Swiss alps
2026 creative Retreat
The 2026 Switzerland retreat gathered a group of women in a cozy chalet overlooking the Matterhorn, where each day unfolded with a balance of creativity, slowness, and quiet exploration.
Mornings were unhurried, spent writing with guidance from Kat Short, letting thoughts take shape without pressure or expectation. Throughout the week, we explored the elements of air, fire, water, and earth through art and reflection — making paper by hand, pressing flowers, writing poems (many for the first time in decades), and sealing our work with wax as something tangible to carry home.
Afternoons and evenings held their own rhythm with walks through Zermatt, shared Swiss fondue dinners, a spa overlooking the alps, and conversations that stretched easily into the night. This retreat was never about being a writer. It was about reconnecting with a part of yourself that once created freely, without judgment — the part that still exists, just waiting for space to come back to life.
Love notes from attendees
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Iceland
2025 outdoor Retreat
Our second summer retreat in Iceland in 2025 brought 12 women together to experience the wild, cinematic beauty of the island’s southern coastlines, long daylight hours, and ever-light skies.
Traveling by road, the group moved through dramatic beaches, waterfalls, cliffs, and quiet stretches of land where the scenery felt both grounding and expansive. Days were filled with exploration and shared awe, letting the rhythm of travel create space for conversation, sing-a-longs in the car, and reflection as the landscapes unfolded around us. Evenings offered time to slow down, take it all in, and connect more deeply after full days spent outside together.
Having first fallen in love with Iceland while exploring solo in 2019, it was deeply meaningful to guide another group solo through these places - watching the land work its quiet magic as friendships formed, confidence grew, and the experience became something shared rather than solitary.
Panama
2025 surf + yoga Retreat
Our 2025 retreat in Cambutal, Panama brought over 30 women together on the edge of the ocean for a week rooted in movement, play, and genuine connection. Each day began with yoga overlooking the sea, followed by gentle, guided surf sessions where everyone was supported to meet the water at their own pace and learn in a way that felt held and encouraging.
Afternoons unfolded slowly with fresh meals prepared to meet our needs, long hours spent between the pool and the beach, and plenty of time to rest, laugh, and connect. As the sun set, we gathered for bonfires on the sand, candlelit ceremonies, spontaneous dance parties, and shared moments that deepened the sense of community night after night.
Being our first large group retreat, the spirit everyone brought made it especially meaningful - openhearted, joyful, and grounded - a reminder of how powerful it can be when so many women come together with curiosity, courage, and ease.
Santa Fe
2024 Creative Retreat
Bringing our Cultivating Creativity retreat to Santa Fe was one of those experiences that re-energized everything I love about women gathering to make, explore, and see again.
In the vibrant heart of the Southwest desert, we moved with intention through expansive landscapes, artistic workshops, and deep connection. We made paint from the earth itself, wandered Ghost Ranch under skies Georgia O’Keeffe knew well, played with photography and observation, and soaked up the city’s rich creative energy - all while laughter, stories, and new friendships formed around every corner.
It reminded me how innate creativity truly is when you give it room to breathe, and why I co-founded Ember & Solis in the first place: to create space where women can drop back into themselves, play with wonder, and leave inspired. That Santa Fe magic continues to shape how I lead retreats now - with curiosity, depth, and the land as our guide.
"This experience was magical. It reminded me that there are a lot of beautiful amazing people in this world. I discovered braveness in myself, and feel comfortable sharing things with others."
dolomites
2024 outdoor Retreat
Our Dolomites retreat still feels like one of those weeks I’ll carry with me forever. We spent five days in the Italian Alps with 11 remarkable women, waking up to jagged peaks and emerald valleys, hiking legendary trails like Seceda, canoeing across bright blue lagoons, laughing over countless pasta dinners and cold beers, and wandering through tiny historic towns that felt like stories come to life.
