CONNECT (NVC Canoe Journey)

Description

CONNECT is our pinnacle journey – a deep dive into the art of living, relating, and communicating from the heart.
Over nine days on the Nymboida and Clarence Rivers, you’ll paddle through pristine gorges, navigate whitewater, and live simply in community – carrying everything you need to survive, thrive, and connect.

Each day we blend Nonviolent Communication (NVC) practices with the natural flow of the river, exploring what it means to listen deeply and express honestly. You’ll be guided by Kate Raffin, an experienced NVC facilitator and creative mediator whose work inspires courage, clarity, and real change. Supported by the JOIN team of qualified whitewater instructors, you’ll learn not only how to paddle through rapids, but how to navigate the internal currents of emotion, need, and connection.

This is not your average adventure retreat. It’s a living laboratory for compassion – where courage and communication meet creativity and play. You’ll practice speaking and listening from the heart, find strength in community, and witness how the river mirrors your inner world.

Days are filled with paddling, learning, and laughter. Nights bring the warmth of campfire conversations, starlit skies, and the kind of connection that only grows when we drop the masks and meet each other as we truly are.

After the river journey, you’ll receive three integration sessions and a buddy practice to help bring your learning home – bridging the wilderness and your everyday life with ongoing support.

Next Trip:
20 –  28 March 2026 (9 days / 8 nights)

Facilitated by:
Kate Raffin (Certified NVC Trainer) & the JOIN Team  

Prerequisite:
Familiarity with Nonviolent Communication (completion of an NVC Foundation Training, Ongo book, or similar experience).

What’s Included:

• Daily NVC sessions with certified trainer Kate Raffin
• Morning wellness and mindfulness practices
• Qualified and experienced whitewater instructors and guides
• All meals and snacks – delicious, wholesome, locally-sourced, sustainable and tailored to your dietary requirements
• Wilderness camping in breathtaking locations
• Group cooking and campfire connection
• Canoes, paddles, helmets, lifejackets, and all safety gear
• National Park permits, car shuttles, and first-aid support
• Post-trip integration support: 3 online sessions + buddy practice
  

OPTIONAL:
Tent and Sleeping Mattresses can be hired by adding them to your cart.

What you’ll need to bring:

• Clothing and personal items
• Camping Gear (hiring is also an option)
• Optional comforts

*Full packing lists will be provided for you pre-trip

You’ll Leave With:

• A deeper understanding of yourself and others
• Tools to communicate with honesty, empathy, and confidence
• Renewed vitality and appreciation for community

A lived experience of co-creating with nature – listening, adapting, and connecting with community through communication and shared experience.