linens and bath towels for participants staying in MG accommodation

You do not need:

• Face-cradle covers

• A massage table

• A yoga mat

• Printed course materials if you are using the digital handbook

• A laptop or tablet if you ordered the printed handbook and do not want digital access during class

Before You Close Your Suitcase

Please confirm that you have:

• Six complete sheet sets

• One blanket

• Seven to twelve hand towels

• Six eye covers

• Unscented massage lubricant

• Your digital device or printed-handbook supplies

• Comfortable clinical and classroom clothing

• Warm layers and weather-appropriate footwear

• Toiletries, medications and personal essentials

• A water bottle and travel mug

• Optional yoga, celebration and cold-plunge clothing

• Laundry detergent, if needed

• An open heart, a curious mind and a willingness to grow!

This will be an extraordinary ten days of learning, hands-on transformation, connection and community!

You will work hard. You will be deeply supported. You will share space with thoughtful, warm-hearted practitioners who care about this work as much as you do. You will practise with real people, develop new confidence in your hands and return home carrying skills and experiences that can change what is possible for the people you serve.

We cannot wait to welcome you to Naramata!

Questions?

Your participant dashboard is your central home for the most current retreat information, forms, schedules and resources.

Please check the dashboard first. If you still need help, contact us at: info@mastectomyguide.com