We shared moments of awe in quiet valleys with nothing but cowbells and mountain air, pushed into trails that took our breath away, and let the beauty of the place pull us into presence again and again.
Watching this group move together, celebrate each other, and form friendships that felt effortless forever engrained in me why I devoted so much of myself to creating these real, unfiltered connections through intentional travel. That season continues to guide me, holding the land as our retreat teacher and honoring the transformational alchemy that happens when women show up fully for themselves and each other.
"This experience restored my faith in sisterhood and showed me I’m not alone. It provided a safe space for me for the first time in years. The Temazcal ceremony was my favorite - the connection and release of emotions was unbelievable."
iceland
2024 outdoor Retreat
After exploring Iceland Solo in years prior, it was time to bring a group to Iceland to see my favorite landscapes on earth.
Co-hosting our Iceland retreat felt like an exhale we did not know we needed. We gathered a group of 12 women and let the land lead, moving through waterfalls, glaciers, geothermal waters, long summer nights, and quiet road trips that turned into deep conversations and belly laughter. It was playful and grounding at the same time, equal parts adventure and softness, with space to be fully yourself without performing or proving anything.
Watching friendships form so naturally, seeing women reconnect to their sense of wonder, and sharing moments that felt both wild and tender reminded me why I co-founded Ember & Solis in the first place. Iceland held us in a way that was powerful and gentle, and I left feeling deeply grateful to have created something that felt so alive, connected, and true.
"This experience meant more to me than I can explain. Before this retreat I was scared of opening up and letting people in, and letting my guard down. This experience helped me let go and be free."
Grand tetons
2024 outdoor Retreat
The Ember & Solis Grand Tetons retreat was one of those weeks that keeps coming up in conversation long after the last car pulled out of camp. Over five days in early fall, we road-tripped through Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, letting the air feel sharp and alive, sketching quiet trails beside alpine lakes, and settling into cozy geodome cabins that became a kind of home away from home.
We rode horseback beneath towering peaks, soaked in hot springs under open skies, danced until our boots hurt at a local cowboy bar, and gathered around campfires each night sharing stories that were real, unguarded, unforgettable. It wasn’t just the stunning landscapes that made it special -it was the way this group moved, laughed, slowed down, and showed up for one another in a wild, beautiful place that loosened all the usual rhythms of life.
vieques
2024 womens circle
Our Ember & Solis retreat in Vieques, Puerto Rico was pure magic from the moment we set foot on that island - greeted by wild horses and untouched beaches that felt like an invitation to slow down and return to ourselves.
Over the week we practiced sunrise yoga with the ocean singing beside us, gathered in women’s circle to explore embodiment, breathwork, and the kind of honest, tender sharing that cracks you open in the best way. We danced under stars, surrendered into Janzu water therapy in warm ocean arms, and kayaked through the glowing bioluminescent bay - moments that felt like remembering the childlike wonder we carry deep inside.
asheville
2023 outdoor Retreat
Our Asheville retreat was a dreamy, grounded gathering that felt like a deep breath and a wide-open exhale all at once. We rooted into the Blue Ridge Mountains with hikes that met us with sweeping views, slow afternoons wandering downtown, and mornings steeped in coffee and intention.
Throughout the week we created space for movement, reflection, connection, and play - from shared storytelling around long tables to quiet solo moments on misty trails. What made it truly memorable was the way this group showed up for each other with curiosity and heart, weaving laughter, vulnerability, and genuine connection into every day.
That rhythm of creative exploration and soulful community is at the core of these experiences and why these shared journeys continue to stay with me so deeply
" The connection was instant in the group, and the energy was relaxed but playful. I left the retreat feeling more invigorated than ever to chase my entrepreneurial dreams. I was so excited to get home and hit the ground running. This was my first retreat ever, and it proved to me the investment is so worth it. The space, experience, and people were per a little piece of magic."
tulum
2023 womens circle
Our 2023 Tulum retreat welcomed a remarkable group of women to the energy and beauty of the Yucatán coastline, where every day felt like a vivid invitation to explore and expand. Together we swam with sea turtles and stingrays in crystalline waters, immersed ourselves in a traditional Temazcal ceremony that invited deep release and emotional connection, and stepped into local spiritual and cultural experiences that opened us up in ways we didn’t expect.
