Tiny Experiments
A live 5-session workshop to discover the life-changing power of tiny, joyful experiments.
Based on the book Tiny Experiments
"Tiny Experiments is all about transforming self-doubt into self-discovery. It's about experimenting, trying new things, learning new skills, putting yourself out there, making mistakes and growing in the process." Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Stop forcing change that doesn't last. Start experimenting your way to the life you actually want.
Tiny Experiments is a live, gently-guided series for anyone craving fresh ways to grow, heal, and relate—with less pressure and more play.
Each week offers a simple, doable action that opens a little door. A door toward insight, toward presence, toward movement. You’ll get tools, reflection prompts, and inspiration—all rooted in the idea that we grow through experimenting, not perfecting.
If you’ve been feeling a bit stuck or numb… if your inner critic has been running the show… or if you just want more creativity and joy in your daily rhythm—this space is for you.
The path to change isn't a straight line. It's a series of tiny experiments.
Unlike traditional coaching that fixates on end goals, we focus on the beauty of the journey itself. Life isn't a linear, zero-sum game. It's an ongoing experiment where you are both the actor and the director in the unfolding story of your life.
You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to start experimenting.
The Beauty of an Experimental Life
Community-Powered Discovery
You've bought the self-help books. You've listened to the podcasts. You've highlighted passages and taken notes. But how much of it have you actually put into practice?
Our Tiny Experiments Workshop Series is different.
We're not just talking about theory—we're creating a community where you can experiment with new ways of being in a supportive, relational environment.
Self-discovery is more joyful—and more transformative—when you're in partnership with others who support your experimental journey.
We're committed to fostering connection.
What if the reason you're stuck isn't lack of effort, but the entirely wrong approach to change?
Life doesn’t always need a five-year plan. Sometimes, what we really need is permission to play, to question, to test and learn.
Tiny Experiments invites you into the mindset of a creative, curious life—where your lived experience becomes your laboratory. Where trying counts more than achieving. And where the answers don’t come from outside you, but from within.
Whether you're exploring emotional patterns, trying to shift a habit, or reconnecting to your purpose, the experimental lens helps you move forward with compassion, clarity, and courage.
Your 5-Week Journey
Session 1: Embracing the Wonder of Experimentation
Discover the beauty and freedom of an experimental life. Learn to shift from fixed outcomes to open curiosity. We'll begin with "I wonder..." as we cultivate kind attention to ourselves and our surroundings through our first observation exercise. This session is held in person at Capital Crescent Collective, Bethesda, MD. Option to join via Zoom for those who can't make it in person.
Session 2: Designing Your First Experiment
Learn to create a PACT (Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, Trackable) that honors your intuition and desires. You'll craft experiments that feel alive and meaningful rather than goals that are rigid and prescribed. Session held live over Zoom.
Session 3: Dancing with Resistance
Transform obstacles into valuable data. Instead of seeing resistance as failure, we'll learn to interpret it as information that guides our next experimental steps. Your body and emotions become wise guides in this process. Session held live over Zoom.
Session 4: From Linear Paths to Growth Loops
The secret to designing growth loops is your ability to think about your own thinking. We'll explore metacognition and how to create cycles of learning that spiral upward rather than move in straight lines. Discover when it's time to persist, pause or pivot. Session held live over Zoom.
Session 5: The Art of Living Experimentally
Celebrate the beauty of your experimental journey. We'll create personal manifestos that honor the fluid, evolving nature of life and explore how to continue dancing with uncertainty and possibility.
This session is held in person at Capital Crescent Collective, Bethesda, MD. Option to join via Zoom for those who can't make it in person.
Workshop Series Details
Dates and Times
All sessions held Tuesdays from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. EST
Session 1 - May 6
In person at Capital Crescent Collective, Bethesda, MD. Option to join via Zoom for those who can't make it in person.
Session 2 - May 13
Live via Zoom
Session 3 - May 20
Live via Zoom
Session 4 - May 27
Live via Zoom
Session 5 - June 17
In person in at Capital Crescent Collective, Bethesda, MD. Option to join via Zoom for those who can't make it in person.
In between sessions we'll keep momentum going in a group chat.
6931 Arlington Rd Suite 440, Bethesda, MD 20814
* This coaching program is not a substitute for counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care or substance abuse treatment and does not take the place of any form of therapy.
