A circle is a room with no head of the table.
Most rooms we enter have a front and a back, a person who leads and people who follow. A circle removes that. Everyone faces everyone. Nobody is positioned above anybody else.
In a circle, the work is shared. Ruth holds the container, the timing, and the safety of the space, but the insight belongs to the group. You will be invited to speak, and you will be equally free to simply listen.
This is the format for every retreat and every workshop Circle and Rest offers, in person and online, wherever in the world the gathering happens to be.
Rest is a practice with four movements.
The REST framework, Restore, Equip, Sustain, Transform, has been practised through REST International, Ruth's family charity, for more than 30 years. Ruth brings the same four movements into every circle she holds.
Restore
Slowing the nervous system down enough to feel what has been carried, and setting some of it down.
Equip
Practical tools, boundaries, breath, and language, that you can use again long after the circle ends.
Sustain
Building the habits and the community that keep the work alive between gatherings.
Transform
Letting the returning become a lasting shift in how you live, not a single afternoon.
Retreats
Restorative retreats, in places chosen for rest.
Small circles of eight to twelve, with daily circles alongside rest, food, and time outdoors. Each retreat closes with an integration circle to carry the work home.
Restorative Retreat, Mexico
2027
Pricing shared on application
View the retreat
Restorative Retreat, UAE
2027
Pricing shared on application
View the retreatWorkshops and gatherings
Restorative retreats
- A small group of eight to twelve
- Daily circles alongside rest, food, and time outdoors
- Held in person, in locations announced by season
- Open to returning participants and to newcomers alike
- A closing integration circle to carry the work home
Workshops
- In person or online
- One movement of the REST framework per session
- Designed for groups, teams, and community organisations
- Includes a printed or digital take home practice
- No prior circle experience required
How it works
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Apply
Choose a retreat and tell us a little about yourself. It only takes a few minutes.
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Connect
Ruth reaches out personally to talk it through and make sure the retreat is the right fit for you.
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Reserve
Ruth sends your deposit invoice with the full details. Your place is held once your deposit is received.
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Arrive and rest
Before you travel, you receive everything you need to prepare. Then all that is left is to arrive and be held.
Held by Ruth Unaegbu
Ruth Unaegbu is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, and Certified Brainspotting Consultant based in Vancouver. Her work draws on AEDP, Internal Family Systems, and Brainspotting, and on a career spent helping people feel what they feel without being overwhelmed by it.
She built Circle and Rest to bring two things together. The first is the REST framework, four movements of restoring, equipping, sustaining, and transforming that her family has practised through REST International for more than 30 years. The second is the circle itself, a room where everyone can see everyone, nobody performs, and what is said is held by the whole group.
Her gatherings are for adults who want a steadier nervous system, a clearer relationship with their inner world, and the company of others doing the same work. Therapists come to rest from holding others. Performers come because Ruth is one too, a trained actress who knows how much of the work lives in the body.
Questions, answered
Do I have to speak in the circle?
No. You will be invited to speak, and you will be equally free to simply listen.
Is this therapy?
No. Ruth is a Registered Clinical Counsellor and brings that training to how every circle is held, but a circle is a restorative group experience, not a counselling session. If you are looking for one-to-one support, you can find Ruth's counselling practice at ruthunaegbu.com.
How many people are on each retreat?
A small group of eight to twelve, so that everyone can be seen and heard.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. The circle is designed so that you can arrive on your own. Everyone faces everyone, and nobody needs to know anyone beforehand.
Who are the retreats for?
Adults who want a steadier nervous system, a clearer relationship with their inner world, and the company of others doing the same work. Returning participants and newcomers are equally welcome.
What happens on a retreat?
Daily circles alongside rest, food, and time outdoors, ending with a closing integration circle to carry the work home. The details for each retreat, including what is and is not included, are on its own page.
How do I reserve a place?
Apply on the retreat's page. Ruth will be in touch personally to talk it through, then send your deposit invoice. Your place is held once your deposit is received.
Save a seat in the circle.
Be the first to hear when the next retreat or workshop opens. Circle and Rest gatherings are small, and seats go quickly.
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