“I came into this retreat not knowing what to expect. I’d never attended anything like this before, and I arrived with a mix of anxiety and hope. I was open-minded, willing, but unsure. What unfolded over the next few days was beyond anything I could have imagined. It was unreal. Amazing. Enlightening.

From the moment I arrived, I felt welcome, safe, and genuinely cared for. You created an environment where people who have experienced loss could sit together, breathe together, and be understood without needing to explain themselves. That alone is rare. But the way you held that space, the calm, the gentleness, the sense of safety made it something truly special.

Watching others share with honesty and bravery helped me find my own. The way you encouraged participation without pressure, the way you guided us to open up at our own pace, made it possible for me to be braver than I expected. And when I cracked, which I think I needed to, you (Mel & Misty) were right there. To support. To steady. To help put me back together. I felt held in a way I haven’t felt for a very long time.

The mutual support among the group, the shared stories, the tears, the laughter, all of it was shaped by the environment you created. And Ally’s food… honestly, it was comfort and care in culinary form. She’s a genius.

Reflecting on it all, the program felt perfectly paced. I felt welcomed, then gently encouraged, then supported through the harder moments, and finally equipped with tools and guidance to carry forward. What you’ve built here is extraordinary.

I’m not sure I’ll ever find the perfect words to express how grateful I am for this experience. Mel, you are an absolute legend. What you’ve created is something very, very special. I hope you truly know how incredible you are, and how much this retreat means to people like me.

Thank you, all of you, for the kindness, compassion, and care you pour into this work. It really has made a difference. Perhaps more than you know.”