5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS RETREAT

1. We will be exploring things that are therapeutic – but this is NOT couples therapy.

This retreat is not a band-aid to fix what feels broken in your relationship.

Things may come up – let’s normalize that it can be vulnerable to do this kind of work, and underlying issues can get brought to the surface. Vulnerability is part of what allows for joyful, deep connection! While we can provide some support during this retreat, the intention is not to provide therapy for on-going relationship issues.

While it can be tempting to go on a retreat like this if things have been rocky between you and your partner, we invite you to examine your motivations when making your decision to come. If your intention for this retreat is to receive therapy, we are not licensed therapists and providing couple’s therapy is beyond the scope of our practice and this retreat, especially since we will be spending time on all the amazing activities we have planned.

Of course, we all navigate challenges in relationships, and no relationship is free from some drama; however we ask that you refrain from coming on this retreat if your relationship requires deeper support than we are able to provide on this retreat. Questions? Reach out!

Please reach out to Zhenya directly if you are interested in intimacy coaching. We will also have an experienced member of our team who can provide one-on-one peer listening support, as availability allows. If you are currently working with a couples therapist (good for you!) you may consider asking if they are available to do a telehealth session during or just before or after the retreat, if that would feel supportive. 

What if you break up before the retreat? Sorry, but we cannot offer refunds. Options: 1. Find someone to take your place. 2. Donate your spot to a couple who want to attend but can’t afford it. 3. One of you can choose to attend with a close friend or a new person, although this is not ideal!

2. Covid

…is here to stay. We highly encourage, but do not require, immunizations and boosters. The day before you travel – or within 48 hours before check-in, we ask each participant to take a Covid test (at at-home test is fine) and submit results to retreat leadership. If you develop symptoms or get sick during the retreat, let us know right away. We have space for a temporary quarantine room if needed. Because we cannot offer refunds for last minute cancellations from Covid, we encourage you to get travel insurance that will cover costs if you cannot come.

3. About sex:

Although we are sex positive, this event is not a queer play party. We will be exploring, in a classroom setting, topics and experiences of intimacy, erotic energy, sensation play, touch, and sensuality – but not sex. For all our group sessions, we will all be clothed, and none of what we are doing will involve nudity. Of course, consensual sexual connection is encouraged and celebrated between lovers in your private room, and we have designed this space to support such a sacred connection. But, if you were hoping for a gay sex party, a nudist space, a place to do a hot public humiliation scene, or a cruising scene, this is not that!

4. Taos is in the high desert at an altitude of 6,969 feet.

If you are traveling from a lower elevation, be sure to stay well hydrated. Occasionally, people who come from low elevations experience lightheadedness, mild headache, and/or fatigue at higher elevations. If you can, come a couple of days early to help your body adjust. Get lots of rest and good nourishment leading up to the trip. Expect wintery conditions – there may be snow and below freezing temperatures. Perfect for cozy connection!

5. We will be exploring awesome modalities! 

What are the Erotic Blueprints®?

The Erotic Blueprint® Framework was created by sexologist Jaiya. After working with hundreds of clients, she discovered that we are not all wired the same when it comes to experiencing pleasure and arousal in our bodies. The five erotic blueprints are: energetic, sensual, kinky, sexual, and shapeshifter. Knowing your primary blueprints helps partners deepen understanding, enhance communication, alleviate tensio,n and increase intimacy and pleasure. This framework also challenges our preconceived ideas about what sex is and opens up greater possibilities for long-term satisfaction and passion in our romantic partnerships.

What kind of Yoga?

Avery is a L2 CIYT and brings 2 decades of teaching experience. While the method of yoga they teach is not usually offered in this context, Avery’s reverence for lineage, combined with their passion for accessibility, queer and trans inclusive healing, and politically relevant spiritual practice, provides students a rare, empowering opportunity to benefit from classical, alignment based, yoga. All levels – including beginners – are welcome! If you have an injury or chronic condition, you will be in good hands. We can adapt practice in a myriad of ways to help all our classes be more accessible.

What is Intimacy Coaching?

Intimacy Coaching provides couples with a safe container to practice empathy and to deepen trust and connection with themselves and each other. There are different modalities and styles of coaching, and each offers unique skills that help partners learn tools to navigate conflict and bridge differences through a deeper sense of understanding and trust. By focusing on deep listening, empathy, reflection, honest communication and emotional integration, couples can heal from past relationships, deepen their connection, and maintain greater agency in navigating the complexities of nurturing long-term intimate relationships.

What is Enthusiastic Consent?

While consent is usually about saying “yes” to something, enthusiastic consent focuses on the somatic enthusiasm of that “yes” and learning to recognize the feeling of that yes on the level of the body. This can also be described as a “full-bodied yes” or a “FUCK YES!”

Rather than simply granting permission to engage in romantic and sexual activity, enthusiastic consent seeks to find the specific things that are intimate, personally empowering, and enthusiastic. This often means practicing self-advocacy & negotiation, exploring what it feels like to be worthy of getting what you truly want, learning to feel and trust our yeses and noes, and practicing communicating them to others.