A Return to Solace: an Interview With an Old Friend on Community, Connection, and a Different Way of Being Together

Solace Farms: Welcome back to Solace Farms, Allison Brunner! What inspired you to return now?

Allison Brunner: It feels like coming home—minus the part where I’d walk around in pajamas ’til noon on Saturdays.

But seriously, Solace Farms meant a lot to me back when you first opened and I moved to the area at the same time. I held circles and workshops here, and there’s something about this place, the land, the people, and the magic that’s made when people open up to each other. I’ll never forget holding my first circle in the summertime right outside, and the bats were flying back and forth every time someone shared something deeply personal, like they were part of the circle too.

I stepped away for a period because I was deeply burned out from the way I was living and working. As a highly sensitive, empathic person, I had to forget the ways I was trained to work with people and, through deep inner inquiry, learn a completely different way. I slowed everything down and listened more carefully to what my body needed and what my energy could actually sustain—turns out, not everything and everyone all at once.

During that time, a lot became clear. I realized I didn’t want to continue working only as a one-on-one healing facilitator. What kept calling me was group space and community. Having more fun. And being with people in a shared field, where something bigger can emerge.

SFs: Why does community feel so important to you right now?

Allison: Because so many people are in the middle of major change.

On a personal level, people are going through deep inner shifts. We’re evolving out of our old roles and identities. Hyper-independence, competition, and ways of living that once felt sustainable don’t feel so great anymore. There’s a lot that’s in motion.

And at the same time, many of the communities people once felt connected to no longer feel like the right fit. That’s something I hear over and over again and I’ve gone through myself. There can be a sense of not quite belonging anywhere.

Many of us have gone into our caves to face ourselves and our deepest fears. I sure have—to the extent that I talk out loud to myself and then answer. That’s another sign it’s time to reconnect!

For years, we’ve leaned more and more on online spaces (social media in particular) to meet that need for connection. And while that has helped in some ways, it has also come with a cost. People have gotten used to presenting a version of ourselves we think will be loved rather than being fully present as we are. Many of us have forgotten how to be real, to be seen while we’re going through challenges, especially when life feels messy or uncertain.

So before we can create anything new together, we have to relearn something very basic: how to feel safe with each other again and how to be in the same space and actually be authentic.

That’s the foundation of everything I want to create right now. Later, we can build on that by co-creating an entirely new experience on this planet that is based on the power of the people unified, respectful, harmonious, and at peace. 

First though, I think we get used to being seen with mascara smeared on our cheeks, butterflies in our guts, and maybe some chocolate stuck to our fingers. Or something like that.

SFs: What kind of space are you hoping to create in your workshops?

Allison: A space where people can be human. Where no one has to perform or present themselves in a certain way. Where no one is trying to fix or analyze anyone else. Where people can show up as they are, whether that’s grounded, uncertain, open, emotional, quiet, or somewhere in between.

I’ve seen over the years that even in spiritual communities, people can feel a lot of pressure to have it together. To appear centered or enlightened. And that can make it harder to be honest about what we’re actually experiencing.

I want spaces where people feel safe enough to be real. Where there’s respect for each person’s own inner knowing. Where no one is positioned as the authority over someone else’s experience.

And that includes me. I’m not outside of the process. I’m in it too. None of us is ever so evolved that we’re better or wiser than anyone else. We all melt down. We all have judgments. We all feel terrified at times. Sometimes all before lunch. That is totally OK! It’s about acknowledging it with self-compassion, honesty, and the willingness to show up with the intention of working through it together.

SFs: You also bring a unique blend of psychological and spiritual work. How would you describe your approach?

Allison: It’s very grounded. I’ve moved through a lot of different spiritual paths over the years while also weaving together science (from my background as a somatic psychotherapist) with Spirit.

