The Uplift Center +
Recess

Reclaiming Play & Connection for a Thriving Workplace

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team building, corporate wellness, fun yoga
team building, corporate wellness, fun yoga
wine and yoga, drunk yoga, corporate wellness, fun yoga
team building, corporate wellness, fun yoga
wine and yoga, drunk yoga, corporate wellness, fun yoga
wine and yoga, drunk yoga, corporate wellness, fun yoga
team building, corporate wellness, fun yoga
wine and yoga, drunk yoga, corporate wellness, fun yoga

Cultivate belonging & lasting engagement during your next off-site in the Hudson Valley.

Elevate your Upstate, NY corporate retreat with tailored yoga experiences, playful icebreaker activities, & belonging-building workshops.

The Uplift Center and Recess at Work believe that a connected team is a successful team. We both champion the power of play, meaningful connection, and genuine well-being to transform the workplace. The Uplift Center provides the tools to foster "Social Wellness" through our workshops and activations, while Recess at Work designs custom retreats that allow teams to truly disconnect and reconnect. Together, we offer a holistic approach to corporate wellness that will leave your team feeling refreshed, engaged, and more united than ever.

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“Thank you so much - the whole team had such a great experience!”

- Ashish Reddy, Spotify

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Planning an uplifting corporate retreat in Upstate New York shouldn’t be overwhelming—or break the bank.

Yoga class outdoors with participants lying on yoga mats and Eli Walker assisting one participant after Drunk Yoga team-building event.

Imagine a corporate retreat where the agenda is connection. The Uplift Center's engaging workshops on storytelling, creative thinking, and navigating difficult conversations, paired with Recess at Work's expertly designed custom retreats, create an unforgettable experience. Let us help you build a program that goes beyond the typical trust falls and icebreakers. We'll help your team rediscover the joy of play and build lasting bonds, leading to a more compassionate and productive work environment.

Ready to bring more play and connection to your workplace? Let's chat.

Book a call

“Eli was a major highlight of our event. Participants raved about how fun and engaging she was—she even tailored her material to be crucially relevant to our specific audience.
Eli was also super easy to work with—flexible, communicative and kind.”

- Stacy Heit, National Association of Workforce Boards

A yoga class where women are practicing yoga poses on mats, with an instructor aiding a woman in child's pose. Others are in various yoga positions in the background, in a bright room with large windows and wooden floors.
Group of people participating in an outdoor dance or exercise class on a city rooftop, with a colorful mural of a woman's face in the background.
Two women dancing outdoors on a rooftop garden, holding glasses of water, with city buildings in the background.
People participating in a yoga class in a natural light-filled room with wooden floors and large windows, with a dog lying on the floor in the foreground.
A group of people participating in a yoga class outdoors, performing a guided relaxation pose while lying on mats. An instructor with red hair is assisting a man with curly hair in a pose, with others in the background relaxing.
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A woman practicing yoga indoors in front of an open door with a view of a green outdoor area, sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat, facing a man whose back is to the camera.
Group of women practicing yoga outdoors on pink mats, lying on their stomachs with arms stretched out, while instructor assists one woman in downward dog pose.
People practicing yoga, bending sideways with one hand on a block and the other raised, on mats during a class in a room with a wooden floor and ceiling.
Group of women participating in an outdoor yoga session on a city rooftop, holding drinks and laughing.
Two women practicing yoga outdoors, one sitting on a yoga mat and the other sitting on a towel behind her, both smiling and engaging in a relaxed activity.
A woman practicing yoga on a rooftop with her eyes closed, holding a glass of juice with both hands above her head, wearing a black t-shirt that says 'Girl You Got This,' black and white patterned leggings, sitting cross-legged on a pink yoga mat.
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Get uplifted.

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Get centered.