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Who is this retreat for?This retreat is for you if: You're juggling a million things and could use a breather. You're craving deeper connections - with yourself, others, and something larger (whatever that means to you). The idea of unplugging in nature sounds like heaven right now. You're game to try practices that expand your heart and fill your soul. You want to hang out with other amazing women. If you're ready to trade your to-do list for some soul-nourishing connections, this retreat is calling your name! No experience needed - just bring your beautiful self and an open mind. We can't wait to meet you! 🌟
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What can I expect?Our retreat is laid back. We'll have plenty of activities planned, but will go where the flow takes us. Here's a taste of what's in store: 🏔️ Gorgeous views: We're talking Blue Ridge Mountains in full autumn glory. 🧘🏽♀️Heart-centered activities: Guided meditation and visualization, HeartMath practices, reflection, discussions and other unique experiences that fuel your soul. 👭 Expert facilitators: With decades of combined experience between us, we'll hold space for our group and guide you through the weekend. 🌿 Nature therapy: Forest bathing, anyone? Connect with Mother Nature and feel those stress levels drop. 🤗 New friends: Share, laugh, and maybe happy-cry. 🍽️ Yummy eats: Nourishing, delicious homemade meals. And you don't have to do a thing! 🛋️ Cozy digs: Snuggle up in our comfy mountain lodge. It's like a warm hug from a building. ⏰ You time: Time and space to just be. Nap, read, or stare at clouds - you do you! 💃 Evening fun: Games, chats, or stargazing - wind down your way. You'll head home feeling refreshed, inspired, and connected.
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Does this retreat have a theme or topic?Yes! The theme of our retreat is Heart Connections-- with ourselves, with others, with the world around us, and beyond. Throughout the weekend, we'll explore ways to honor and deepen the interconnectedness of our lives and to gently discover where we feel disconnected so that we can lovingly tend to those places. Using heart-centered practices, including reflections, discussions, guided meditations, gentle movement, HeartMath techniques, and creative expression, we will: Cultivate inner peace and a loving heart Explore what enhances or gets in the way of connection Build genuine bonds with fellow retreaters Strengthen our connection to nature and something greater than ourselves Explore when loving boundaries are necessary for healthy connection Our intention is to create a loving environment for growth and authentic connections. While this is a well structured retreat, we leave space open for what naturally emerges
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What's the schedule?Here's a loose schedule to give you an idea of the cadence of our time together. We're good at reading the room and adjusting accordingly. Friday 4:00 - 5:30 - arrive and get settled. 5:30 - 6:30 opening activity 7:00 - dinner Saturday 8:00-9:30 - breakfast 10:00 - 1:00 - morning activities 1:00 - 2:30 - lunch and relaxation 2:30 - 4:00 afternoon activities 4:00 - 6:30 - free time to relax, hang out, walk, etc. 6:30 - dinner Sunday 8:00 - 9:30 - breakfast 10:00 - 11:00 closing activity 11:00 to noon - pack up and depart * there will be time after dinner for games, hanging out, reading, etc. We'll play by that ear.
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What are accommodations like?We're staying at Bear Rock Lodge, a secluded 6-bedroom home about an hour outside of DC. You can request your own room for a higher fee or choose to bunk up with an old friend (yes, bring a friend!) or a soon-to-be new friend. You can check out the lodge by following THIS LINK.
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How much does the retreat cost and what's included in the price?The cost of the retreat is $640 for a single room and $540 for a shared room. The price includes: Two nights lodging at Bear Rock cabin in Bluemont, VA Meals: dinner Friday & Saturday evenings, breakfast Saturday & Sunday mornings, lunch Saturday. Drinks: coffee, tea, water, juice and seltzer. Facilitation of retreat activities by Liz and Ann. Cancellation policy: Payment in full due at time of registration. 50% refund if canceling before Oct. 11.
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What should I bring?Comfortable, layered clothing for varying autumn temperatures Comfortable walking shoes Journal and pen Any personal items for comfort (e.g., favorite tea, cozy socks) Hobby/art/craft items like sketch pad and colors, knitting, etc.
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What's the minimum and maximum number of women on the retreat?In order to hold this retreat, we need a minimum of 8 women (not including facilitators). The maximum number is 10. If we don't reach the minimum number, we will cancel the retreat and refund 100% of your payment.
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Why do you require a phone call before registration?Websites are great, but you can only tell so much from looking at a screen. That's why we request a short phone call with each person interested in the retreat. This way, you can ask us as many questions as you'd like to make sure this retreat is a good fit for you. And, we can find out your expectations and any special needs you may have to make sure we're able to accommodate them.
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I have questions. How do I contact you?We're glad you asked! Click on THIS LINK to send us a message. We'll be in touch soon!
Have other questions?
Meet Liz and Emily, your Curiosity Cultivators!
