You could join us...

Inside and Outside.

The Story of Us

Winifred and Leslie standing side by side with foliage and a bird feeder in the background. Courage & Renewal ® Courage Retreats, Circle of Trust ®, Courage to Teach ® image.
Our journey began in a living room. A group of friends sorting through the transitions and dilemmas arising in our lives.

We’d start with a few moments of mindfulness to help us attend to each other and find our own thoughts. And then, we’d read a little text or poem that offered a window into the changes we were facing. Time followed to reflect silently on what we had read and what it meant to us.

Some of us wrote. Others sketched. A few of us just gazed out the window. Precious time alone with our thoughts.

And then we’d share. Not the sort of sharing you might have over a cup of tea, mind you. This was different. We structured it  like this:

Sit with a partner. One person speaks. Says what they need to say, while the other listens. Simply listens.

No interrupting.

When the person is finished, the other might ask a simple question. But no advice, no suggestions, no comments, not even a “ya, me too.” Just an honest, open question meant to inspire deeper thought.

Then switch roles and repeat.

And you know what? It was kind of magic.

We didn’t just find fresh perspectives on our own questions and quandaries. We learned what it is to listen deeply to each other and ourselves.

We came back to the whole group feeling heard, witnessed, and clearer in our own hearts.

We closed with comments about what the evening meant to us, and finished up with a poem.

That was 2018. Forty retreats and 400 participants later, we’re still at it. Online, in-person, inside, outside. Still following the simple, gentle, structure we began with. 

Who are we?

Friends, collaborators, and co-conspirators for the past 40 years. Together we’ve worked as childbirth educators, freelance writers and social activists. Over time we’ve explored facilitation, mindfulness and, most recently, Courage & Renewal ® work, both of us completing the Facilitator Preparation Program with the Center for Courage & Renewal.

We’ve shared countless cups of tea, watched each other’s children blossom, welcomed grandchildren and bid goodby to friends and loved ones. Together we created the Inside Outside Retreat Centre to offer the gift of time and space to rest, reflect, and renew the spirit, all in service of creating a more loving, equitable world.

Our work is influenced and informed by many wise teachers including Parker J. Palmer, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Shakil Choudhury, and Richard Wagamese. We bring a shared love of music, poetry, art, and walking to the sessions we offer.

We hope you’ll join us.

“From the first session, I felt like an integral member of the group. I understood why Leslie and Winifred are “facilitators” and not leaders; they create a space for each participant to receive just what they may be searching for… from the group participation and from oneself.”

Monique

Retreat Participant

Winifred Hunsburger (she, her) Ed.D. ATC.

In addition to my role as a Courage & Renewal Facilitator, I am an Adler Trained Coach and hold the Anima Inclusive Leadership Certificate, I am also an International Facilitator with NSRF Harmony Education Center. I have 35 years experience teaching young people and adults. I completed a Doctorate of Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Nothing makes me happier than holding space for others to reflect on their life’s path and listen to their true self.

Photo of Winifred smiling and looking in the camera. She has a grey bob haircut with bangs and glasses with silver details. She is wearing a purple shirt and navy velvet blazer. Courage & Renewal ® Courage Retreats, Circle of Trust ®, Courage to Teach ® image.

Leslie Chandler (she, her)



As well as my practice as a Courage & Renewal Facilitator, I am an Adult Educator and work as Patient Education Specialist at an academic health sciences centre. I hold certificates in Applied Mindfulness Meditation and Mindfulness Based Group Practice, integrating these practices into my work and personal life.  There is a small tattoo on my left shoulder with the words “Only Love”. It serves as a reminder that even when we shoulder big responsibilities, they can be borne more readily with loving kindness. This work we do helps to reaffirm that belief.

A headshot photo of Leslie Chandler, one of the retreat facilitators at the Inside Outside Retreat Centre. Courage & Renewal ® Courage Retreats, Circle of Trust ®, Courage to Teach ® image.

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    Contact Us

    retreats@insideoutsideretreatcentre.com

    We are settlers on Treaty 13 Land, the traditional territories of many Indigenous Nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples from across Turtle Island. We are committed to honouring the history this land bears witness to, responding to the 94 Calls to Action of the  Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and walking lightly on the Earth. A portion of proceeds from all our offerings are sent to:  The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and The Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation.

    The Inside Outside Retreat Centre, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), 720 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5S2R4