The heartache hotel

An Embodied Grief Retreat

“Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re so helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open at its own accord. The room grows cold, + we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, + a little less; + one day we wonder what has become of it.”
— Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha
 
 

Movement // Nature // community

A retreat focused on acknowledging, witnessing, + processing grief

What is offered?

  • Yoga + Meditation

  • Authentic Movement

  • Group Circling

  • Fire Rituals

Who is this for?

Meant for any person that needs support in this realm

When does it take place?

Arrival will be Thursday evening, September 14th

Departure will be Sunday afternoon, September 17th

Where is it located?

Taking place in a 3 story barn on 3 acres of land in Bull Valley, near Woodstock, IL

*Scroll down for photos

What is included?

  • Lodging options - camping on land, or private or shared rooms

  • 3 healthy, organic meals per day, catered by Awakened Provisions

  • Friday - Sunday programming - 2 embodiment practices per day, group circle processing, + nightly rituals

What is the cost?

  • Camping - $500 SOLD OUT

  • Shared Room - $700 SOLD OUT

  • Private Room - $800 SOLD OUT

How do I enroll?

This retreat is currently FULL! We are creating a waitlist for cancellations that open up or interest in future retreats. Please reach out via the link below.

Facilitators

Julie Brannen, LCPC, R-DMT, GLCMA

Julie Brannen (she/they) is passionate about creating intimate, innovative, transformative spaces. Her mission is to restore, rewild, + reunite humanity with nature via the intersection of activism, alchemy, + art. She is a Certified Reiki Master Teacher, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, + Registered Dance/Movement Therapist.

Since 2013, her field experience includes extensive work with womxn + girls recovering from eating disorders, addictive behaviors, + traumatic experiences; at-risk youth integrating back into society; elderly + adult populations living with movement disorders + levels of neurodivergence; adults who identify as highly sensitive persons (HSPs), looking for support with spiritual integration + body-based work. She specializes in offering transpersonal, integrative counseling with a somatic approach to human resilience, post-traumatic growth, + addiction recovery.

Rachel Sherron, LCPC, RYT

Rachel (she/her) is a body-inclusive therapist with over a decade of experience in the field of mental health. With a genuine passion for helping others, Rachel has dedicated her career to providing exceptional therapeutic support to individuals seeking personal growth and emotional wellbeing.

With her deep curiosity about the complexities of the human experience, Rachel utilizes a holistic approach that blends her studies of yoga, meditation, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and EMDR to support folks struggling with a wide range of issues.

Previously, she held the position of Coordinator of Trauma Awareness and Clinical Yoga Specialist at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center and traveled nationally training clinicians how to incorporate yoga and the body into trauma treatment. Currently, she works in private practice supporting individual clients and other clinicians on their journeys to their most meaningful lives.

The Barn in Bull Valley

“If your schedule allows, you won’t be disappointed! When these two people get their minds together, the outcome is pure magic and wonder!
I was fortunate enough to be on their last retreat. The amount of healing I did in that short time was life changing for me!
They created an atmosphere that was nurturing, transitional, fun, open, expressive and empowering all at once! Rachel Sherron Matrejek and Julie Brannen… eternally grateful, take me back to Costa Rica please!”
— Sandra Homan
“The women’s yoga retreat in Costa Rica with Julie and Rachel was absolutely phenomenal! It was filled with breathtaking views of the Costa Rican landscape, full of beaches, thick and luscious jungle vegetation, friendly faces, the most delicious and healthy meals I’ve ever tasted, juicy yoga and movement sessions, slack-lining, sloth watching, and beautiful connections between old and new friends. There was time to reflect, play, swim, eat, have deep or silly conversations, move our bodies, and so much more. This was the ultimate retreat for a seriously, deep, self-nourishing experience!”
— Lyubov Vasilyeva
“An absolutely incredible trip. Each day was thoughtfully planned and utterly beautiful, the perfect blend of structured and unstructured. I’m so so glad I went, it truly was a trip to remember, and changed/deepened my entire understanding of yoga and movement.”
— Katie Bergman Bock
“SheWolf Sacred Movement Retreat returned me to a peace with myself I’d casted out and neglected. There’s always a safety, a confidence, or wholeness to belonging to a group of women sharing an intention and a practice. Julie and Rachel held a space for the intention and practice to love, release, recover, replenish, and share. The Goddess Garden could not have been a more perfect container for the bonds made or maintained. That bond for me personally was recovered with my body, reaffirmed my intentions, renewed my sense of sisterhood, and redirected my thoughts back to serving what the Goddess in me truly desires, deserves and intends to manifest in the world. The women I shared this experience with know just how much gratitude and adoration I’ve grown for them. From them, I am loved as well. I would highly recommend this adventure to anyone seeking this kind of healing or affirming in their life.”
— Sarah Lemley