NOWHERE TO BE BUT HERE
a retreat for the
sacred space between
no longer and not yet
NEVADA CITY | CA
OCTOBER 1-5
2025
If you’re a woman in the midst of change — navigating the quiet ache of something ending and the soft stirrings of something new — this retreat is for you. Join me in the wild beauty of Northern California, where the forest steadies you, the river teaches you to let go, and each moment invites you to come home to yourself.
This is your invitation to step away from the noise, the pushing, the trying to figure it all out, and learn to root right where you are. You don’t need a plan. You just need space. And presence. And beauty. Because when you learn how to inhabit the in-between with your whole self, clarity begins to rise.
Maybe a relationship has ended. Maybe a role you've clung to — mother, partner, achiever, fixer — is slipping away. Maybe you're just tired of carrying it all and pretending you’re ok.
You don’t want more advice. You don’t need another productivity hack.
What you need is space. Honest connection. A place where you can stop trying to be okay and just be.
Because when you can meet yourself right here
in the uncertain, uncomfortable, exquisitely tender space of not knowing you unlock something powerful —
the next version of you begins to rise.
We’ll gather in the Sierra Nevada foothills — on 16 acres of forested land just minutes from the magnificent Yuba River — to do exactly that. To lay it down. To listen. To remember who you are when you’re not performing or holding it all together.
This is not a retreat for fixing.
This is a return to the quiet wisdom that lives inside you.
The kind that only speaks when you finally stop and listen.
Allow yourself to imagine…
Waking up to the sound of wind moving through the pines, no alarms, no demands — just breath and quiet and space. You step outside into the cool forest air, something softening in your chest already.
You walk slowly to breakfast — real food, real conversation, no pressure to be on, or to make anyone else a meal. Around you are women who get it. Women who’ve walked through heartbreak, reinvention, reclamation.
Later, you find your way to the Yuba River. You slip off your shoes and place your bare feet in the water. It’s vibrant and alive and so are you. The current reminds you, letting go doesn’t mean losing yourself. It means trusting what wants to come next.
In the afternoon, you curl up on a cozy deck chair under the trees. You speak in circle and feel yourself soften. You remember how to feel. You remember how to hear your own voice.
what's it like to attend one of Marisa's retreats?
Come Home to Your Heart was one of the most beautiful gifts I’ve ever given myself. Every detail made me feel deeply nurtured and supported. Marisa and her incredible team thought of everything. If you feel called to this experience, trust that feeling and go.
— Amber Mest
I can hear you now
A retreat? In the woods?
For four nights?
You can barely get to the grocery store without a dozen other things falling apart.
There are kids, work, texts to respond to, dinners to make, things to hold together.
And yet…
There’s that quiet voice that says — You need this.
Maybe you’ve added yourself to the someday list. Maybe you’ve learned to power through, to keep saying “I’m fine” even when you're fraying at the edges.
Maybe you've been waiting for permission. For the timing to be perfect. For the pieces to somehow arrange themselves.
But what if this is the moment?
Not because everything is
handled, but because it’s not.
Because you’re tired of putting yourself last. Because something inside you knows it’s time.
Time to soften. To breathe. To let yourself be held instead of holding it all.
You are ready.
Not when your inbox is empty. Not when everyone else is taken care of.
This is your invitation to come back to yourself.
A return to presence and quiet self trust
Your journey begins at a private nature sanctuary tucked into the Sierra Foothills of Northern California, perched above the pristine waters of the Yuba River. You’ll find places to sit and simply be — beside a flowing creek, in a tucked-away garden, or nestled in your cozy accommodation.
During our time together, you’ll be gently guided through practices that support release, reflection, and reconnection. Morning rituals and movement practices. Forest walks. Circle conversations. Time in and by the river. Creative exploration. Deep rest. You’ll eat nourishing food, breathe fresh air, and laugh with women who are walking their own sacred thresholds.
This is not a retreat where you’ll be asked to perform or push.
It’s a place to root into what’s true.
To honor what’s ended — and make space for what’s next.
To trust the part of you that already knows the way forward.
By the end, you may not have every answer.
But you’ll know how to meet yourself in the in-between.
And that will change everything.
Because the clarity you’re craving doesn’t come from doing more.
It comes from creating space for what’s real to rise.
This was such a beautiful experience. My partner said I seemed "settled" when I came back, and I really did feel that way, grounded and rooted.
