A transformational wellness retreat for midlife women

Reclaim the vitality you thought was gone forever.

Aging is inevitable, but how you age is up to you. Join Marcella's tribe this August in the sacred Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Southern Colorado and learn the skills you need to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

 

You want to age gracefully, but ...

  • Instead you feel frightened, grief-stricken, and unnerved by the older woman staring back at you in the mirror 

  • You're slogging through your days with waning energy, diminished libido, nagging body aches, and an expanding waistline

  • You secretly wonder if you should get “work” done to look younger 

  • You carry a heavy burden of regret for "mistakes" you made earlier in life

  • Your doctors aren't giving you the answers you need, and it's time to take your health back into your own hands 

"Marcella, you inspire me, as we are close in age. You give me hope and confidence about aging.”

—Roxie F., Miami, fl

Stop fighting and fretting over your aging body.

What good is it doing you to fret about your sagging skin, your dried-out hair, your flashes and pooches and pouches and pains?

How much time and money have you wasted going after "pick-me-up" fixes that leave you more desperate in the long run?

How long have you been wallowing in your it's-too-late-for-me story that's burying you alive in negative self-talk?

Why continue torturing yourself?

There's another way.

Come enter the labyrinth of transformation with me in the mystical Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Southern Colorado.

Unlike endless Zoom meetings, a destination retreat gives you breathing room to step out of the incessant demands of your life.

You catch up on much-needed sleep.

Eat nourishing meals prepared with your needs in mind.

Relax and socialize with kindred-soul sisters.

Listen deeply to the inner voice that has the answers you need.

And enter a portal of transformation that's just not available when you're at home squeezing your healing sessions in between grocery shopping and paying the bills.

 

"Surprisingly enough, I came home from the retreat with Marcella and found that I had lost 4 pounds after eating at the all-you-can-eat buffet! The weight loss was wonderful, but even better was the emotional freedom I gained thanks to Marcella's skilled guidance. My time with her was among the best 5 days of my life, no kidding!"

—Jane B., Boston, MA

A healing oasis in the Rockies

We'll meet at Joyful Journey Hot Springs & Spa, located in the northern gateway to the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado.

Let the waters heal you. Take in the magnificent views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains while soaking your aches and pains away in mineral-rich, chemical-free artesian waters.

Sleep like a queen. Nestle into the comfort and serenity of a lodge room featuring Aspen-wood furniture, private baths and outdoor decks with remarkable views. 

Log off and relax. Disconnect from it all in one of Joyful Journey's fully-furnished yurts. Private and removed from the main lodge, with separate bathhouses, the yurts offer expansive views while being only a short walk to the pools. 

Camp in a tipi! Want an experience you can write home about? Camp in an authentic tipi, equipped with cots, mats, and the best views of the mountains. (Bring your own sleeping gear.)

Reclaim the innate healing capacity that is available to you at any age.

Meet Mary Sheila

We'll be joined in this retreat by Mary Sheila Gonnella of Occidental Nutrition, an award-winning holistic nutritionist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mary Sheila's vast wisdom blends ancient Ayurveda principles with the latest holistic nutrition research to help women like you reset your blood sugar, calm your autoimmune ailments, and go deeper than weight loss to revitalize your metabolism.

 

Listen to Mary Sheila and me passionately claim our “soul vitality” in the second and third acts of our lives.

“The discernment I’ve been using to create this next chapter of my life would not have been possible without the wisdom, growth, and insight I've received from working with Marcella and Mary Sheila. Their excellent work has changed my life." 

—Lindy R., Kalamazoo, MI

The secret of agelessness is at your fingertips.

In this retreat, we'll be using EFT Tapping, guided meditation, movement practices, and sound healing to help you

  • Release internalized messages about aging that have kept you stuck and scared 

  • Liberate accumulated regrets and revive your vision of what’s possible in the next chapters of your life 

  • Open the pathways of emotional and metabolic detoxification that restore your vitality 

  • Learn “clean as you go” lifestyle practices that keep your heart and soul youthful as your body inevitably ages 

  • Drink from the fountain of eternal youth by cultivating gratitude and appreciation 

How Barb found happiness at 65

When Barb and I began working together, she was exhausted from a lifetime spent building her career, raising her kids, caring for her parents, and putting herself at the bottom of her endless to-do list.

After attending the 2023 Becoming Ageless retreat, Barb is doing better than ever—and the retreat was the just the experience she needed to tip her joy into place.

Are you, like Barb, longing to manifest a healthy lifestyle of your conscious creation?

If your answer is “Hell yeah, Marcella,” then come join us this summer.

“You know, Marcella—I told you back then—that might have been the best retreat I’ve ever been to. I’ve been to a good number of retreats, and it definitely was. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful places to be, honestly.” —Barb B., Foster City, CA

the investment

The retreat tuition, which includes teachings, retreat staff, guest presenters, and 11 meals, is $1,998.*

Register before April 30, 2024 and save $400:

Start your payment plan before April 30, 2024 and save $200:

*You will be responsible for your own travel, lodging, and incidental expenses.

If you know you’re a yes to this, sign up today!

In this retreat you will see ...

... that everything you ever thought was bad or wrong about your choices, your habits, or your history is in reality only stepping stones to your success and freedom.

