SURVIVING STIGMA INCLUSIVE WIDOWS RETREAT | JULY 24-28 2025

I don’t think I will ever stop sharing about how connection is the one thing that continues to save me time and time again in my grieving/widowhood journey…

Being in the right room is invaluable when it comes to widowhood.. and after running tow retreats in 2024, I knew I wanted to do something small and intimate just for the alumni (or current members) of Surviving Stigma.

The comfort that is found when you are surrounded by the energy of your widow sisters, while having the opportunity to be in a space where you don’t have to explain yourself is indescribable… and this intimate retreat will provide us all with that indescribable comfort and ease we deserve.

This is an opportunity to embrace your grief, but to also find relaxation, community, and joy alongside women who can meet you where you are with a deep understanding and compassion.

It has been curated and thought out from a place of knowing that most of us don’t have the opportunity to be “taken care of” while navigating partner loss, and how important it is to allow ourselves the gift of support and a break from our day to day lives as well.

These 5 days will provide you with the gentle invitation to come laugh, breathe and be fully present. To explore connecting back to your body, to get into the kitchen with other women to bond over food and drinks, to find community in friends both new and old, all while soaking in the sunshine and the white sandy beaches of the gulf coast.

It’s a place where you can show up, no matter where you may be at in your journey, and be seen, held and understood in a time when you might feel isolated and alone.

What’s Included…

  • 5 days/4 nights in a cozy home in the willows of Bald Head Island, NC only minutes from the beach alongside 5 other widows. This is my friends home and I know we will all find sanctuary inside of it and on this special island as well!

  • Access to 5 group zoom meetings that will allow us to connect more as a community before and after our time together!

  • Options for a single room or one shared bunk room (all rooms are priced the same due to the size of this retreat and the intimacy part of it all)

  • Welcome gift bags for each women with curated gifts from the heart

  • Opening ceremony on night 1 with intention setting + story sharing to shake out the nerves

  • Daily morning movement + yoga, dips in the ocean, bike rides and/or paddle boarding, exploring Bald Head, gold carts ride to shop and so much more

  • All meals + drinks included with the opportunity to cook or be served. *** dietary restrictions will be honored

  • Private Chef catered dinner on the last night to celebrate our time together + closing ceremony

  • Transportation to and from Wilmington International Airport (ILM)

  • A chance to be witnessed, held and tended to in a safe space as we all come together in a collective exhale to bear witness to our grief, but also find laughter, connection and ease

Explore Baldy’s Enchanted Retreat…

FAQ’S

  • Nope! You are allowed to do as much or as little as you feel called to. There will be no set schedule excepet the option to do morning yoga.

  • Absolutely! Down time and relaxation are encouraged.

  • We will coordinate all airport pickup and drop off times. You are also welcome to rent a car, but we will be taking a ferry to the house as there are no cars allowed on the island.

  • Besides your flight and your spot in the retreat, the only thing that would be an extra cost is whatever you may want to purchase in the area.

  • You will want to pack for a beach vacation - So think swimsuits, comfortable, cool clothing, sandals, a pair of sneakers for walks and/or bike rides. You will want to bring sunscreen, all personal hygiene products and all comfort items you will need. We will chat about this further as we get closer to the date!

  • I encourage you to come anyways! We will have 1 or 2 zoom meetings beforehand to shake out some of the nerves. You may leave with lifelong friends after this (at least this has been my experience with this!)

  • You will want to fly into Wilmington International Airpot (ILM)

  • Unfortunately, At this time I will not be able to offer refunds due to the upfront costs that come along with planning after spots are secured. If there is an extreme circumstance, we will discuss privately what can be done during that time. Thank you for understanding!

Join Us Here

There are two single rooms, and one shared room with a queen bunk bed. All spots are priced the same due to the intimacy of this retreat.

There are only 4 spots total!

All pricing includes food, drinks, your accommodations, all activities + plus transportation to / from the airport and island.

  • Julia Warren

    RETREAT HOST

    Julia became a widow on September 1, 2021 when her husband, Doug, succumbed to his lifelong battle with addiction and died of an accidental overdose. This left her a solo mom of two young boys, with a deeply unregulated nervous system, a burning desire to live life fully in his absence, and a passion to help many women just like her along the way by sharing her truth and their story.

    She is deeply passionate about speaking out about the intricate layers that come along with losing someone to addiction to help educate others and to soften the stigma, while providing a safe landing for those looking for support as they navigate stigmatized loss and widowhood.

    As a 500-hour trauma informed yoga teacher with extensive training in guided meditation, energy work, yogic philosophy, as well as nervous system support + somatics, she helps her clients find healing by teaching them how to get in touch with their bodies, their emotions and the felt sense that lives inside all of us through gentle somatic work and support.