– Cher Braden
Wisdom arises when we relax into what's real
You’re not here to make a five-year plan. You’re here to get honest. Through movement, connection, stillness, and circle, you’ll start to see what’s been driving you and what’s been quietly draining you.
You’ll learn how to listen to your body, not just your mind, so you can stop spinning in questions and start landing in truth.
Some of what’s stuck might move. Some of what’s hidden might rise.
You might cry. You might laugh. You might shake something loose that’s been lodged for years.
This isn’t about fixing your life.
It’s about finally pausing long enough to feel what’s real.
Ready to stop rushing and start remembering who you are?
Your sanctuary in the Sierra foothills
Welcome to a private nature sanctuary perched above the Yuba River, just outside Nevada City, California, on 16 acres of forested land.
Throughout the property, wild trails wind past a spring-fed creek and permaculture gardens. You’ll find hidden nooks for reflection, communal spaces for connection, and quiet corners where the earth seems to speak. You’ll be just minutes from some of the most breathtaking swimming holes and river beaches on the Yuba.
From the hush of pine needles beneath your feet to the golden late-afternoon light that filters through the trees, this place holds you without asking for anything in return.
You’ll sleep in thoughtful accommodations that keep you close to the natural world — without sacrificing comfort. Choose from a stand-alone house with private bedrooms and bath, forest-view cabins, fully outfitted glamping yurts, or a rustic shared bunkhouse tucked deeper in the woods. Whether you’re craving cozy, curated, or more connected, you’ll find a space that fits your rhythm, and your retreat.
The Crystal Spa
A sanctuary within the sanctuary. You’ll step into a cedar sauna charged with shungite, black tourmaline, and quartz — sweating out what no longer serves under the quiet of the trees. You’ll soak under the stars in a colloidal silver and UV-filtered hot tub, rinse off beneath an open-air shower, or sink into deep outdoor baths, hot or cold. At the edge of this space, a meditation shrine anchored by a giant amethyst crystal invites you into stillness, breath, and reflection.
In a separate building nearby, the indoor strawbale bathhouse offers a different kind of quiet. Two private soaking rooms, each with a deep luxury tub, skylights, and rain showers.
Everything on this land is rooted in sustainability, reverence, and regeneration. And everything here is designed to help you return to yourself.
Eat well, feel held
Each day, you’ll be nourished with rustic, satisfying meals crafted onsite by a seasoned chef with over 30 years in the culinary world. The food centers around clean, globally inspired flavors — bright herbs, seasonal produce, and the cleanest proteins.
Mornings begin gently: organic yogurt, grain-free granola, fresh fruit, toast, tea, and coffee.
Lunch is where the color and crunch come in.
Think crisp, hydrating vegetables, hearty salads, and flavorful proteins. Each dish is designed to ground and energize — leaving you full, but never heavy.
Between meals, snacks are always within reach — maybe a wedge of dark chocolate with dried fruit, almond butter with crisp apple slices, or a handful of nuts. Cucumber and citrus-enhanced water keeps you hydrated and glowing all day long.
And dinner?
Warm. Hearty. Satiating.
A generous buffet served in a cozy communal dining room with sweeping views of the forest, or outdoors on the wide deck under the evening sky.
All dietary needs — gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan — are welcomed and met with care.
Marisa brings such a graceful, loving, open, playful yet grounded presence.
— Jen Mintz
Nowhere to be But Here What to Expect
WEDNESDAY
The Landing
You’ll arrive between 4 and 6 p.m. Drop your bags, take a deep breath, and get cozy in your space. At 7 p.m., we’ll gather at the Magic House for our first meal together.
Before we eat, we’ll connect and there will be an overview of the weekend — just enough to get your bearings and ease into the rhythm of the retreat. After dinner, the evening is yours. Stay and chat. Curl up with a book. Take a soak under the stars.
Tomorrow, we open the circle.
FRIDAY
The Softening
Awake under the trees. After breakfast we'll gather for our morning session — movement, reflection, and some practices to help you embrace the mystery, honor where you are in the in-between, and settle into the rhythm of the weekend. Lunch follows, then the afternoon is yours. Maybe you’ve booked a massage or a treatment. Or you’ll soak in the cedar tub, dip your toes in the Yuba, or check out downtown Nevada City. Or perhaps you’ll do absolutely nothing (highly encouraged). Late afternoon, we’ll meet for a movement session — time to feel your body and let it lead. Dinner’s around 7 at the Magic House.