You will come to be grateful for your past and ready to move forward into a transformed future. 

Questions?

Here are the deets you need to know:

  • The retreat tuition, which includes Marcella and Mary Sheila’s teachings, retreat staff, guest presenters, and 11 meals, is $1,998.

    Register before April 30 and save $400 if you pay in full or $200 on our payment plan.

    You will be responsible for your own travel, lodging, and incidental expenses.

    We’re just about full, so if you know you’re a yes to this, sign up ASAP!

  • Once you register for the retreat with Marcella, you can contact Joyful Journey to arrange your lodging.

    You can choose to stay in a lodge room, which consists of 2 queen-size beds and a private bath, for about about $400 for 4 nights if you share the room, or about $800 if you would rather book a single room.

    There are also several yurts available, either shared or private, that all have shared bathrooms and run from $300 to $700, again depending on if you share or go solo.

    Joyful Journey also has tipis available. For these you can bring your own bedding and use the shared bathroom, and these run about $100 for 4 nights.

    You’re also welcome to pitch a tent and/or pull up your RV. These spaces haven’t been reserved for this retreat, but if you timely reserve with Joyful Journey they should be available.

  • The theme of the retreat is "Becoming Ageless As We Age." We'll use EFT Tapping, guided meditation, sound healing, movement, and other somatic tools to help you

    Release internalized messages about aging that have kept you stuck and scared

    Liberate accumulated regrets and revive your vision of what’s possible in the next chapters of your life

    Open the pathways of emotional and metabolic detoxification that restore your vitality

    Learn “clean as you go” lifestyle practices that keep your heart and soul youthful as your body inevitably ages

    Drink from the fountain of eternal youth by cultivating gratitude and appreciation

    Our focus will be on getting you back into your body, especially after 3 years of staring at computer screens!

    Please plan to arrive between 3 and 5 p.m. mountain time on August 1 to give yourself time to unpack and get settled before supper. We'll have an opening ceremony that evening.

    The three full days of the retreat will be set up to allow for plenty of integration time: rest, soaking, taking naps, hanging out on the grass or in your accommodations.

    Departure is 10:00 a.m. Monday morning, August 5.

  • August in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains typically follows a pattern of moderately warm sunny mornings shape-shifting into warm afternoon monsoon rains.

    By evening the rain gives way to clear sunsets with occasional rainbows!

    Nights will be on the chilly side.

    Be sure to check local weather conditions before you pack.

  • Clothing that feels comfy to wear (we'll be sitting and lying down on the floor)

    A comfortable celebratory outfit for our opening ritual

    Shoes that are easy to slip on and off (for entering the event yurt and the pools)

    A yoga strap (or belt or scarf)

    Swimsuit, towel, sunhat, appropriate sun protection

    Water bottle

    Journal

    Flashlight or headlamp

    Bedding and towels (if you're camping in a tipi)

    Anything else that feels comfy and fits in your bags

    Leave some room in your bag for take-home gifts and souvenirs!

  • Joyful Journey Hot Springs is in Moffat, Colorado.

    You can fly in to either Denver or Colorado Springs airport (the latter is about an hour closer).

    If you need ground transport to and from either airport, let us know. We can connect you with fellow travelers who might share a car rental with you.

  • To protect the integrity of the container, and to support you and the other retreatants in getting the most our of your experience, we ask that you attend the entire retreat.

  • There will be no alcohol served during the retreat.

    Medical and recreational cannabis are legal in the state of Colorado, and Joyful Journey is a cannabis-friendly place.

    You're welcome to purchase your own alcohol and/or cannabis supplies for consumption in the evenings after the retreat day is over.

    When the retreat is in session, please come to all sessions in an alcohol- and cannabis-free state.

  • WiFi at the Joyful Journey is not the strongest. We suggest you give your cell phone a rest while you're here.

    In the case of an emergency, whoever needs to reach you can call or text the desk at Joyful Journey, and the staff will relay the message to you.

  • We all know life happens sometimes! If you can't make the retreat, I'm happy to refund you 75% of your retreat tuition if you cancel on or before May 31. After May 31 no refunds will be given.

  • Good question! I am definitely not a medical professional or licensed therapist and as such do not offer medical advice or psychological treatment.

    I'm an energy healing practitioner who uses EFT and other somatic tools to help health-conscious women like you make the rest of your life the best of your life.

    In 2018 I founded The Women, Food & Forgiveness Academy, an online community of women who support each other in restoring metabolic balance by healing the emotional roots of yo-yo dieting, binge eating, sugar addiction, and chronic body shaming.

    I'm the author of Tap, Taste, Heal: Use Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to Eat Joyfully and Love Your Body, available everywhere books are sold.

    Over 65,000 students have benefited from my online courses, "Lose Emotional & Physical Weight with Tapping" and “21 Tapping Meditations for Emotional Eating and Beyond,” both of which are top-40 bestsellers on DailyOM.

    To get a feel for my style, feel free to visit and subscribe to my online journal, Grief, Grit & Grace: A Heroine’s Journey of Aging on Substack.

  • Feel free to reach out to me at marcella@marcellafriel.com. I'm happy to help you!