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Get uplifted. // Get centered. //

Hudson Valley Corporate Wellness Activities Menu

Ready to press pause on the daily grind and invest in your team's well-being?
The Uplift Center, in collaboration with Recess at Work, is here to help. We combine engaging wellness and "Social Wellness" activations with custom-designed retreats to foster meaningful connections and bring the spirit of "recess" back to the workplace. It's time to build a happier, more connected team.

Mindfulness

Group of women sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor, engaging in a discussion in a bright room with large windows, modern art, and stairs in the background.

  • Embody belonging through Spirited Practices™, a blend of yoga, meditation, and mindful movement designed to ground and energize your team. This experience encourages connection, presence, and collaboration, helping participants release tension, center their minds, and foster a shared sense of belonging. Ideal for setting the tone for your retreat by carving out space for relaxation and individual reflection.

  • Enhance your corporate retreat with personalized astrology readings from Eli, a certified astrologer. Each participant will receive a one-on-one astrology reading, uncovering their unique strengths, challenges, and paths to growth. These readings offer valuable insights into how your team members work, communicate, and collaborate, helping to build stronger relationships and enhance team dynamics. A perfect way to spark personal reflection and enhance understanding in any professional setting.

  • $500 - $1,500

    *Price variables include number of participants, length of session and level of customization.

Play

  • Eli designs 30-minute facilitated icebreaker sessions infused with storytelling, mindfulness, and intentional questions. These playful yet meaningful activities are tailored to your team, creating a grounded and engaging environment where members can connect authentically and build camaraderie from the very start of your off-site experience.

  • Inspired by Eli’s original Drunk Yoga® experience, Lift Your Spirit(s) Yoga is an interactive, beginner-friendly “yoga drinking game” designed to bring people together through movement, games, and a lot of laughter. We’ll work with you to customize the name and theme to perfectly align with your event—(client favorites include Happy Hour Yoga, Espresso Yo-Self Coffee Yoga or Connect n' Stretch)—creating a truly memorable experience that helps you get over yourself and spark radical belonging.

  • After an engaging hour-long storytelling structure workshop with Eli, participants gather for an evening of connection and laughter at our Storytelling Open Mic Night. Each team member gets the chance to share a 6-minute personal or humorous story—true and drawn from their own life experiences. Whether it’s tales of triumph, embarrassing mishaps, or heartfelt moments, this curated event fosters authentic connection, builds confidence, and creates unforgettable memories for your team. Perfectly tailored to your group, this experience is where personal storytelling meets community building.

  • $1,000 - $2,500

    *Price variables include number of participants, length of session and level of customization.

Education

  • In this engaging workshop, participants will explore the role of ego in blocking authentic connection and learn how to shift perspectives for more meaningful interactions. Combining mindfulness practices, storytelling techniques, and group activities, this session empowers your team to let go of self-doubt, build confidence, and embrace the collaborative spirit necessary for thriving workplace dynamics.

  • Transform your team’s approach to work-life balance with this high-energy workshop focused on the art of play. Participants will dive into the P.L.A.Y. method—Place, Language, Acknowledgement, and You—to unlock creativity, boost morale, and foster a culture of joy and engagement. Through interactive exercises and actionable strategies, your team will leave inspired to work smarter, connect deeper, and, yes, play harder.

  • This immersive workshop is designed to cultivate a sense of belonging that spans both personal and professional growth. Participants will engage in a series of activities that explore the building blocks of connection, from crafting individual narratives to fostering collaborative relationships. Through playful games, reflective exercises, and skill-building sessions, your team will leave equipped with tools to create inclusive, thriving environments where everyone feels seen, valued, and inspired to contribute their best.

  • Turn workplace challenges into opportunities for growth with this transformative conflict resolution workshop. Participants will learn practical tools to navigate disagreements with empathy, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving techniques. Through role-playing exercises and real-world scenarios, your team will build the skills needed to manage conflict constructively, strengthen relationships, and cultivate a culture of trust and understanding.

  • $2,000 - $5,000

    *Price variables include number of participants, length of session and level of customization.