Liz Rees
This workshop speaks to my heart. I've approached life as a series of experiments, both personally and professionally, for most of my life.
My path has been anything but linear. It began with leaping into the unknown as a Peace Corps volunteer, where I discovered that the most meaningful growth happens outside our comfort zones. That experience sparked a curiosity that led me to captain a sailboat—navigating a vessel and new marriage through the unpredictable currents of life itself.
As I lived across Guatemala, Colombia, Kenya, and the United States, each location became a laboratory for understanding different cultures, perspectives, and ways of being. I experimented with different careers in non-profit and international development for 12 years, collecting valuable insights along the way.
Through each transition, I unconsciously developed an experimental mindset—trying new approaches, observing the results, adjusting course, and trying again. This natural tendency eventually led me to coaching, where I found my true calling in helping others navigate their own life journeys.
For the past 7 years, I've guided hundreds of clients using this same philosophy. As a national board certified health and wellness coach, positive psychology practitioner, meditation instructor and HeartMath coach, I've assembled a diverse toolkit of approaches. My training in ACT, Internal Family Systems, and The Change Triangle has further expanded my ability to help others embrace life's uncertainties as opportunities rather than obstacles.
Today, I bring this experimental mindset to everything I do—whether I'm meditating, hiking local trails, or helping my two teenagers navigate their own unfolding paths.
I'm thrilled to be one of your guides on this experimental journey!
Emilly Racic, PhD.
Like many of the most meaningful journeys, mine has been full of unexpected turns and profound discoveries. For over a decade, I practiced as a licensed marriage and family therapist, helping individuals and couples navigate their most challenging moments. Today, as a life and relationship coach, I continue this work with an evidence-informed, trauma-sensitive approach that honors each person's unique path.
My own life has been a series of experiments in resilience and reinvention. As I share openly with my clients, "I got divorced during the pandemic, I walked away from therapist licensure and the profession I loved, I got remarried, I'm loving my second career as a coach..." Through these transitions, I've experienced firsthand the vulnerability of feeling lost and the triumph of finding new direction.
This personal journey informs everything about my coaching style—warm, proactive, and understanding. I believe deeply that tiny experiments can lead to profound transformation. Whether helping couples strengthen their connection, individuals heal family-of-origin pain, or partners navigate the transition to parenthood, I encourage clients to take small, meaningful steps toward change.
My approach blends gentle humor, attentive listening, and creative interventions that sometimes "color outside the lines." Drawing from relationship research and literature, I help people make sense of their experiences, understand themselves more deeply, and break free from limiting patterns—one experiment at a time.
I'm passionate about helping people discover that "everything you need to deepen self-awareness and grow as a person and a partner is already inside of you." This workshop embodies my belief that we can all remake, reimagine, and redefine our lives through curiosity, community, and the courage to try something new.
I live in Kensington with my husband and two sons, continuing my own experiments in joy, connection, and purpose every day.
Kind words
“I have been thinking about you and reflecting over the last month. It was such a blessing the timing that you came into my life and in many ways, saved me. I am forever grateful. I would not be where I am in this new partnership if it was not for you and your dedication to my growth.” S. (client of Emily's)
"Liz brought me into a community and a soulful space in a way I was not expecting. I was blown away by her ability to connect with everyone in our group and bring strangers together who found themselves laughing and crying with one another like old friends. Her sessions touched something deep inside me that I didn't even know I was longing for and made me feel a part of something wonderful. I can't recommend her enough for retreats, group activities, one on one discussions, soulful sessions or just gathering together." Nichole Graber
"Talking with you feels watering a plant inside of me that has been thirsty my whole life. It's relieving to talk to someone so good at their craft -- help this good gives me hope for our world. After just two sessions of your coaching, I feel grounded and seen and ready to take the next right action in my life. Thank you." K. (client of Emily's)
"Liz is such a great facilitator and mentor! I can't recommend highly enough! The course helped me focus on balance, and while delving deeply into the topics covered, also gave simple, practical ways to incorporate new practices into my life. The stories, struggles and support of the other women in the group were invaluable. Doing this together created a community that I really value and care about.” Dani Burke
"I cannot recommend Liz enough. I came to her in a time of serious change in my life, having recently become a new mom. I was struggling to reconnect with myself and accept the new life, uncertainty, and challenges (and joys!) that come with being a working parent. She held the kindest, most gentle, most validating space for me to let go of my old identity and forge a new one that's still true to who I am. Her ability to validate my experience in this world and push me to think of new, healthier way to be me has left me feeling confident and empowered. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to work with her!" Ella Clarke