Initiation Private Retreat
Close your eyes and picture this: A private retreat experience, an entire day wholly devoted to you, to filling your cup and holding you in your magick, exactly as you are.
No matter how life is Initiating you in this moment, this is your opportunity to be fully held and witnessed in your healing. An entire day devoted to alchemizing your journey into art through a one-of-a-kind, somatic, ceremonial experience.
What if you could spend an entire day steeped in ceremony, held with deep care and intention, and guided into the fullest, most unapologetic expression of the depths of your magick? Nourished by fresh, homemade, local foods, surrounded by nature, and with no rules, no restrictions, and no limits to what is possible when we create together.
Your private retreat is an invitation to lean into the artist and storyteller within you, to unleash your inner wild child and to create art that honors and celebrates your soul's unique story and journey.
Welcome to your Initiation
Whether you are being Initiated into Motherhood, through overcoming Trauma, into (re)learning how to Trust yourself or your body, maybe you're being Initiated in the ways of Death and Rebirth, of Survival, and remembering how to Thrive.
Because of how society and culture condition us, we constantly end up at the bottom of our priority list.
When was the last time you did something special for yourself?
When did you last ask for something you needed without shame or guilt? What about the last time you unapologetically asked for something you wanted? Despite knowing that the cliche phrase 'you can't pour from an empty cup' exists for a reason, it is all too easy to leave ourselves at the end of the list every time.
And it almost always ends the same way: burnout, resentment, stagnation, depression, frustration: do I even need to keep going?
A full-body, heart, and soul experience that will Initiate you into your most authentic, badass expression, this is a place for you to drop the masks, drop the bullshit, and remember all of the magick that's already within you.
You deserve to prioritize yourself. You deserve to make your healing a priority. You deserve to have an entire day devoted to supporting and nourishing you. You deserve this.
Your Initiation Private Retreat combines the healing power of Mother Nature, guided movement, and a co-created artistic photo and video shoot experience to pour into you, nourish you, fill your cup back up, and help support you on your healing journey.
Your Initiation Private Retreat Investment includes
Initiation Retreat prep guide + Welcome Packet
2 Pre-session creative brainstorm calls
Private one-day retreat in Limerick, ME
Includes: fresh, local welcome snack, lunch, and light dinner, sacred opening + closing ceremonies, private movement ceremony, intentional ritual infused into every moment, integration time, and 3 hours of dedicated photo + video co-creation
200+ curated, final images, delivered in a personalized online photo gallery portal with download & print rights
Personalized video library with 20-30 DSLR video clips
5-page 6x6' custom linen album to commemorate your Initiation Retreat
$2,222
A $333 non-refundable deposit is required to book.
Your retreat takes place on one day from approximately 10am - 6pm. Transportation and overnight accommodation are not provided.
Image above captured by Miranda Ryan
Hi friend, I’m Monica.
I spent the first half of my life completely disconnected from myself. Detached from my body, from my soul, and struggling to find the will to live. I didn't know who the Hell I was. I couldn't stand to be seen by anyone, including myself. I couldn't stand to look in a mirror, I couldn't stand to do anything that brought me close to feeling a connection to myself or my body.
I found art and somatic movement, and everything changed.
Now, I run a successful creative business where I get to create photo and video art and lead somatic movement ceremonies around the world, with incredible, bold, badass humans like yourself, from every walk of life.
This work is everything to me.
The Initiation Retreat is the culmination and intentional curation of nearly two decades of my own healing and extensive training. With a background and training in various modalities, I bring deep care and attention to every aspect of your private retreat.
Let me hold you in your healing in this intimate retreat experience, and prepare to be Initiated into your wildest, most authentic expression.
Client Love for the Initiation
“There is something so incredibly powerful about being witnessed where you are at this point in time, today, because it’s important. I feel very seen right now. Monica has inspired me as an artist for a very long time. To work with her and get to experience her magick and to capture where I’m at in my journey…I feel very touched and really empowered and it’s a gift that you deserve.”
“I have no words - these are incredible! Looking through these images, I cried like a fucking baby, Mon!”
“These images mean everything to me. They show everything about myself. Monica, your photos are like reading a book with incredible detail. Simply beautiful. Thank you”
“SOBBING! These are beautiful!!!! It’s really made me emotional seeing the vulnerability in these”
“Monica made my dreams come true! She led an initiation ceremony for me that was pure magic. The photos came out so much better than I could have even imagined. The ceremony itself was so meaningful to me personally. Monica is a true pleasure to work with and an awesome creative collaborator. She listened closely to what I wanted and quickly understood the assignment. Plus she made me feel so comfortable during the whole photoshoot.”
“I will forever love this day!! It was such a celebration of my body and how far I’ve come in my journey of self love”
“I LOVE THEM SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH, OMG! These are ABSOLUTELY MORE THAN I COULD DREAM. I have been feeling some kind of way about myself and life in general lately and these are fucking perfect!”
“Thank you for helping me transform these growing pains into art”
I am here to witness you and capture empowering imagery that authentically celebrates you through creative, heartfelt art.
HOW IT WORKS
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Connect
Reach out using the button below and let’s connect and drop in together. I’d love to hear more about how life is Initiating you right now. When you’re ready I’ll send over all the contract + payment details needed to get your retreat booked.
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Confirm
Once your contract + deposit are received, you’ll receive your link to our private scheduling portal where you choose the date of your Initiation retreat. You can officially start counting down the days. Now we start dreaming up all the magick!
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The Vision
Our brainstorm call is where we craft the creative vision that will guide your Initiation. From there, I tailor the movement + nourishment I’ll provide for you, and curate all the sacred details for the most supportive, transformative retreat.
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Your Initiation
On the day of your Initiation Retreat, your only mission is to let yourself fully receive. Our day includes sacred opening + closing ceremonies, a private movement journey, an epic three-hour photo + video shoot, all supported by nourishing local food + beverages, all in service of you + your healing.
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Integrate
You’ll leave your Retreat feeling deeply inspired, fully in your power, and wholly Initiated into the next era of your journey. You’ll have an entire digital gallery + a custom video library full of gorgeous co-created art, plus a beautiful linen album to come back to any time you need to remember the heart of your own magick.
Resources
I regularly update my blog to make sure you have an abundance of resources available when planning your Initiation. You’ll find FAQs, tips and insight into the Ceremony experience, client testimonials, behind the session posts, tips to help you prepare, and so much more.
Initiation
Go behind the scenes of an Initiation ceremony session. Learn more about how the creative vision comes together, from idea to location selection, see session images I’ve never shared anywhere else, and more.
Your Experience
What you can expect from the experience when we work together and tips and advice to help you prepare for your Initiation. Hint, it’s about more than just the photos (but those are pretty epic, too).
2024 is your year to be fully seen + held in your healing
Book your Summer 2024 Initiation Private Retreat now
Due to the highly personalized + intimate nature of this experience, spaces are limited.