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Hudson Valley Corporate Retreat Sample
Itinerary

Day 1 - Evening Arrival

7:30pm - 8:30pm - Icebreakers Uplifted™

Day 2 - Morning

7:30am - 8:30am - Sunrise Yoga + Meditation

Day 2 - Afternoon

2:00pm - 5:00pm - Belonging Bootcamp Workshop

Day 2 - Evening

7:00pm - 9:30pm - Storytelling Open Mic Night

Day 3 - Morning

7:30am - 8:30am - Coffee Yoga™

Day 3 - Afternoon Closing

4:00pm - 5:30pm - Happy Hour Yoga + Closing Reflections

“In terms of community-building, Eli did not disappoint!”

- Rachel Abbate, WeWork

FAQs

  • Wherever you (our awesome client) tell us to go! Eli lives in the Hudson Valley, NY—(90 min. north of NYC in Upstate, NY)—so corporate wellness activities for off-sites in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut are considered “local.”

    She works with Hudson Valley corporate retreat centers in the Catskills, Hudson, Woodstock and beyond to help you source the perfect venue for your Upstate New York off-site. Book a call to learn more.

  • We recommend booking at least 4-6 weeks in advance to ensure availability and allow time for customization. However, we’re happy to accommodate tighter timelines whenever possible.

  • Pricing varies based on the type of event and services required. All bookings include consultation, planning, and facilitation. Travel and accommodation costs (if applicable) are billed separately.

  • Yes! Many of our workshops and experiences can be delivered virtually, offering the same level of engagement and connection as in-person events.

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Meet Your Corporate Retreat Facilitator & Organizer

Eli Walker smiling, sitting at a desk with a microphone, a laptop, and a smartphone, dressed in a dark, patterned dress with pearl jewelry.

  • Hi! I’m Eli. After earning a BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a decade of experience teaching yoga across the globe, I developed a knack—a superpower if you will—for helping people feel like they belong within live experiences. So, it was no surprise (to some more than others) that in 2017 I married my lifelong passions of storytelling and mindful movement to establish my first claim to fame: Drunk Yoga®—breaking the rules of yogic convention by infusing it with the social ritual of a happy hour.

    As Drunk Yoga® (now The Uplift Center) grew to international acclaim, I discovered how to translate the very same theatrical devices I used to make yoga feel like a party into a methodology to create authentic communities, cultivate deeper connections and inspire sustainable belonging—in our work, our relationships, and our passions. Belonging is the vehicle that gets us there, and the best way to build it is through play.

    That’s why I love facilitating playful corporate wellness activities for off-sites and retreats, especially immersed in the beauty of Upstate, New York. Hudson Valley retreat centers are ideal environments for teams to let go of old stories, step into collective narratives, and strengthen trust and collaboration.

    Ready to make some belonging-cultivating magic at your Hudson Valley corporate retreat?

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Get started
Smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white blouse and earrings, against a light background.

  • Hi! I’m Julia. I started Recess from a challenge we all felt during the pandemic: meaningful human connection—the key to great teams—was slipping away.

    I founded Recess after a year that shook me—personally and professionally. A year into the pandemic, I was grieving a major loss and feeling totally disconnected at work. Sitting through meetings with coworkers I'd never met IRL, I started reflecting on what had made me feel happy and engaged during my first decade in the workforce. The answer was simple: relationships. Work had always felt better when it felt like working with friends.

    In 2021, while consulting on product marketing, I jumped at the chance to help plan a 3-day retreat for 300 people. I ended up leading the whole thing—and loved it. It was fun, productive, and deeply affirming. That experience reminded me of what truly matters at work and sparked a bigger idea—what if more teams had access to that kind of connection?

    In 2022, I teamed up with a group of former colleagues-turned-friends to co-create custom retreats. We tested what made in-person time valuable and found that no matter the company culture, the secret to connection is universal.

    Recess is here to help teams feel like teams again.