I grew up Catholic, became agnostic, spent time in Unitarian Universalist communities, explored pagan and Buddhist traditions, and later encountered more contemporary spiritual teachings. Then I spent a decade apprenticing in the Andean mystical tradition. That experience altered me in a very practical way. The Q’ero people, who carry that tradition, are an agrarian culture. Everything is rooted in lived experience. It has to work in real life. There isn’t an emphasis on believing something just because someone says it’s true. You look for what actually holds up. You pay attention to what you experience directly.

And life has tested me in that way as well. Through a lot of loss, major changes, and fierce initiations, I’ve had to let go of anything that didn’t hold up in real life.

So what I offer now is very simple in that sense. It’s about being in your body. It’s about being honest about your experience. It’s about integrating the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life rather than separating them.

To me, there isn’t a divide between those things. Being fully human is sacred.

SFs: Can you share a bit about the workshops you’re offering this month?

Allison: Yes, I’m really looking forward to these.

One is an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping workshop. That one came through very clearly in response to how many people are feeling right now. There’s a lot of uncertainty, a lot of nervous system activation, a sense that things are changing faster than we can orient to.

EFT is a very practical tool that helps the body settle. It gives people something they can actually use when they feel overwhelmed or anxious. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it can make a real difference in how people move through their day.

Even advanced practitioners of EFT are encouraged to attend, because we can use it to “program” ourselves to what’s true so we feel more confident and adept, able to meet the challenges that lie ahead with great self-trust and creativity.

The other workshop is a Jungian-inspired tarot experience. And I always like to clarify that this isn’t about learning tarot or predicting anything. It’s more about your subconscious and inner guidance than divination.

It’s about using the imagery, archetypes, and symbolism as a way to enter into a deeper conversation with ourselves. It invites reflection, insight, and sometimes surprising clarity. It also tends to open up meaningful conversations between people in the group.

Both workshops are really about connection. The tools are part of it, but what matters most to me is what happens between people in the space.

SFs: There’s also a sense of lightness in how you describe your work. Can you say more about that?

Allison: That has become really important to me. I recently started taking an improv class, and it surprised me how quickly a group of people from very different walks of life and worldviews bonded. Week after week, we’ve been laughing, being a little ridiculous, silly to the extreme, trying things, and supporting each other. There’s something about laughing together that changes everything. It softens people and makes connection easier.

My teacher in the Andean tradition used to remind me of pukllay, a Quechua term, which is about play, joy embodied, and a lighthearted way of being with life. I used to take spiritual growth and healing very seriously, and she would remind me often, “Pukllay!” So I let myself pirouette in the grocery store if the music is right, sing aloud at the coffee shop, and talk to trees even if the park is crowded.

I want there to be room for that spirit here too. Yes, people are navigating real challenges. And there’s also room for laughter, for ease, and for lightness. I want to inspire people to come through Solace Farms' doors to connect in playful ways. If you're not yet ready to commit to a workshop or formal group, keep your eyes and ears open for announcements of time and space where we can come together and enjoy community in less structured ways.

SFs: What would you say to someone who’s considering coming?

Allison: You don’t have to be anything other than who you are when you walk in.

You don’t need experience with EFT or tarot. You don’t need to have a certain belief system. You don’t need to feel a certain way. If you’re wanting connection, if you’re wanting a space where you can take a breath and be with others in a real way, you’ll be welcomed.

And for me, it feels meaningful to be offering this again at Solace Farms. It’s a beautiful part of Chester County, and there’s something about gathering here that feels supportive and grounded. I’m really looking forward to it!

Allison's Upcoming Workshops at Solace Farms Day Retreat

A Jungian Tarot Workshop for Deeper Self-Insight Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 1:00-2:30 PM

An experiential workshop using tarot imagery as a reflective tool for self-inquiry, insight, and meaningful connection with yourself and others.

Register online at SolaceFarmsDayRetreat.com.

Find Your Center in Times of Upheaval

A Somatic, Experiential EFT Tapping Workshop

Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 1:00–2:30 PM

A guided, body-based experience to help you settle your nervous system, find footing within yourself, and navigate uncertainty with more confidence and ease. Register online at SolaceFarmsDayRetreat.com.