Walk & Talk Support Groups

Online group support—Move your body. Calm your mind. Connect with others who get it.

Stress feels heavy. Let’s carry it together.

Life can feel like one long to-do list—always moving, always giving, never quite getting the space to breathe.

I know that feeling well. As both a former school leader and now a therapist, I’ve seen how easy it is for high-achieving women to pour everything into their students, families, or careers—while running on fumes themselves. For years, I lived in that cycle too: showing up for everyone else, while quietly burning out inside.

What I found—and what research confirms—is that walking changes everything. Movement regulates the nervous system, lowers cortisol, and creates space for clarity in a way sitting at a desk just can’t. The rhythm of walking helps the brain process emotions more effectively, sparking creativity and easing overthinking. Pair that with connection and therapist-guided strategies, and you have a powerful lab for real, lasting change.

That’s why Walk & Talk Support Groups exist. These 30-minute small-group sessions weave together gentle movement, community connection, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills. You’ll log in, pop in your earbuds, choose your own route, and walk at your own pace while practicing strategies to quiet your mind, release tension, and reconnect with what matters most.

You don’t have to push harder. You don’t have to do more. You just have to start walking—and let each step move you back toward steadiness, clarity, and yourself.

Learn more about Emily & The Red Door Therapy & Wellness Solutions!

Small Steps-Big Changes, together!

Life doesn’t slow down—and neither does your mind.

You hold everything together for everyone else, but inside it feels like your brain never stops. Between the late-night overthinking, the mental list you carry for work and home, and the constant pressure to show up “fine,” your body stays tense and your patience feels thin. Even the smallest requests can tip you into overwhelm.

This group is your reset button.

For 30 minutes, you’ll step away from the noise without disappearing from your day. You’ll log in, pop in your earbuds, choose your own pace and path, and walk alongside other women who understand what it’s like to feel stretched too thin. No one needs you to over-explain or keep it all together here. Just a safe rhythm of movement, breath, and connection that helps you feel lighter—right away.

You’ll leave with more than a pause—you’ll leave with tools.

Each Walk & Talk is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a proven framework for handling stress, unhooking from self-criticism, and realigning with what matters most. Instead of just hearing about a strategy, you’ll practice it in real time—so by the time you leave, you’ve already tried it on and felt the shift.

Over time, these small resets add up. Consistency softens the pressure, rewires how you respond to stress, and helps you move through your day with steadiness and compassion instead of tension and reactivity.

Led by Emily MacNiven, LPC

Walk & Talk Support Group

A rhythm of movement and connection where stress softens and calm takes root.

This group has flexible, ongoing enrollment and welcomes new members at any point.

*Due to the skills-based nature of this group, it is not covered by insurance

Days & Time
Mondays:
4:00-4:30pm MST
5:00-5:30pm CDT
6:00-6:30pm EST

Tuesdays:
6:30-7:00am MST
7:30-8:00am CDT
8:30-9:00am EST

12:00-12:30pm MST
1:00-1:30pm CDT
2:00-2:30pm EST

12:30-1:00pm MST
1:30-2:00pm CDT
2:30-3:00pm EST

Wednesdays:
11:00-11:30am MST
12:00-12:30pm CDT
1:00-1:30pm EST


11:30-12:00pm MST
12:30-1:00pm CDT
1:30-2:00pm EST

Thursdays:
6:30-7:00am MST
7:30-8:00am CDT
8:00-8:30am EST

1:00-1:30pm MST
2:00-2:30pm CDT
3:00-3:30pm EST

Why Join a Walk & Talk Group?

These groups are designed for people like you—teachers and high-achieving, busy-brained women who are:

✔️🌱 Tired of Being “the Strong One” Always giving, always showing up—while neglecting your own needs.

✔️🌀 Stuck in Overthinking: Racing thoughts, looping worries, and difficulty turning off “go mode.”

✔️📋 Carrying Invisible Labor: Managing the mental load, juggling tasks, and navigating executive function stress.

✔️💔 Sensitive to Rejection or Misunderstanding: Feeling dismissed, unseen, or anxious about letting others down.

✔️🔗 Longing for Safe Connection: Wanting a place where you don’t have to over-explain yourself or minimize your feelings.

✔️🔥 Worn Out & Burned Out: Just holding on for the next break, but craving something more sustainable.

✔️⚖️ Stuck Between “All or Nothing” Wanting to care for yourself but feeling trapped in a perfectionistic cycle—waiting to go big while struggling to take the small, consistent steps that create real, sustainable change.

There’s Another Way Forward

What if—for just 30 minutes—you had a space to step outside of all the noise and pressure?

A place where:

  • You’re seen and understood without needing to over-explain.

  • Racing thoughts ease up, giving you a chance to actually breathe.

  • You walk away feeling lighter, steadier, and more anchored in what matters most.

  • You’re not carrying it all alone, but sharing the weight with people who truly get it.

