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The Light Within Retreat - A Healing & Grief Retreat for Suicide Widows


Welcome to The Light Within Retreats

This 5-day transformative retreat located in Sayulita, MX is specific for women of all walks of life who have lost a spouse or partner to suicide. As suicide loss survivors ourselves, we understand the loneliness and complexity that suicide leaves on loved ones left behind. That is why we have specially curated these events at our oceanside location in Sayulita, Mexico, where survivors can come together to connect, bond, and create a path forward where their light can be restored once again.

Trust us. While it may not seem like it, it is possible to heal and there is hope. We invite you to this safe, loving place where we find a space for grief and forgiveness.

This experience includes everything you need to begin or continue your healing journey after suicide loss.

  • Pre- and Post-Event Group Therapy Sessions (online) for a total of 3 months of continued care.

  • Individual + Group Counseling Sessions with therapists trained in suicide loss

  • 4 nights lodging in your own a private casita at Casa Cinetica.

  • Daily chef-prepared meals that are locally sourced and served in the authentic Mexican family style

  • A remembrance ceremony for our loved ones on the beach

  • Daily Yoga + Guided Meditation

  • Nervous system regulation and trauma release exercises

  • Daily Surf Lessons. We welcome all levels of surfing — new and experienced

  • An evening group mediumship session with individual readings.

  • A spiritual hike through the jungles of Sayulita with a local, indigenous shaman.

  • A final night beach bonfire with a “letting go” fire ceremony

  • A 60-minute massage to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

  • Ground transportation to/from Puerto Vallarta’s international airport.

 

OUR LOCATION: Casa Cinetica, Sayulita, MX

Imagine waking up rested and restored in a your own casita overlooking the sun-drenched
blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. This is www.casacinetica.com

 

Guests Rooms are available for registration in either king or queen bed sizes. All rooms are private and include a full private bathroom. Visit Casa Cinetica online to view room options. We do not have a shared option available for our widows’ retreat.

Designed for Small Groups (max 6 guests)

At The Light Within we host only a small group of women (max of 6 guests) per event. We respect your privacy and honor your loved ones. We create a safe, intimate circle of widows supporting other widows.

LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS ARE MADE.

  • Free time every day helps forge new relationships

  • Safe group sessions before, during and for 3 months after the retreat

  • Bonfire ceremonies together

  • Shopping & Dining in town

  • Girl-time in the water

 

But, what if I don’t surf?

 

Not to worry! Surfing is always an optional activity at our retreats. We don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable or pressured to paddle out. For the majority of our guests, this is the first experience on a board and the feeling of riding a wave is truly a joyful moment!

Surf therapy combines surfing with structured individual or group activities as a means of therapy to promote psychological, physical, and social well-being.

-MedicalNewsToday

 

We are here to serve you!

 

Our staff is comprised of the highest quality of professional practitioners, coaches, and clinical therapists. Every team member lives here locally and is excited to share their home, compassion, and knowledge with you. We are also happy to coordinate your care pre- and post-event with your local clinicians and therapists.

Hi, I’m Andi.

I am the founder of The Light Within retreats and will be your host. I am here to pay forward all of the love and compassion this place has shown me. I promise you an experience of a lifetime, a community that will hold you up, and some amazing time with Mother Ocean.

I am a business & life coach by day, a serious water girl, and a suicide widow myself. I lost my amazing husband, Joel, to suicide in October ‘22. These retreats are in his memory, and together, we are glad you are here.

Bienvenidos!

Reserve your spot today for $500

All of our retreats are funded through nonprofit donations — allowing us to offer this $3,500 package for only $500 to each participant.

 

We never want financial ability to be the reason someone cannot join us. That is why we offer a number of financial options — including full scholarships and personal and corporate gifts. Visit our Financial Options page for more information.

“She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts.”
— George Eliot

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🤍 THANK YOU, Cassel & Brown Real Estate Group, for your incredibly generous $2000 contribution to the JZ Army of Love Scholarship. This gift provides one of our guests with a week-long opportunity to heal with us. 💫 Grief and suicide spare no
Embarking on a mental health retreat is an act of bravery that requires immense courage and strength! It requires a level of vulnerability that may seem daunting or too personal. We hear you. Recognizing the need for support is the first small step
“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson Grief has no defined timeline. As much as we may want to push forward and rush through our grief to return to some sense of normalcy, we must learn to sit in
Surf therapy — as a form of outdoor / adventure therapy is recognized worldwide as a means of treating a variety of mental health issues. Our carefully curated programs include surf therapy combined with other holistic modalities such as hiking
The Divine light is within us all. The Light is us and we are the Light. ✨ If you are feeling disconnected from your inner shine, we invite you to join us for one of our 5-day retreats where we leverage the power of the ocean, and a sense of communi
Joel Zemenick was a treasured part of Half Moon Bay’s surf community. His love for surfing and the ocean inspired his path. With years dedicated to perfecting his craft as a glasser, he eventually fulfilled his dream of becoming a shaper and op
At The Light Within Retreats, our programs have been designed to transform grief, stress, depression and trauma by embracing the power of human connection through shared experiences and mindfulness. 📣 In 2024 we have five curated retreats designed
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