SUNDAY
Taking it Home
Ease into the morning. Breakfast will be waiting.
We'll gather one last time to close the circle, where we'll begin to integrate what’s come up, and mark the shift in you that’s already happening.
Then, a light lunch, hugs, and goodbye for now. We'll depart by 2 pm.
THURSDAY
The Opening
Wake slowly, then follow the path through the trees to the Magic House for breakfast and coffee. Around 9 a.m., we’ll gather to open the circle. You’ll be introduced to the women who are walking this path alongside you. After that, we’ll head back to the Magic House for lunch under the trees.
The afternoon is yours. Walk a trail. Visit the river for a quiet hello. Soak in the hot tub. Or receive something beautiful — a beauty/wellness treatment or maybe a massage. Later, we’ll return for a movement and deep rest practice to help you drop out of your head and into your body.
Shower or soak and meet back up at the Magic House for dinner. After our meal? Stargazing. Hot tub. Quiet chats. Early bedtime. Let the forest hold you while everything else fades to the background.
SATURDAY
The Unfolding
We'll meet for breakfast and then gather for an experience designed to help you land more fully in this moment — and in yourself. This morning is about presence and trusting the part of you that doesn’t need to have it all figured out. Afterward, we’ll gather for lunch, followed by another afternoon of deep rest and quiet integration. You might book a final session, wander to the water, or simply do nothing at all, which might be the most productive thing you can do. Later, we’ll gather in circle for one last time. Dinner will be warm, grounding, and celebratory.
Here’s what’s waiting for you
4 nights of retreat magic in a private nature sanctuary
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Morning and afternoon practices, guided sessions, movement, rest, and space to just be
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All meals from Wednesday dinner to Sunday lunch — nourishing, rustic, deeply satisfying
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Full access to onsite spa amenities, including the cedar sauna, hot tub, soaking tubs, and forest showers
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Optional one-on-one sessions (booked in advance for a separate fee): massage, beauty/wellness treatments
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Time to connect, time to reflect, time to feel like yourself again
The experience was beautiful, necessary, grounding, connective and brought me back home to myself.
—Morgan Whitney Cook
Location & Getting Here
Our retreat site is private, peaceful, and surrounded by towering pines — and it's under 3 hours from San Francisco! It’s the perfect mix of remote and accessible.
Travel Times
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Sacramento International Airport (SMF): ~1 hr 15 min
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San Francisco International Airport (SFO): ~3 hrs
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Downtown San Francisco: ~2.75–3.25 hrs
4 minutes to South Yuba State Park
Just down the road from some of the most beloved swimming holes in California.
Purdon’s Crossing is 8–10 minutes away and perfect for a riverside pause.
25 minutes to Nevada City + Grass Valley
Charming historic downtowns full of great food, cozy cafés, galleries, and one-of-a-kind shops.
10 minutes to North San Juan
A tiny town with all the essentials: the Ridge Café (organic breakfast + juice bar), Mama’s Pizzeria, and the nearest gas station.
Meet Marisa
Hi, I'm Marisa!
I’ve been gathering with women for decades — in my living room, in Zoom rooms, in studios, sanctuaries, and quiet places off the grid. It’s my favorite kind of magic.
I’m a mother of two, co-parenting in a thriving modern family. I’ve walked through big endings and come out the other side with a life that’s more beautiful, more real, and more connected than anything I could’ve designed on purpose.
I'm a certified life coach, longtime student of Indigenous wisdom traditions and Buddhist psychology, and co-creator of beloved books like The First Forty Days. I guide women through the spaces that are often rushed: the grief, the reckoning, the raw unfolding.
My flagship program, The Divorced Mom Reset, teaches mothers how to reclaim calm and steadiness after separation — not by fixing the chaos around them, but by coming home to themselves.
I created this retreat as an offering.
A way to honor the groundless space of becoming — to tend to the in-between instead of trying to muscle through it.
I can't wait to gather with you for Nowhere to be But Here. Together we'll fortify our ability to trust the unfolding of our lives. It starts with genuine presence and brave softness. We need this time together to remember that we're not lost — we're becoming. See you amongst the trees!
xo Marisa