We explored cenotes, sat in circle sharing truth and intention, and felt the magic of the ocean as a backdrop to both play and reflection. This community dove into vulnerability with courage - jumping into the sea, opening hearts in sacred spaces, and trusting each other enough to meet their own edges. The friendships formed, the laughter and tears shared, and the way every woman showed up for her own growth and for one another made it an unforgettable chapter in our collective journeys.
I had been longing to host a group in Tulum after so many meaningful moments there myself, and it was a joy to see the place work its magic on this beautiful gathering.
"It was an absolutely amazing trip, and I think I will cherish the memories for as long as I live. As a mom of 2 I feel like I am always prioritizing everyone else’s needs above mine and the retreat was literally the reset I needed. I don’t think we could have had a better group. I feel like I had a connection with everyone and I could have never have dreamt the female camaraderie and support I would experience."
utah
2022 outdoor retreat
Our Bryce Canyon retreat brought an incredible group of women into the otherworldly beauty of red rock amphitheaters, hoodoos, and starlit desert skies that feel almost sacred.
We hiked iconic trails through sculpted spires, greeted sunrise from dizzyingly beautiful lookouts, and let the quiet vastness of the canyon settle into our bones. Days were filled with intention and movement - from deep hikes that tested our legs and lifted our spirits to slower moments of journaling, meditation, and shared meals beneath expansive skies.
We gathered around campfires, laughed through stories, and watched as the horizon turned from gold to deep indigo every evening, reminding us how rare and grounding it can feel to unplug and just be together in a place that holds space for awe. The way this group leaned into curiosity, supported one another on the trails, and made room for both reflection and play made the experience unforgettable for everyone there.
"You guys are amazing. I literally could not even think of something you ladies could do better. It’s hard to believe you guys have only done a few of these because you seem to have everything down to a T. I will absolutely try to do another of your retreats in the future!"
pnw
2021 womens circle
Our Women’s Circle retreat at my elopement & retreat venue, That PNW Cabin gathered a small, heart-centered group of women into a weekend of deep connection, presence, and soulful grounding in the woods of the Pacific Northwest.
Surrounded by towering evergreens and moss-covered trails, we slowed into intentional mornings of breathwork, embodiment practices, journaling, and sharing in a spacious circle that made room for honesty and vulnerability. Afternoons were spent wandering the nearby trails, crating immersive group art projects with the land, gathering in conversation that felt both tender and expansive, and letting the quiet forest be our guide. Nights were held with candlelight, stories, and reflection - a rhythm that invited women to show up fully for themselves and for one another.
This retreat wasn’t just about activities, it was about presence, witnessing, and the kind of community that feels like being seen and held without performance or pretense. Hosting this at That PNW Cabin — a place that already holds so much meaning for me, with this particular gathering made it a deeply meaningful chapter of that season.
joshua tree
2020 womens retreat
Our first Ember & Solis retreat in Joshua Tree brought a creative, curious group of women together for a full week of intention, movement, and wholehearted connection in the desert light. We dove into daily yoga and meditation, set creative goals, and practiced tools to nourish our inner awareness and wellbeing while honoring each woman’s unique voice and story.
Together we shared workshops that blended wellness and creative exploration, connected deeply over meals and conversations, and found space to slow down and reflect away from the rhythms of everyday life. For many attendees, this was their first retreat experience - and what stood out most was how quickly the energy of the group opened into relaxed playfulness, mutual support, and genuine inspiration. By the end of the week, women were returning home with new clarity around their creative paths, a sense of belonging, and friendships that felt like little pieces of magic.