This won’t erase the hard stuff in your life. But it will give you tools, space, and support to handle it differently—so you can move through your days with more balance and less burnout.

And here’s the powerful part: small steps like this add up. Every time you show up to move your body, quiet your mind, and connect with others, you’re building a rhythm of consistency that fuels real change. Over time, those 30 minutes stack together—teaching your nervous system to settle more quickly, strengthening your ability to care for yourself without guilt, and proving that lasting progress doesn’t come from going “all in” for a week and burning out, but from small, steady choices that become part of your life.

Walk & Talk Group Support: Your Next Step Toward Relief

These are small, therapist-guided groups designed to help you:

  • Quiet the mental chatter and stop the constant spinning.

  • Build resilience around rejection sensitivity and people-pleasing.

  • Break free from the cycle of burnout with tiny, doable shifts.

  • Connect with others who understand the demands you’re under.

  • Take real steps toward living with more energy, intention, and ease.

You don’t have to figure this out alone!

🌟 Each Walk & Talk group is short, doable, and grounding—something you can actually fit into your day without becoming another “should” on your list.

✨ Each Session Follows the Discover + Grow + Integrate™ Framework:

  • Discover → Learn one simple ACT-based skill to handle stress, overthinking, or self-criticism.

  • Grow → Practice it together in real time while you walk your own route, at your own pace, with earbuds in and gentle guidance along the way.

  • Integrate → Leave with one small, practical step that already feels lived—not just learned.

✨ What to Expect in Each Group:

🕰 Short & Doable: 30-minute sessions—long enough to reset, short enough to actually fit.

📅 Flexible Options: Groups run four days a week at the times that matter most:

• Before your day begins (to ground before the whirlwind starts).

• Midday (a reset during your lunch break).

• Right after work (to release stress before heading into your evening).

💻 Easy & Online: Log in, pop in your earbuds, choose your own walking route, and join the group. Stay on video or just audio—whatever feels right for you.

🚶 Walk & Talk: Gentle movement + conversation create a rhythm that calms your nervous system and opens space for clarity.

🌱 Learn & Apply in Real Time: Each session includes space to:

• Reflect on how the skill shows up in your life.

• Connect with others who get it.

• Apply the tool right there—so you leave already practicing, not just listening.

🔄 Come As You Are: No prep, no pressure. Just show up, walk your pace, listen, share if you want, and leave lighter and steadier.

✨How Support Groups Differ From Therapy

These Walk & Talk Support Groups are not therapy—they’re a space for shared support, gentle movement, and learning small skills together. In therapy, the focus is more individualized: diving deeper into your personal history, mental health concerns, and one-on-one treatment goals with a licensed professional.

In contrast, these groups are skills-based and community-focused. Each 30-minute session introduces a simple tool from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), giving you a chance to practice it in real time while connecting with others who understand the weight you’re carrying. The focus is on present-moment stress support—helping you reset, breathe, and take one small, doable step into the rest of your day.

Think of it like this: therapy is about healing at depth, while these groups are about steadying yourself in the moment with community, movement, and real-life strategies.

✨Choose Your Path: Standalone or Paired with Courses

Walk & Talk Support Groups can be powerful on their own—a space to step out of overwhelm, feel less alone, and finally breathe a little deeper. But sometimes it’s not just about needing support in the moment—it’s about wanting more structure, a roadmap, and tools that actually stick when life feels like too much.

That’s where our courses come in. You get to choose:

✨ Standalone Walk & Talk – one walk at a time, no extra homework, no pressure.

✨ Walk & Talk + Course Bundle – add a guided framework so you can bring what you’re learning directly into your walks, building accountability and momentum.

Our current audio courses include:

• ACT to Thrive → Learn how the six processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help you reduce stress, reconnect with your values, and build resilience.

• Beyond the ‘Shoulds’ → Break free from the cycle of guilt around food and exercise by learning compassionate, sustainable ways to care for your body.

Each course follows our Discover → Grow → Integrate™ framework:

• 🎧 Discover → Listen to short audio lessons while you walk.

• 👣 Grow → Practice the skills in real time during Walk & Talk groups.

• ✍️ Integrate → Use reflection prompts and simple tracking tools during the week so the shifts last.

And if you’re a teacher in Colorado, your personal growth can also count toward your professional renewal—our courses are CEU-eligible when paired with Walk & Talk sessions.

Find a steady rhythm of relief—gaining small but powerful tools to calm your mind and ease the weight you’ve been carrying. Over time, these consistent steps create real shifts: more balance, more connection, and more energy to move through life with steadiness instead of strain.

What's Possible Through Walk & Talk Support Groups

*Participant

“Usually I feel guilty taking time for myself, but this group feels different—it’s short, it fits into my day, and it actually makes me calmer going back into the chaos. I’m starting to feel like small steps can really add up.”

*Participant

“I didn’t realize how much I needed a space like this until I tried it. Just 30 minutes gave me tools I could actually use at work the same day, and hearing other women share reminded me I’m not the only one carrying this invisible weight.”

*Participant

“For the first time in a long time, I felt like I didn’t have to explain why my brain never shuts off—everyone just got it. Walking while we talked helped me breathe easier, and I left feeling lighter than when I came in.”

Meet Your Guide

This isn’t just a group, it’s a space to exhale, connect, and grow at your own pace, with guidance that meets you where you are.

Emily MacNiven, LPC, is a therapist, educator, and founder of The Red Door. She brings warmth, wisdom, and realness to every group, not to fix you, but to walk with you. Emily believes that something powerful happens when people come together with honesty and care, group work can soften isolation, spark insight, and remind us we’re not alone in what we carry. Healing doesn’t happen under pressure. It happens in the presence of safety, clarity, compassion, and connection.

With deep experience supporting folks tangled in mental noise, relationship uncertainty, people-pleasing, and identity-level self-doubt, Emily leads with grounded skill and steady gentleness. Her approach blends structure with softness, offering clear tools, meaningful reflection, and space to show up exactly as you are. In her groups, you don’t just learn to manage life. You learn to reclaim it.

Questions?

Logistics + FAQs

  • Not at all. These groups are held online, through audio, so you can join from wherever you are—whether that’s walking around your neighborhood, pacing in your living room, or even just sitting with your headphones in. The focus isn’t on distance or steps, but on creating a gentle rhythm that helps regulate stress and opens space for connection. We move at a conversational pace, and you can always adjust to what feels comfortable for your body. What matters most is showing up consistently—because small steps, taken together over time, can make a big difference.

  • Movement helps your brain process and your body release tension. Walking while talking creates a natural rhythm that makes it easier to slow racing thoughts, regulate stress, and open up in ways that can feel harder when you’re just sitting still.

    When you pair that movement with a supportive group, you also add built-in accountability—you’re more likely to show up, even on the days you don’t feel like it. And because sessions are just 30 minutes, you can fit them into the small pockets of your day. Instead of spending that time scrolling Instagram or watching TikTok, you’re engaging a different part of your brain—learning practical skills, processing your stress in real time, and walking away steadier than when you came in.

  • You’ll log in through a simple link. Most people keep audio on and choose whether to be on camera. You’ll be moving in your own space and your own way, but at the same time as others—which makes it feel lighter, more connected, and easier to stay consistent than trying to do it on your own.

  • That’s okay. You’ll never be pressured to share more than you want. Some participants prefer to mostly listen and reflect, and that’s just as valuable. The group is designed to meet you where you are.

  • This is a support group, not therapy. While the group draws on evidence-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills, the purpose here is peer support, learning, and real-time practice. It’s about shared experience and small steps forward, not clinical treatment.

  • Nothing fancy—just yourself, a pair of comfortable shoes, and earbuds or headphones. Each session is always virtual: you’ll click the link, log on, and choose whether to stay on camera or just listen through audio as you walk. You also get to choose your own route—whether that’s around your neighborhood, inside your house, or even pacing your office. No prep work, no pressure. Every group is designed to fit seamlessly into your day so you can simply show up and take a small step for yourself.

Getting Started Is Simple…

🌿🚶‍♀️ Come Walk With Us!

  1. Click “Get Started Now!” to join a group.

  2. Select “I’m a new client.”

  3. Choose Walk & Talk Support Group.

  4. Pick the session time that works best for your schedule.

  5. Complete the short Getting Started Form (just 2–3 minutes)

    💻 How it Works

    On group day, you’ll click the link, pop in your earbuds, and walk your own route—whether that’s around the block, your living room, or a nearby trail. You can keep your camera on or just join by audio. What matters most is showing up and moving together, not mileage or steps.

💸 Flexible Payment Options

You can choose the option that works best for you:

  • Drop-In Session → $17.50 per 30-minute group. Perfect if you want to try it out or pop in when you can.

  • Pre-Book Multiple Sessions → Secure your spot ahead of time and build consistency week to week.

  • Monthly Membership → $60/month (just $15 per session). Enjoy unlimited access to Walk & Talk Support Groups whenever it fits your schedule.

*These reflections are representative of common themes shared in individual and group sessions and are not direct client testimonials.

Take the next step

Ready to Join—or Just Exploring?

You don’t need a consultation to start. Simply click the “Get Started Now” button above, select the Walk & Talk Support Group, and choose the session time that works for you. You can book one session at a time, a set of sessions, or even purchase a monthly membership for flexible access.

If you’d like to learn more first—or if you’re unsure whether this group is the right fit—you’re welcome to schedule a complimentary consultation. When we connect, we can talk through your goals, answer questions, and explore other options at The Red Door Therapy & Wellness Solutions that may support you best.

No pressure, no rush—just simple steps to the support that feels right for you.